I hate the lead up to Christmas in Australia. I liked in an England - a kind of distraction to the long winter, plus the pretty lights made sense as it was so dark. Here it's bright summer (if it's not floods and tempests) and if you wanted to see the lights you'd have to wait until after my bedtime. Plus I hate all that senseless waste of plastic and rampant dark consumerism.

But on Christmas Eve, when our family has a Christmas lunch, I get ready playing Christmas tunes so loud it annoys Jamie. There's something festive about being festive on the two days set aside for - being festive, you know? So I'm not grinchy all of the time.

And if it's Christmas tunes, I love the crooners, a couple of which I have on vinyl. They are the ones that remind me of my grandma and my mum singing. So I sing too, for the women, you know?

Just in case you thought I was getting all trad with my Chrimbo music, don't forget Run DMC.

And to give an Aussie gravy flava to things, here's Paul Kelly "How to Make Gravy". Aussies love this song. It's about a guy thinking of the family at Christmas but not making it back for his own personal reasons.

Hello Dan, it's Joe here, I hope you're keeping well
It's the 21st of December, and now they're ringing the last bells
If I get good behaviour, I'll be out of here by July
Won't you kiss my kids on Christmas Day, please don't let 'em cry for me
I guess the brothers are driving down from Queensland and Stella's flying in from the coast
They say it's gonna be a hundred degrees, even more maybe, but that won't stop the roast
Who's gonna make the gravy now? I bet it won't taste the same
Just add flour, salt, a little red wine

If I don't get chance with the crazy busy -ness of stuff as we head to Christmas (plus I'm going away for a few days) - have you all a merry little Christmas xxx

With Love,

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