Christmas 2018

Whilst staying at Windsor Gardens Caravan Park I was busy from 7th December to 23rd December working various shifts at Santa's Wonderland, Wayville Showgrounds.  I thoroughly enjoy this work however by the end of the period I felt very buggered!! Started talking to Helen like she was a little kid!  Shared the load with other Santas however some days I had 1 shift, some days 2 and then there was the whole day!

Santa has a tough gig!!

 During time off we caught up with family and friends and made sure I had the evening off for our annual Christmas dinner with lifelong friends, which we have been doing for over 40 years!  It is usually the Saturday before Christmas and we have been going to a different venue each year.  We have only missed a couple in our 6 years of travelling and whats more special is that all 5 couples are still married!

Annual Christmas dinner 2018 at the Maylands Hotel

Very special Christmas this year as our kids Briony, Todd and Tenelle flew from the Gold Coast to have a family Christmas in Adelaide.  Our first celebration began with lunch on Christmas Eve at Helen's brother Robert and sister-in-law Rhonda's home together with their children plus partners plus kids.  Helen's sister Glenda also came down from Mt Compass so fantastic to have the 'Miller siblings' together.again.Was great for our kids to spend time with their Adelaide cousins who they do not see very much.  A wonderful day and great lead up to Christmas day- thank you Robert and Rhonda.

Christmas eve lunch at R&R's

A little more serious

Christmas morning Todd & Tenelle gave us all a Christmas T Shirt, Todd organised the shirts and as didn't know our sizes, one size had to fit all!!

Christmas morning began with a visit to our old neighbours at Athelstone (the Hewies) for the traditional Christmas Breakfast.  This has been going for 30 odd years and was a great start to the festivities having a cooked breakfast with some of the neighbours (great memories).  Briony and Todd thoroughly enjoyed the visit this year as it is a wonderful childhood memory - and the Hewies enjoyed having them re-visit after so many years.  Thank you to the Hewie family for your wonderful hospitality.

Traditional hot Christmas lunch was held at my nephew Anthony and his partner Sarah's home and consisted of a majority of my family - siblings, nephew & neices plus partners, great-nephews and neices - totalling 24.  The day was very hot but luckily we all fitted in their air conditioned home.  I slipped out after the main course and changed into my Santa outfit then had every person come up and get a little present!  Helen was the only one who knew, so it was a surprise for everyone and a heap of fun.  A huge thank you to Anthony and particularly Sarah who put up with a huge crew invading her home!  Briony and Todd had an absolute magic Christmas and Tenelle did so well to endure all the new cousins she met for the first time.

A big crew at Anthony's and Sarah's for Christmas, even had Santa arrive!!

Had another day with the kids until they flew back home to Tugun on the Gold Coast.  We then left Windsor Gardens and stayed a night at McLaren Vale Caravan Park in readiness for our Housesit for Karen & Jayson in McLaren Vale for 2 weeks.