The Editor's Blog

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Well around our place, at least, it’s beginning to look a lot like our own particular ramshackle brand of festive frivolity. And, I’m telling you, it aint nothin’ like a department store catalogue!

I have always hankered after a Christmas which resembles one of those gorgeous glossy delights which fill the letterbox at this time of year. I’m talking about the deluxe edition – the stapled catalogue, with the wide format pages and the premium models of a happy family. You know the ones. Visions splendid of outrageously relaxed looking mums and dads in casual but classy white outfits accompanied by elegant silver-haired grandparents who smile indulgently at gorgeous grandkids happily playing with a colour co-ordinated pile of gifts. It’s already sounding ridiculous isn’t it? But I love this image of Christmas. I go bananas for pictures of fabulously indulgent table settings resplendent with artfully arranged place mats, stylishly quirky centrepieces and glistening silverware. I want it all. But I know I’m not getting it – not this year anyway.

And please, don’t tell me it’s because this is an unrealistic version of Christmas - my best friend has one every year. Sharon is incredibly stylish with an impeccable sense of taste and originality. Her gifts are always picture book perfect and her decorations immaculate. She puts a lot of planning into the aesthetic appeal of the holiday season. She thought of a fuchsia and orange theme before the major retailers. She understands why blue and silver works so much better than red and gold. She knows how to offset a beautiful bon bon with a potted Poinsettia. And she ties a ribbon like a pro. She’s amazing.

I always thought my problem was that I didn’t have the budget for expensive decorations. When we were first married we had a wonky hand-me-down tree which came from my mum. I threw a bit of tinsel over it and called it Christmas. But, in the sales a couple of years ago I bought a fancy-pants, expensive tree. Unfortunately it is this exact tree which has made me realise that it’s not my budget which is the problem but my total lack of style.

Two weeks ago was our tree decorating day. Indy and Levi were so excited. “Whose turn is it to put the angel on the top?” they both wanted to know. Each year I promise myself that I will remember but I never do. So we had tears before the box was even opened. But, on seeing the glittery bounty they both settled down. There was so much stuff one angel didn’t matter. They threw themselves into the task with festive abandon. There were silver shoe ornaments from my Manolo Blahnik phase, red butterflies from my Mariah Carey moment, traditional golden balls from the year I thought I would try retro and all manner of weird and wonderful documents of Christmases past - including the grotesque nativity scene I bought from a discount store when Indy was a baby and we were in our new (for us) but humble little home. I think I was feeling a pretty strong kinship with Jesus’ mum that year.

And, yes, I know I’m supposed to say that the best ones are the little cardboard bells, santas and reindeer – messily cut out and painted by my two, long-gone toddlers who are now growing so big. And yes, I’d like to write something poignant about the nostalgic significance of this Christmas time capsule that sits on top of my wardrobe for most of the year. But I can’t help feeling that, if my best friend and I weren’t so insanely busy I’d turf the lot of it and ask her to do me a Christmas Makeover.

Or would I?

What does your Christmas look like?

Sunny Days Magazine would like to wish a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of our readers. We hope you have a restful and energising holiday season and we look forward to seeing you all again in 2010.