The Silly Season

Christmas 2013 is done and dusted. The money has been spent, tummies were filled and all the rubbish bins were packed to the brim with festive wrappings and toy packaging.

We had a fairly typical Queensland Christmas; a stinking hot day with all the ceiling fans on (we don’t have air conditioning or insulation in our house), plus a couple of extra desk/pedestal fans aimed at the dining table to help keep everyone a bit cooler while they ate.

It was a tight Christmas financially, but in some ways that made it even better. There were just enough presents so that everyone felt spoiled, but not so many that the significance was lost. A lot of people in our town travel an hour away to the coastal strip to shop, but I pride myself on shopping locally for gifts, unless I can find something cheaper online (hey, we are on a budget).

There was less food on the table than in previous years, but then, we had fewer guests this year too. We still had plenty of leftovers, which was a bonus (because, let’s face it, who really feels like cooking in the day or two after Christmas anyway?).

Of course, for the cricketing males in the house, the day after Christmas was important too – with the Boxing Day test match beginning on television.  The littlest Caveman also joined them in the lounge room, simply because it was where he wanted to build with his new Lego. For the Cavegirl and me, it meant a day at the shops for the Boxing Day sales. With still not a lot to spend, we didn't buy very much, but it was fun to have a look.

So now the silly season is all over. Silly is the right word for it too ... with arguments about whether we should say 'merry christmas' or 'happy holidays' (I personally don't care, since both have been around for generations and mean pretty much the same thing).

Then there are the shoppers getting silly about car parks and crowds at the shops - luckily, most people I met this year were fantastic.  We all know we'd rather not be there, but it has to be done. Some things just can't be bought that far in advance.  

It will be easier now to get a car park at the shops, which is handy if you want to buy hot cross buns for Easter … no doubt they’ll have those on the shelves in the next week or two (and people will complain, even though it makes no difference).

Cynicism and silliness aside though, I really do enjoy Christmas. So does the rest of the family. My little Caveman asked if we could just leave our tree up all year because he loves it so much. I must admit, I’m almost tempted. It would save a lot of work and be a good start on being ready for next Christmas.

I sincerely hope everyone had the best Christmas they could have. May you all have memorable times with loved ones and allow yourself to relax and enjoy the little moments that really matter xx

Graduating Primary School

Well, school is over for another year and we are really gearing up for Christmas now. It has been an exciting time for the kids in our Crazy Cave – especially for our middle child, the Cavegirl, who has finished primary school and is moving on to high school in the New Year.

The Caveman and I usually hover around the school at the end of the last day, just to see the celebrations (and tears!) that come from the kids who are leaving. For the kids in younger grades the holidays are something to cheer about, but for those who are leaving primary school forever, it can be quite sad. 

Even some of the parents have tears, especially the ones whose youngest child has finished their primary schooling. I was mostly okay yesterday, watching my daughter hug her friends and shed a couple of tears, but I know I will be a mess when my littlest Caveman finishes primary school in another five years. All of our children have attended the same school (the first starting in 2004) so I expect to feel very emotional the day I walk out that school gate for the last time.

The common joke among the parents is that the kids who are sobbing as if they’ll never see each other again are usually the same ones you will see walking around at the shops together a couple of days later. These days, with mobile phones and social media, it is easy enough for them to arrange to meet up regularly … and, in a town the size of ours, they are likely to run into each other occasionally anyway. 

Some of them, though, won’t see much of each other after that final day of primary school – we have a number of public and private high schools in the area that they can move on to, and many of those kids have friends they won’t be attending school with anymore. 

So, for my Cavegirl, this is the start of a new era. After the holidays she will start at the same high school her older brother goes to and find herself stepping into a whole new world. She is looking forward to high school (with only a little apprehension) and I know she will cope with the changes – and challenges - very well.

In the meantime though, we can relax and forget about routines for a whole SIX weeks. Hooray!