New Year, New Resolutions

It’s that time of year again, the time when we all make many promises to ourselves about how we will improve our lives across the course of the next year. All too frequently however, by week 2 we have already succumbed to failure. Not this year!

This year I’ve created 8 realistic (I hope) new year’s resolutions that I hope to see through until at least March anyway!

So what will my New Year’s Resolutions be in 2012?  

An Imaginary Christmas

Today, I sit at my desk listening to the strains of Big Ben heralding the arrival of 8.00am and one of my colleagues experimenting with his new speakers by blasting out Christmas carols. The countdown is on for everyone and I'm rather excited that I finish work tomorrow lunch time!

It has filled me with a sense of melancholy as Christmas, as much as I love it, never lives up to my expectations. In my head I imagine a magical time where miracles happen, people find romance and long-lost loved ones miraculously make it home for the special day. In my head, everyone should sit round the fire (or air-conditioning) watching It's A Wonderful Life, drinking wine and wrapping presents wearing novelty knitwear.

The December Pinch

Today, the expense of the festive season well and truly hit. With social catch ups around every corner and last minute gifts, my bank balance has been taking a pounding. 

It was much easier when I lived on the Sunshine Coast and never did anything. But as I insisted on moving to one of the world's most expensive cities in the middle of a recession I must start cutting my costs. But the question is where? 

Potentially, I could look at cutting some friends out as a money saving exercise. After all, the less friends you have the less social occasions one must attend. But then I'm afraid I'd get horribly bored and spend money on wine, fancy underwear and dresses I don't need in order to amuse myself. 

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

I love Christmas wholeheartedly and every year delight in tinsel, lights and buying presents for the people I love.

However, it seems that this year in the office, the only person rockin’ around the Christmas tree is me. Or rather, I would if there was a christmas tree.  

But it seems not everyone shares my disappointment at the lack of tinsel. But to these people I’d like to make the following points.

Christmas Shopping

My mother always told me that men do not like shopping, so I was rather surprised when the boy suggested we go to Bluewater on the way back from Rochester.
After queuing on the motorway for 15 minutes to get to the Bluewater turnoff, I must admit I was worried whether the day would end in tears and tantrums (which it did, but only mine!). But it turns out that in fact, the boy likes to shop. And shop we did.

Recovery Time

I am definitely feeling my age today. 

Long gone are the days when I could party all night, then back it up with all day at work, or more fun.

Last night was Christmas, and whilst it was not too drunken, it was a big day.  After getting up at 7 and then a long day of eating, then a long evening of drinking then crazy frivolity, followed by a not very restful sleep.  

Today I have not been able to do anything useful at all.  In fact I have not got out of my pyjamas all day (well they were a Christmas present).  I watched a movie then had a 4 hour long Nanna nap. 

I just can’t pull up like I used to.

Christmas Tunes To Make You Jingle

As it’s Christmas and I have some time to kill before the people get here for lunch.. I thought I would share a list of my all time favourite Christmas Songs & Carols (I’ve been very clever and hyperlinked them to youtube):

O Holy Night
Angels We Have Head On High
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Fairytale of New York
The Man With The Bag
All I Want For Christmas Is You

Ho Ho Ho!

The Christmas Rush

It’s that crazy week before Christmas and I am baffled by peoples shopping habits.

For one, the shops are only shut for ONE day.. and yes there is extra entertaining to be done and therefore more food to be eaten, but there is no need to stock up on canned goods and bottled drinks like it is the apocalypse.

Secondly, we are now three sleeps away from Christmas. Christmas things have been in stores since October. You have had plenty of time to stock up, prepare and do your Christmas shopping.  Please do not now complain to me because we have sold out of mince pies and wrapping paper. You should have known better.

Having worked in retail for years, and currently working in a supermarket, I would like you all to stop and think about the staff of supermarkets and in fact any store. We are tired and have been on our feet for most likely 8 hours straight.  Some of us will have been at work since the early hours of dawn, some of us will still be there way past our bedtimes. Some of us don’t even get a lunch break. 

So, as you do your last minute panic buying, spare a thought for us.  You may be in a rush and most likely in a bad mood due to the crowds, but a quick smile and a “Merry Christmas” makes our job just that little bit easier.

Santa Loves All Kids, Even Ginger Ones

There is currently some uproar in the UK over a Christmas Card at Tesco saying “Santa Loves All Kids, Even Ginger Ones”. 

