That Christmas feeling has crept up on me in the most unexpected ways and in the most unlikely moments.  Long-time readers of the blog will know that Christmas is my holiday.  I embrace the kitsch and the kitchen with passion each year.  I love the gifting and I love the ‘homely’ angle when it comes to decorations and the culinary treats of Christmas lunch.

It’s been a more subdued transition to my best Christmas self this year.  Put simply, and predictably, I found myself just feeling drained that first week of December.  It’s been a big year and while it’s all been ‘good big’, it’s been more exhausting than it felt at the time.

I feel like I’ve basically parented,

travelled (oh, the travel…)

and worked my way through the year. 

How could I forget?  The running.  There was an awful lot of it this year as well.

And here we are.  The last week before Christmas. 

And finally.  I can feel it.  The Christmas Spirit.  Spritzed generously in the air around me, it’s seeped through my pores, entered my bloodstream and reached those somewhat fatigued synapses of my neurons.

Our standing order at Betty’s Burgers.

That symbolic relieving of the loads of work and school celebrated by lunch at our favourite burger restaurant.  Didn’t hurt that lunch took place on a day off I gave myself.

Being inspired by beautiful cards containing happy, almost miraculous, work-related news.

Making a ‘Welcome to Sydney’ wok of Hokkien noodles for us to share with my parents the night they fly in to stay with us.

Peering through the gate of one of my favourite seasonally decorated houses of the neighbourhood.  Yes, while running.  Yes, I know you didn’t ask.

Breakfasting like a champion ahead of a Christmas lunch power shop.

It really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.