"Lit up like a Christmas tree!" Leichhardt Town Hall

Plum pudding - what, no plums? - the answer is here!

My concession to "traditional" (ie British) Christmas is plum pudding. Love it. 

Why "plum pudding" if there are no plums? Because pre-Victorians called raisins plums. 

A couple of years ago I came by a simply great, never-fail recipe, and so the ritual has begun. No need to hang for months in muslin (til it gets mouldy in Sydney humidity!) Traditionally suet (raw beef or mutton fat)  was used - I prefer butter!

I am led to believe this is the same recipe the royal family dine on.

First, fruit: dates, sultanas, currants, raisins soaked in sherry or rum. I chose sherry this year. 

Sift flour, nutmeg, mixed spice three times

Cream butter and brown sugar

Add one egg at a time and mix well after each addition

At this time a finger-dip 'n' lick is mandatory!

Add Parisian essence for a great rich dark brown colour, lemon essence and vanilla extract

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Add breadcrumbs

Fold in flour mixture

Add walnuts and fruit mixture

Place in pudding steamer

Steam in large pot for 4 hours.
On the day, infuse with more alcohol, steam for another hour and serve with custard.

A very Sydney Christmas

Well, it was gorgeous. The best type of Christmas weather - warm, very sunny, the gentlest of breezes. Perfect for a swim and snorkel in the morning, back home for an outdoor meal in the mid-afternoon, lingering into the night.

Seasons Greetings to you and everyone in your life.

A very chocolate Christmas

Window displays at Belle Fleur chocolates in Rozelle.

Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad, Buon Natale, Milad Majid, Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand, Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun, Selamat Hari Natal, Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!, Shuvo Naba Barsha, Vesele Vanoce,
Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina, Feliz Natal, Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat, Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo, Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!, Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun, Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan, Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito, Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth, Pace e salute, Rot Yikji Dol La Ro, Mitho Makosi Kesikansi, Sretan Bozic, Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok, Glædelig Jul, Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak, Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast, Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!, Gajan Kristnaskon, Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi, Melkin Yelidet Beaal, Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!, Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad, Hyvaa joulua, Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar, Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!, Bo Nada, Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!, Fröhliche Weihnachten, Kala Christouyenna!, Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto, Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!, Mele Kalikimaka, Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova, Shub Naya Baras, Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket, Gledileg Jol, Selamat Hari Natal, Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah, Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat, Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay, Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto, Sung Tan Chuk Ha, souksan van Christmas, Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!, Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!, Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto, Priecigus Ziemassvetkus, Linksmu Kaledu, Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar, Schèine Chreschtdaag an e gudde Rutsch, Sreken Bozhik, IL-Milied It-tajjeb, Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa, Meri Kirihimete, Shub Naya Varsh , Merry Keshmish, God Jul, Gledelig Jul, Pulit nadal e bona annado, Bon Pasco, Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu, En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!, Maligayang Pasko!, Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie, Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha, Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua, Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn, Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!, Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit, Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom, Buorrit Juovllat, La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou, Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou, Nollaig chridheil huibh, Hristos se rodi, Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa, Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok, Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto, God Jul, Ett Gott Nytt År, Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon, Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal, Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!, Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas, Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun, Srozhdestvom Kristovym or Z RIZDVOM HRYSTOVYM, Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (good New Year not Merry Christmas), Chuc Mung Giang Sinh, Nadolig Llawen, E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!, Geseënde Kersfees, Een Plesierige Kerfees, Rehus-Beal-Ledeats, Gezur Krislinjden, Kamgan Ukudigaa, Melkam Gena, Yeni Iliniz Mübarək, З Божым нараджэннем, Шчаслівых Калядау, शुभ क्रिसमस और शुभ नव वर्ष , Честита Коледа, 聖誕節同新年快樂 , 聖誕節快樂, 新年快樂 , 聖誕快樂 新年快樂, 圣诞节快乐 , 聖誕節快樂, 圣诞快乐, Me Nomuni na marau ni siga ni sucu kei na tawase ni yabaki vou, გილოცავთ შობა-ახალ წელს , Καλά Χριστούγεννα!, સાલ મુબારક, शुभ क्रिसमस , メリークリスマス, Жаңа жыл құтты болсын!, Жаратканнын туысымен Жана Жылыныз кутты болсын, 즐거운 성탄절 보내시고 새해 복 많이 받으세요, शुभ नाताळ , ਕਰਿਸਮ ਤੇ ਨਵਾੰ ਸਾਲ ਖੁਸ਼ਿਯਾੰਵਾਲਾ ਹੋਵੇ, С Рождеством Христовым , Христос се роди, Krismasi Njema, கிறிஸ்துமஸ் மற்றும் இனிய புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துக்கள், సంతోషకరమైన క్రిస్ఠ్మస్ !, کرسمَس مبارک
کرسمَس مبارک

Apologies if your language is not there, or there are errors! Blame Google!