Someone complained that it is racist. And you know what.. I partly agree. It seems that ginger is the only group of people you are allowed to make fun of these days.  You can’t make jokes about terrorists, Muslims, Black People, Asian people or any ethnicity for that matter without being branded a racist bla bla bla.. It’s rude to poke fun at disabled people and fat people. 

As a proud (and attractive) ginger I find it disgraceful that we are teased to such an extent just because we have red hair, freckles and pale skin.  I have been called Ginga, Daywalker, Ginge, Aunty Ginge etc etc.  The ex used to sometimes refer to me as “Rusty Crutch”.  But you know what. I don’t mind because it makes me different.  It makes me unique.  I love that there are so few of us gingers around. But I’m also very pleased I’m not an ugly ginger. 

But should this Christmas Card have been withdrawn from sale because of this “Ginger Whinger” (as the UK press have dubbed her).  I say NO. It’s fricking hilarious!  I wish I had one that I could frame and put on my wall. 

The world would be a much less stressful place if people stopped being so politically correct all the time.

As a member of the United Trust of Good Looking Ginger People, I would like to encourage you all to do your bit for World Peace and join in International Hug A Ginger Day tomorrow. 

I promise, you won’t catch gingivitis.

Underneath The Christmas Tree

As I have been completing the last drabbles of Christmas shopping and starting Dad’s I have found it frustrating because I keep seeing things I want for me. So for you information, this year underneath the Christmas tree I hope I find…

• The Ultimate Edition Wizard Of Oz Anniversary Edition DVD Box
• The Ultimate Harry Potter & The Philosophers Stone DVD Box
• Ditto for Chamber of Secrets
• 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Die and about a zillion other books
• A first edition Pride & Prejudice
• A solution to the Global Financial Crisis
• A high paying communications/marketing job in London/New York or Brisvegas
• A plane ticket to London (Preferably First Class)
• A microwave egg poacher
• A crystal decanter
• A variety of awesome homewares etc I keep seeing
• Lots of lovely expensive skin care products
• A new iPod.. mine which I got secondhand is just about dead

After all Santa, I have been very good this year. Depending on your definition of “good”.

Homesick For A Winter’s Christmas

I find it very bizarre that I can be feeling homesick for a place when I am currently living in the place I grew up.

I’ve mentioned before how much London feels like home to me, and now at Christmastime I am feeling the pang of longing for Old Blighty. 

There is something magical about London at Christmastime. Especially coming from a hot climate, finally having a cold Christmas was like something out of a fairytale.

Chestnuts really DO roast on open fires (well on BBQ style things on Oxford Street).  You can sing “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas” and there is the small chance that perhaps, just maybe, it might be.  The weather outside is frightful and the fires are delightful (as opposed to here, where the weather outside is frightful and the Air-Con is so delightful).

I’m missing the twinkly lights on Oxford and Regent Streets, the store fronts of Selfridges & Debenhams lit up, Hammersmith Square’s Christmas tree and the German sausage hut.  I’m missing mulled wine, ice-skating at Kew Gardens, hot chocolate, seeing Santa land at Covent Garden.  And I’m sorry Myers and David Jones, but the Harrods Christmas Store shits all over you both.  Then sneezes on you. 

But most of all, I am missing the people that make London feel like home. And no, not the charity muggers & London Lite wankers outside Hammersmith Station.  I miss my London family, my pub boys, and some of my very best friends. Who despite the distance and time apart are still as good a friends as back on October 2008. 

Wish I could say the same about everyone on the Sunshine Coast.

Is It Winter Yet?

There is something really unfair about watching a lovely Christmas movie, where everyone is rugged up in gorgeous winter clothes, trudging through the snow, drinking hot chocolate. “Why is this unfair?” I hear you ask.. because for me, this Christmas, it will be hot. STINKING hot. HUMID. STICKY. UNPLEASANT.

I am not a fan of summer. I like the idea of it that is portrayed in movies where everybody is at the beach, sipping cocktails and wearing floaty dresses. But the reality is: I get sunburnt = more freckles. It is humid = sweaty armpits, thighs, knee pits and cleavage. There are bugs = bug in your cocktails and itchy bites.

People idolise summer. Those who do I think are from cold climates like the UK.  When I was living there so many people used to say “Bet you miss the heat”, “I wish I lived in a hot place BLA BLA BLA”.  NO!  I like it cold.  Cold means no bugs, sweat or sunburn.  It means not sitting inside with the curtains drawn and air con on because if you go outside you will get heat exhaustion. It means that you can get in your car without getting third degree burns from the seatbelt buckle and steering wheel. You can handle your alcohol better in the cold. 

