… and I’ve not been very Christmassy on my blog have I? I genuinely think it’s because in July I blinked and suddenly Christmas appeared and I’ve not really caught up, even though I’ve been going along quite nicely (autopilot perhaps?)

I’ve started my Christmas shopping but I haven’t finished it and each year I swear I’m going to get more organised in the next year to come. Instead, each year Christmas arrives faster than the previous and I’m that blonde blur running around the shops in last minute frenzies. At least this year, I will be done by this weekend, which is an improvement, but not by much. Dammit. Next year.

We haven’t even put many Christmas decorations up. My Christmas tree is still in storage because we haven’t been able to move into our new apartment and I was so hoping we would be in before Christmas and the New Year, but it looks like it will only be happening in February! *Holds thumbs*

Sox has put up a tiny tree and I put up some fairy lights, so that counts as something.

I’m going back to Johannesburg to spend Christmas with my family and Sox will spend Christmas here in Cape Town with his family. Both our families have decorated their homes beautifully, so we’ll each have a Christmas Wonderland.

As much as I’m going to miss Sox, I really am looking forward to spending some time with my family and doing our Christmas traditions. It’s brought back a lot of memories from my childhood.

As a little girl, I would wake up super early from the sheer excitement and run through to my sister, Tandi’s room to see if she was awake. I’d love moving her blonde hair from her face, shaking her gently and whispering: “Merry Christmas!”

Her sleepy brown eyes would suddenly light up as she realised it was Christmas morning and we’d both make a dash for the Christmas tree to see if Santa had arrived. I remember how exciting and magical it was to see our Christmas stockings full of little gifts from Santa. Tandi would always rush over to the table to see if Santa had eaten his mince pie and drunk his beer. (It went from milk to beer depending.)

Our Santa was a messy eater and he always left behind the mince pie but with a huge bite mark out of it and he’d always leave a little bit of the beer behind. Tandi used to get very upset that he hadn’t finished it, but mom always reassured us that he was probably so full from all the cookies and milk he got from all the other houses and “we didn’t want Santa to get any fatter, now did we?”

Side-eye to my dad.

We also used to leave carrots out for the reindeers and they’d be half munched lying outside. It was absolutely thrilling.

We’d then have to get my parents up so that they could come to the tree and start opening presents. The only way this was going to happen was if we made them tea and cut the traditional cake, Stollen.

It was a team effort from the Schneider girls and with a wobbling tray of tea and cups, we’d make our way down the passage to our parents room and yell: “Happy Christmas!”

There would be an excited flurry of talking between my sister and I to my sleepy parents, like:

“Santa came! Santa came! Come quick. Come look!”

“The reindeers also ate all the carrots, but left behind a few pieces!”

“Ja, and Santa didn’t finish his mince pie again!”

“I tried so hard to stay awake waiting for Santa, did you Tandi?”

Our parents would always act sleepy and we’d jump on the bed to try and wake them.

Gosh, just writing this has brought back so many memories and the Christmas spirit and I’m looking forward to Christmas morning. I think for giggles, my sister and I, now 28 and 31, who will be home on Christmas morning, should still make tea and jump on the bed (oh boy!) to wake mom and dad up.

We indulge in a delicious Christmas lunch after all the pressies have been opened and there is always so much love and appreciation around the tree and around the table! Oh and seriously, my mom makes the best Christmas lunch you’ve ever tasted. Yes, this is a “My mom is better than your mom” moment!

I hope that wherever you are and who ever you celebrate Christmas with, that you’ll enjoy the small things (and the big), that you’ll create memories, pray for peace, love and humanity and have a very Merry Christmas!