Magical Yuletide blog: 2025

29 November 2025

I miss my childhood Christmases

I want to go back to the Christmases of my childhood. Where, if there was turmoil in the world, we were unaware of it. Where festive music played on the radio – proper Christmas carols, the ones we practised singing at school. Where, if our mother was struggling financially, we were ignorant of the fact, because we always had a Christmas.

A Christmas Day where festive fare magically appeared on the table – roast meat and spuds on a stinking hot summer’s day, gravy and mint or apple sauce, home-made pudding, custard or cream. Ice-cream, jelly and tinned fruit salad. Fruit cake with thick white icing. Boxes of assorted biscuits. Round tins of Mackintosh toffees.

The bright summer sun streaming in through the windows, sparking off the tinsel on the real pine tree stood in the corner. A tree that made it smell like Christmas. Paper chains and foil milk bottle tops strung here and there; images of Father Christmas cut out from newspapers, coloured in and stuck on the wall. We weren’t aware of Advent calendars. I don’t remember instigating our count-down calendars but every year I made them, counting down to Christmas Day.

Presents. Not just one, not two, but many. Books and good quality toys, bought with care and love. The floor of our sitting room covered in discarded Christmas wrapping paper as we buzzed around, high on excitement and lollies.

I miss those far-off days, the Christmases of my childhood.

27 November 2025

Two new Christmas stories

I have written two more festive stories -

'The Christmas Card' (2025)
'Lady of the Van' (2025)

Both have been added to the website.

18 November 2025

Three books added to my collection

Today I spent $4 at my local Sallie Army family store. I bought three books. The first one especially - 'Once Upon a Christmas' - I am enjoying. Published in 1996, it is Christmas memories of celebrities. I didn't buy it because the authors were famous; I bought it because I love reading about people's Christmas memories.

15 November 2025

First year without

Six weeks ago I lost my beloved Mum. This Christmas will be the first one without her.

All the memories. The times when we were kids and the excitement on Christmas Day morning. The roast lamb, veges, mint sauce and gravy on a stinking hot summer's day.
Even when we were grown up, she wanted us there on Christmas Day. She wasn't interested in what presents we could give her -- all she wanted was for us to be there.
She got older, as we all do and could no longer live in her own home. But still she wanted us all to be together on the day. Last Christmas we put together some food, picked her up and went to the beach of her childhood.

It was to be our last Christmas together. This year will be sad.

Merry Christmas Mother Hen. Love you xoxox

07 August 2025

AI and art

Oh my goodness, I have discovered the joys of using AI to create Christmas images!

I have, quite frankly, gone completely ga-ga over it, creating many, many images. I think of the picture I want to see, and give the AI instructions on background, colours, light, weather, size, objects etc. to create what I like. It's a fantastic tool for art.

On the website I've created a new page titled AI-assisted images where I am adding my new creations. Enjoy!