We have a Christmas tree...

...so it is starting to feel a bit more like Christmas!

I still can't get used to the whole idea of Christmas in winter. Although all those cheesy carols about sleigh rides and snowmen make alot more sense now!

We did what every other good Dutch family were doing last week - visiting a garden centre to buy a Christmas tree. We opted for a smallish one in a pot and it looks so nice with all the little decorations I bought with me from Oz - actually I think most of them are originally from Germany so they have circumnavigated the globe! Even Jeroen is starting to get into the spirit, and has been constantly humming one of those annoyingly catchy Christmas tunes under his breath :-))

I am still hoping to go ice skating at some stage. The city has set up a temporary ice rink in the centre, along with little stalls selling hot chocolate etc but unfortunately the ice is more like a puddle of water at the moment - it is still not cold enough for it to freeze properly!

Next week we have our "multi culti" Christmas feast at school, and the idea is that everyone brings along some home cooked food that represents their country. I am still having trouble coming up with ideas.....Jeroen suggested I take along a mini disposable BBQ and some Fosters and cook up a few snags! Maybe I will have to do some searching on the internet for traditional Australian recipes! Maybe I can just take a pavlova :-)

Alli xxx