A Summer Christmas

A first Aussie Christmas! Since the family were all here from London, I knew we’d all be eager for the cliché Aussie Christmas BBQ on the beach so we drove a couple of hours out of Melbourne for a few days to stay on the peaceful and relaxed Phillip Island. We stayed in the airy, white, and bright Captain Lock’s Cottage which was beautiful. Serious beach house goals right there. The perfect haven to come back to and relax with a game of cards and a glass of wine after a long day on the beach. And we did spend most of the time on the beaches, which reminded us of Cornwall but about 15 degrees hotter!

On Christmas eve we sat on the beach as the sun went down, waiting for hundreds of tiny penguins to come running out of the waves and make their daily trip into the bush to sleep. The most magical moment was when a wallaby (like a small kangaroo) surprised everyone by suddenly jumping across the beach through the water right in front of us, amongst the little penguins. It was so surreal. The penguin parade is a must-do if you’re on Phillip Island, though it’s pretty touristy and the swarms of people are the downside.

Onto the big day… Christmas Day was so much fun. Although it felt strange drinking mojitos in 35 degree weather in a summer dress on Christmas, it made for such a relaxed day. We decorated paper bags for stockings, and adorned the table with lavender and seashells. I made these pancakes for breakfast and then it was straight onto cocktail making as Alex’s family joined us for the day… and BBQing! I forgot to photograph our lunch of BBQ’d meat, prawns, salads, and ham but it was delicious. All followed up with a dip in the sea to cool off before tucking into fresh berries, Christmas cake, and a raw chocolate cheesecake that I rustled up  earlier (and I highly recommend the recipe – so easy, tasted divine, and not too bad for you!). The evening was the usual scene – lots of chocolate, curling up on the sofas,  skyping missing loved ones back home, watching movies, and dropping off to sleep one by one. 

Aussie Christmas was so fun but for me, there’s still nothing that beats a good ol’ cold Christmas with a roast, a real Christmas tree, twinkly lights, and a roaring fire 🙂 I hope you all had wonderful Christmases! x