So when my lovely friends in England have been texting me telling me how cold it is, I think to myself as I sit in underwear on my bed with fan blowing on me, too hot to sleep – you lucky bastards.

Day 19 of 365

The Loneliest Time Of The Year

Today is December 1st and as I sit listening to Christmas Carols, I get that familiar tug on the heartstrings I get every year that reminds me that I am single.

In general I quite enjoy being single, I can snog and shag whoever I like, and I no longer spend my weekends washing my live-in boyfriends work clothes, shopping for food to feed him during the week and then not seeing him from Friday Night until Sunday Arvo.

But as soon as the tinsel comes out I find myself longing that I had myself a little 3 bedroom Old-Queenslander, a Christmas tree of my own to trim, a group of friends that I could bake Christmas goodness for, and someone to share it with.  All in all, the holidays are truly a terrible time to be alone.

I’m sure that this year will be better, I have finally got some friends on the Sunshine Coast that want to play with me and unlike last year, I have all my lovely things around me in our new house (even if it is my parents). But as it gets closer and closer to December it also reminds me how very far away I am from the people I love the most.

Ali, Andre and Indy (about 300kms), Saffa & My Godson (about 800kms), My Brother & Nephews (about 1800kms), Miss B (about 4000kms), My London family (16,533kms).  All so very far away. 

It’s days like this that I praise the invention of the world wide web. Because of email, Skype and Facebook I am only a click away from the people I love.  And quite frankly I’d rather wake up alone on every Christmas Morning until I die than be without my extended family of friends. 

Day 16 of 365

Miss Ginger: Super-Organised!

Oh the weather outside is frightful (it’s freaking HOT and STICKY)
But the Air-Con’s so delightful (BLESS Climate Control)
And since it’s too hot to go outside
Time to shop, Time to shop, Time to shop!

With only 37 Days left until Christmas, I am pleased to brag to you all the I have be super organised this year and completed all Christmas Shopping!

The only thing left to purchase is my Mother’s stupid bird feeder, which is too big to hide at the house, so need to find a hiding place first.

DAD – Tick; NEPHEWS x 2 – Tick; GODSON – Tick; BROTHER & SISTER-IN-LAW – Tick; ALL MY CLOSEST FRIENDS & THEIR OFFSPRING – Tick!

I’ve even managed to write all my International Christmas Cards, put stamps on them and have them sitting in a pile ready to post (but still need two addresses). 

Usually I have everything done by about the first week in December.. but this year I am on FIRE!  Mainly because I am broke and I have been buying gifts one pay at a time. Also because I have realised how much Sunshine Plaza (our local shopping centre for those who aren’t local) annoys me. You can never find a park, and it’s always full of teenagers, fat people and lesbians.

So I thought, “Clever Miss Ginger for getting everything done early” UNTIL I remembered that I will have to battle in the parking lot anyway as I work at the Plaza AND have volunteered to do Lifeline Christmas Wrapping this year. 

So really resistance of retail centres at Christmas is futile.

DAY/POST 6 of 365

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Around this time every year something wonderful happens. Not only do I turn another year older (and get showered with praise and affection), but all the shops become a twinkling delight of festive fun.  Novelty gifts are on display and the smell of mince pies is in the air.  That’s right… it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
This is by far my most favourite time of year.  Each year the  lead up to Christmas fills me with a childlike delight that surprises me with its intensity every year. I love the carols, the songs, the food, the tinsel, the decorations, the present buying, gift wrapping, Santa, EVERYTHING! 
But to be honest, one thing I’m now a huge fan of is Christmas Day.  It’s very overrated.  A day when you are forced to spend time with your family with whom you either spend every day with anyway or don’t see for an entire year.  Christmas lunch is always a bit bland and it’s always STUPIDLY hot.  So hot that all you want to do is sit on the couch in your underwear watching re-runs of Friends or The Simpsons (but the Christmas episodes naturally). 
I’ll deal with Christmas Day when it gets here.. but in the meantime it’s the season to be jolly, I hear those sleigh bells ring-a-ling and I’m going to dust off my santa’s helper outfit and fill up my novelty reindeer wine glass with Christmas Cheer!  Ho Ho Ho!