And let us not forget - the one and only Wingdings!! 

Merry Christmas!

A very retail Christmas

Santa will be setting off from a Westfield shopping centre at any time now. Looks like his helper elves are boarding now for take off.

A very bussy Christmas

A Sydney bus decorated for Christmas.

It's work....

Every day I see young people walking from Chalmers St in Surry Hills towards the CBD, arms laden with these foam antler things, there to be sold as part of the binge of retail ephemera. I guess, but don't know, that the army of young salespersons are predominantly backpackers, who flock to Sydney at this time of year.

Christmas Party

Here's a pic of me and my dear friend, Frank, at our work Christmas Party. Frank is retiring this year after decades of work as a teacher and union officer.
And I'm wearing my brand new party dress to celebrate!

Happy Christmas banners

Sydney City Council wishes you a very happy Christmas along Southern Cross Drive.

Happy Homecoming

Several houses in our street have modest decorations for Christmas. We got home last night (Christmas Eve) from visiting family and noticed that the house directly across from us was decorated, with lights a-twinkling. A little strange, I thought, because the occupants, like many in our street are Moslem. And then I realised that, because the Haj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) has been so recent, Hajis (pilgrims) are returning, and this lovely display was one of welcome home. There's another in our street as well. So we're a coulourful street celebrating our various cultural and religious festivities.



MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL THOSE WHO CELEBRATE

Last chance shopping

Fish and seafood (especially prawns) are popular Christmas fare in Australia. Last night we went to the Sydney Fish Market to buy a salmon to poach, and came across this monster Moon Fish. Not too sure it will end up on anyone's Christmas table though. Reports are things have been busy at the fish market; it was pretty easy when we were there at 8pm last night. The market remains open from 5am 23 December to 5pm 24 Dec - 36 hours of continuous trading, and busy most tof that time.

Best thing to do is take your own esky or cool bag to bring the seafood home in. I'm pretty sure these book shop present wrappers wouldn't be quite the right thing at the fish markets. I guess they will be moving on to other things from end of business today.

Christmas Skywatch

This "Christmas shop" has been open for the past couple of months. The fellow holding the sign and waving at the traffic has been there every morning and evening. As his sign suggests, I suppose in a week's time he'll be gone.

To see skyscapes from around the world, click here.

Boxing Day (aka St Stephens Day) - the view from my couch

For an Australian, Boxing Day means many things, including:

• a public holiday to get over the excesses of the previous day and eat leftovers as sandwiches and salads, and/or hangover nursing;
• if you're in Melbourne, perhaps attending the first day of the Boxing Day Test cricket match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground - this year the Test series is Australia v India. Elsewhere, taking it in from the couch (where you could stay for the next 5 days, as a test match could last that long - the next one always starts in Sydney on New Years Day);
• a trip to the beach or a picnic or barbecue in a park;
• the release of new blockbusters at the cinema;
• visits to the relatives you didn't see yesterday (in-laws often alternate between Christmas and Boxing Day in successive years);
• the start of the Sydney-Hobart yacht race (see my 24 Dec blog) - perhaps baggsing a spot on a headland round the harbour to watch the start of the race;
• pushing and shoving your way through the opening day of the sales at major retail stores;
• getting away early for the drive to your summer beach holiday. I always think of Boxing Day as the "real" start to summer hols.

Boxing Day is usually thought to have its origins in the practice of giving gifts between peers, and amongst the upper classes on Christmas Day, with servants dancing attendance on the guests in the grand manors, and then the servants receiving gratuities the following day, Boxing Day. Or perhaps on large estates, all the serfs could gather together for family festivities, and the day after Christmas was a convenient one for the lord of the manor to dispense the yearly stipends.

Here's a number of theories about the origin*.

* Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable says: "Boxes placed in churches for casual offerings used to be opened on Christmas day, and the contents, called 'the dole of the Christmas box' or the 'box money', were distributed next day by priests. Apprentices also used to carry a box around to their masters' customers for small gratuities."

Sydney Harbour Bridge

Festive greetings

of the season from Sydney.

Whatever the festival or season means for you, I wish joy and peace to all, and especially all the other obsessive daily bloggers. May the power of blogging bring an outbreak of joie de vivre and everlasting peace to all!

World Square, Sydney

Christmas decorations and lighting

Yagoona District Brass Band

Yagoona District Band were playing Christmas Carols at Town Hall station today.

This is our second Christmas without dad, who was a great brass bandsman. Last year I posted this pic of the NSW Fire Brigades band as a tribute. I was pleased to see another band while I was out 'n' about today.

Santa Bunny

Santa Bunny visits twice a year.

Evening cocktails

Flying Fish restaurant, Jones Bay wharf, 7:15pm

Happy Halal Christmas

Indian restaurant, Elizabeth St, Surry Hills.

Amy and Christina get ready for Christmas

at our work Christmas party.