Christmas Shopping and Tree Decorating

Two little boys enjoying the festive atmostphere of this,

a newer and very modern mall

We have invited my younger son and daughter –in-law, her parents and their other daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter to join us for Christmas lunch at our home. My mother-in-law and her new husband will travel up on the 23rd to spend this blessed time with us as well. This is the first Christmas since 1999 my husband will spend at home. (I spent three Christmases with him in West Africa – more about that later)

Each mall had different themes and colour schemes.Here the colours were cool and frosted

Last week my husband and I went to the city to start preparations, and to get in early buying the gammon, chicken (hubby does not eat turkey), mince pies, Christmas crackers and serviettes. The whole excursion was a pleasure. All the malls are decked out to the nines. Each one is beautiful yet different from the previous one. Christmas music played overhead as we wandered through the malls. The shelves were stocked to overflowing with pretty gifts and gift sets.The escalators were a-glitter with thousands of little lights


In this older mall, the colours were traditionally red and gold.
Here mothers and children cue to see Santa

I know, I know, Christmas is grossly commercialised and all that. I agree totally. So much of Christmas and what it means, is lost in frenetic [over]spending and general overindulgence. Because it is a special year where we will be together in our home as a family, I have planned Christmas with a fine-tooth comb. Nevertheless, I’ve not lost sight of the fact that the Babe in the Manger, whose arrival we celebrate at this time of the year, is the Lord and Saviour of all. He came to earth to save us sinners from eternal damnation; all we have to do is make the choice to follow Him. I also know that it’s no use being pious and attending church on Christmas Eve / morning and then carrying on with a secular life for the rest of the year.

Above all, I’m working to a very strict budget. It is pointless buying expensive and often superfluous gifts for family and friends, heaps of unnecessary and mostly fattening food and then being stressed out for the first six months of 2009, trying to repay the credit cards.

This is the oldest mall in the city (precviously known as a Shopping Centre) It was brightly decorated with turqoise and silver. On the left is my husband, avid shopper and a woman's dream shopping partner

GranJo splits the Christmas tree while Granddad, who can fix ANYTHING, looks on

As mentioned in my previous mail, my older son, his wife and our grandchildren spent the past weekend with us. They will be working (on outreach ministry) at Y-WAM over Christmas so we enjoyed a very special and outdoorsy fun-filled weekend together.

On Saturday morning, I walked to the spare room closely followed by two eager young helpers. I turned around and said : “I wonder WHERE I put the Christmas tree last year?” My granddaughter pointed excitedly:” In the cupboard, GranJo!” and two-year-old Grandson shouted: “Inna cubhard, GanJo”

I placed the boxed Christmas tree and a carton of decorations onto outstretched little arms; I carried three boxes of lights (I needed them to work when we eventually turned them on!) and together we all walked to to the entertainment area. I set the tree up on a low table between two easy chairs. By now the children were wildly scrabbling through the box of decorations with "Ooh GranJo, look at this one" from my granddaughter. Little guy, not to be outdone, fished out a reindeer and waving it in my face, say : "Ooh GanJo, can I pud dis one ub?"

We’d already begun to hang a few glitter balls and shepherd’s crooks, when I realised that the tree would not remain upright for the next two weeks. Granddad was consulted where he was busy in his workshop and he duly came inside to collect the bottom half of the tree. Within a few minutes he’d cut a square and sturdy base and fastened the “stem” of the tree to it. We adorned the tree with all the decorations in the box ; finally I lifted my granddaughter who placed the star on top and we strung one strand of lights around the tree. The other two sets of lights are always attached and threaded through the security bars on my street-facing window; this year was no exception. This year it took a bit longer and some of the lights are facing inwards, but that is what makes it such fun!

Granddad takes the flimsy plastic stand, which he replaced with a sturdier base

The children had great fun decorating the tree

I'll just add this one...

Christmas Preparations

Christmas time means lots of fruit and vegetables

I love Christmas. I love the preparations and secret gift-buying and wrapping that goes with Christmas. And while most people are wilting in the hot African sun at this time of the year, I thrive on it. Oh I feel a little hot, but it doesn’t get me down. The weather, school holidays, shops lit up, bright and colourful with Christmas decorations, families visiting together; all reminds me of my childhood.

This weekend my older son, daughter-in-law and our precious grandchildren are visiting us. They are unable to join us at Christmas time, so we’re enjoying quality time together. This morning my grandchildren and I will decorate the Christmas tree and string up the lights. Yesterday I wrapped the gifts so that I can sneak them to my son without the children seeing and he hides them in his car.

South African Soetkoekies (sweet biscuits) ready for the oven

Last night I baked South African Soetkoekies. (Translated Sweet Biscuits) while my husband made a delicious stir-fry for dinner. (I was too busy baking to photograph his dish!) Soetkoekies are crispy biscuits which need to be dunked in a cup of tea. However, because of the amount of real butter, it is a delicious, creamy and sweet biscuit.

Baked to a golden brown crispness,

Soetkoekies are delicious dipped in tea

I cannot remember the name of the friend who gave me this recipe. All I remember is that the year was 1979 (my younger son was born that year, and I had him in a carrycot when I had tea and biscuits with this lady) Another thing I know, is that I have baked these biscuits many times a year for the past 29 years and every time they are a success.

Soekoekie Recipe
3 Cups of Sugar
4 Cups of Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
½ lb (250g) Butter, frozen
1 Egg
½ Cup Milk

Combine sugar, flour, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Grate in butter. Rub with finger tips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Beat the egg in ½ cup milk and add to biscuit mixture to bind. Add a little extra flour if too sticky (but take care not to make dough too dry). Roll out biscuit dough thinly, cut with a wine glass and bake on a greased baking tray at 180°C (350°F) for 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on the biscuits in the oven; they are ready when they are golden brown.

New kid on the block

A little tired...

As the year draws to an end, I cannot help but feel sad about the loss of my precious Rottweiler, Shasa in July. I still feel raw when I think of this huge bear-like dog who protected me for the past six years. I will do a memorial post for him sometime in the future.

We needed to have another big dog on the premises, and my husband and I decided rather than go the purebred-buy-from-a –breeder-route, we’d adopt a dog from the SPCA. We managed to book a four-month-old Labrador x pup who was found on the golf course near the SPCA offices. My husband had to complete a comprehensive adoption form and after paying the fee, the official brought the dog in. Even though I wanted to dash forward and hug this gangly, but shiny dog, I left it to my husband to bond with the dog.

A little shy...

After arriving at home, I opened the back of my pick-up van and coaxed the little dog out. She wasn’t timid or afraid, just strange, I think. Megan, who has been the only dog on here for half of the year, was NOT impressed that we’d brought this intruder into her turf.

Aah, I'll pose now...

OK, so here's my best pose...

Angie, as my husband christened her, has settled down and even though all the cats resemble toilet brushes, she has not even looked to the side they’re on.

Tonight is her second night here and as all’s quiet, I surmise she is fast asleep after an action-packed day.