Christmas at the Harveys 2010

Happy Christmas to all my loyal readers! I hope you've had a lovely day with your families celebrating the birth of Jesus.

Our Christmas day started at 7 AM with the children opening their stockings. I love this photo of Tirzah as she wrestles with the wrapping paper and sticky tape!

After the stockings were opened, we spent some time chatting with Craig's family in Dubbo via Skype.

On the screen you can see Craig's grandfather, mother, sister and nephew.

Then we went to church for the 10 o'clock Christmas service.

We ordered a full Christmas lunch from a restaurant, so after church we just had to pop it all in the oven to warm up. I insisted on the traditional in-front-of-the-Christmas-tree photo before any gift-opening could begin. Didn't Natalie take a lovely family photo?

Then it was finally time to unwrap our presents!

Jemilla's favourite present was a pull-along Barbie bag for her school books from Nana and Grandpa.

Keegan says he has three favourite Christmas presents: his baggy green cap from the Priors, his soccer card folder from Nana and Grandpa (he is holding it in the photo), and his remote controlled car from Mum and Dad.

Tirzah was so happy to receive her own Octopus card for public transport in Hong Kong.

I took this photo last week to show that she has finally reached the height of no longer being free to travel. Up until now, Tirzah has sat on our laps on the buses and slipped under the MTR turnstiles with a pretend Octopus that she used in imitation of her big brother and big sister.

Here is my special present from my dear husband. This is a print called "Prosperous Hong Kong" by a Chinese artist named Chan Kau On, bought at Stanley Markets.

The painting's bright colours remind me of kente cloth in West Africa where I grew up.

Natalie was thrilled with her new Bucephalus from The Black Stallion.

And here's Craig showing off his Aussie undies from Keegan and his Aussie cuff links from Jemilla.

Despite all the anticipation and fun in exchanging presents on Christmas day, our family knows that the perfect Christmas gift can't be bought...or wrapped...but it is free to everyone who accepts Jesus into their hearts. Merry Christmas from our house to yours!