25th December, 1999

Christmas Day. I love Christmas. Growing up, Christmas held a lot of importance for me and my family. It was a time where we would get together with my aunty, uncle and cousins (they were the only extended family we had living nearby), open our presents, eat ourselves stupid and play with our new toys in the street with the other neighbourhood kids while the olds slept the rest of the day. These days, the Christmas experience has changed; presents from Mum and Dad are less expensive (I'm easier to please now), and I'm buying presents for more people... but the feeling is exactly the same. Check out the snapshots of the day's festivities as well as the pressies I recieved.

	Mum loves to immaculately set the table for Chrismas.
	Here's Mum with a table full of Xmas nibblies.
	My cousin Campbell. Even though he lives and works in Melbourne now and my aunty Helen and uncle Campbell Snr live on the other side of Mansfield, both a good few hours drive, they managed to make it for Xmas lunch.
	Here's my brother, Jamie being a dick.
	Jamie again, being a much cooler Santa.
	Campbell doing a wonderful impression of a gay Santa... even though I'm not sure if that was the intended effect.
	After lunch it was time for us to do Xmassy stuff on Gracie's side of the family. Here's her little cousin Anthony. He's such a cute kid, especially with the He-Man haircut.
	Gracie's here with her cousin Mellissa. Mellissa's brother, Adrian, took this photo trying to be artistic, but ended up looking like he was falling asleep or something.
	A cool new scooter was one of the pressies at this get-together, and simply everyone had to have a go... Here's Gracie's Aunty Milly.
	... and Aunty Lina.
	I finally managed to get a pic of Adrian doing a bunny-hop.
	YAAY! I finally managed to get Gracie on to the scooter... and she didn't even fall off! Uncle Jerry films on in the background.
	Adrian slides out the back wheel.
	Gracie: a moment of relection.
	Here's Anthony again wondering what the hell this weird looking gift is supposed to be.
	Paul and Daniel, more of Gracie's cousins. At these family get-togethers theres usually something fun for us kids to play with. At Jerry & Millie's and Rocky & Louise's place there's table tennis and at Grandma and Grandpa's place theres a pool table.
	Gracie's Uncle Frank: Bald.

And here are the pressies!! YAYY!!

A cool little honey pot with a dippy stick thing and little jar of honey. Currently on my kitchen windowsil.	Clockwise from top-left: inflatable santa, little box o' lollies, immitation Rubic's Cube, snowman candle, misc candies, squirt gun.	A lovely selection of glass baking dishes, which is just what we needed. Now we can make all manner of pasta bakes, and lasagne's.
More miscellaneous sweet things.	Gracie got a selection of smelly bath and shower products.	Clockwise from top-left: wooden ornamental flowers, a calendar, umm... dunno, a pen, the afforementioned honey pot, a puppy hot water bottle cover.
I got Gracie a a bottle of her favorite perfume, Delicious. I went to a lot of trouble to get that as it's not available here in Shepp. I ordered it from a rare perfume place in Sydney.	The best frying pan in the history of frying pans. Nothing can stick to this baby! Inside the pan we have matching bottle opener and corkscrew.	Gracie was in need of a backpack, so mum got her this one. Good thing too, because little did Grace know then that she would be going back to school to do her Beauty Therapy course in Melbourne.
Jamie and Kylie gave both Gracie and myself one of these great folding deck chairs.	Gracie got me this Cool Waer smelly stuff. I love this one... my other preference is 1881 *hint hint*.	Magic hangers! Make the most of your limited closet hanging space.
Nothing says Xmas like Xmas printed toilet paper. This lasted a whole week before we had to use it!		Clockwise from top: another calendar, a little diary, a tube full of glitter, intended to be flicked out on New Years Eve (and I did!), a polystyrene pterydactyl glider, pack of coasters, and in the middle, A SPOON! (Thanks mum!)
A little Big Ben money tin filled with tasty caramels.		A can of Xmas whiskey cake and a box of shortbread.
Shower radio - for those moments when you've just got to dance on a wet slippery surface right next to a plate glass door.	Two decks of cards. I dont play a lot of cards since I discovered Windows Solitaire, but at least I know that they're there in case of a blackout.	A soap crayon. I've still got to try this one out. I'm not too sure if it just writes on walls or whether you can write on skin with it. I can see potential here.
The obligitory pairs of socks. Note the Taz socks on the right. They say "Michael's Socks" so keep your filthy hands (or feet) off!	Yet more lollies and chocolates. Gawd! No wonder I'm so fat.	A tray of Jelly Belly gourmet jelly beans, with a shitload of flavours including mango, banana and cinnemon.
Towels! Yay! Just what we needed.	My Ottoman. Of if you must be vulgar, it's a poof.	Mum made this book for me. It's the story of my birth and my life before I can remember. This is by far the best of all my presents.

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