If it glitters, twinkles, or behaves in a festive way – count me in !!!

Jo Bryant,

For goodness sake do NOT argue around me at Christmas time. I’ll cancel it. Ask my kids if you don’t believe me – apparently I threatened them with that every year. Which reminded me how they squabbled every year over who would do what with the tree.

I do have one nice Christmas tradition though. Buying the kids an ornament that they will one day hang on their own trees. And each year the local Christmas shop sends me an invite to their opening – which I attend with friends who appreciate the sparkle as much as I do.

This year – well I’ll let the pictures tell you all about it.






It gets a little crowded on opening day.



And last but not least I hope…your camera lady thought she should show where she is most comfortable.

Published by Jo Bryant

I was born in the land of Banjo Paterson, gum trees, and weather extremes. I am a freelance photographer. I love to make images that make people happy. To capture forever a precious moment. I am also a freelance writer/editor. I live in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, but still like to claim my Australian heritage. I graduated with a Bachelor of Communications in 2008. I am writing my first novel. I love to write poetry, short stories, and also write for the web. And there is nothing that is on a par with a sunny summer's day spent at Waihi Beach.

65 Comments

      1. Traditionally we don’t decorate a tree, but a boat, but we rarely actually do that, there is always a xmas tree in our houses! 🙂 I think we do the same things more or less, what old Greeks used to do i am afraid noone remembers….
        I can tell you what i used to do when i was little. My cousins used to sleep over and we would wake up in the middle of the night and hide in the living room waiting to see the xmas gobblins eating our home made sugared buns! 😀

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        1. A boat ? A boat – and you don’t do it Ioanna ?? Why ?? I would kill to have such a cool tradition. Girl – you get out there this Christmas and decorate me a boat !!!!!!
          😉

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          1. hahahaha! Towns usually decorated boat in squares, we just don’t do it inside the house! I ‘ll take o photo of a decorated boat for you when i ‘ll see one! 🙂

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          3. No no, but you see, that’s the tradition! Have a small boat put on a table or in a corner of the house and decorate it! 😀

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          7. We all have that kind of baggage girl, otherwise we would be empty! People with baggage are most welcomed, this way we will have lots of stuff in common! 🙂

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    1. I know – scary how quickly it comes around. Sandals – that is what I associate WITH Christmas.
      😉
      So just for you Gemma…
      sandal
      It was hanging in the Kiwi tree !!!

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      1. Thanks for the special photo. Sorry for the delayed response. I’ve been kinda havin’ the blues and haven’t picked up the computer in a while. Need to get out of the crummy mood and perk up. This helped 🙂 Thanks, Jo. Love the Christmas Sandal.

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        1. Awwwwww…so sorry to hear that Gemma. I hope you are doing better now. I guess your beautiful doggie had something to do with it.

          😦

          Sending you big, big {{{hugs}}}

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    1. Love that you liked him. I was really disappointed with the original image…it was too dark and blurred so I played around with it a little. I liked how it ended up…so I love you do too. And thanks for the ‘lady in the mirror’ bit
      Hehehe
      😉

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    1. I find it a bit early myself…but I love the chance to take pictures…can’t wait for all the lights on the houses and Santa parades…such fun, such fun. What do you guys do for Christmas in Canada ???

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      1. We do pretty much the same thing, but Hydro rates are so high these days most people don’t put up as many lights…

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  6. I am still bracing myself for Halloween, which is like Carnival here in Hollywood. It’s an opportunity for lots of great photographs and most people are happy to pose. It gets quite noisy though. The only holiday the cats hate more is the 4th of July. All those firecrackers drive them crazy!

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    1. Ohhhhh Halloween. Can’t wait to see your shots of that. It is starting to become more of a thing here for kids. While it’s cute…I sort of think – nah !!! It’s not a Kiwi holidays so stop trying to Americanize everything people. We let off crackers in November – it’s called Guy Fawkes Night – and I hate it. My fur babies are inside really early that day. Luckily it is in summer [daylight saving helps], and all the noise usually starts late. They are not too bad, but then we live at the bottom of a road in a rural town. I feel really sorry for animals that live right in the thick of it. My dog before [Tia] hated it even here.

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    1. I really loved the Christmases I spent in Holland – my first experience with a winter Christmas. It is so different to having it in summer. The Son is spending Christmas this year with his partner in Holland with his Dad’s family, so I hope he loves it as much as I did.

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      1. Maybe some year you can come have it with me/us so you can have another cold one, Jo! With your son gone, I do hope your daughter will be there with you! At least you have your other babies with you for sure…that comforts me:)

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        1. I like the sound of that Brynne. I am not sure what is happening this Christmas but it’s all good either way I am sure I’ll make something of it.

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    1. Sorry Gilly. It is getting earlier and earlier that they drag out the tinsel. But think…all those magical photo opportunities. I love Christmas and taking pictures and this year I have a good camera as well as the trusty Lumix at hand. Oh bliss !!!!!!!!!!

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  9. Suffice to say, if one were to holler, “parrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrtahhhh”. You’d be there with bells on. I still trudge out an murder an evergreen or two every year. If it ever comes to having to go artificial am calling it (christmas) off but I probably wouldn’t for go the party shtufffs.

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    1. I do love the smell of a real tree…ut have given in and gotten an artificial one. Less mess and trying to get rid of it every year is a pain. Plus to get a really nice one, not just a rangly pine here, costs a bucket.

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      1. Relatively inexpensive here. From nothing (have friends who grow them) to about $20 for Spruce if you cut your own. Regardless of the tree, Christmas is the only time of the year where one can feel warm and fuzzy for a week or two -the decorations just add to it.

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          1. Missing a decoration or as in losing the spirit of season or something?

            It does go outside, propped up so the birds can use it till spring, then it gets mulched up.

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          3. now that you mentioned it yes, a tad ghost town-ish, but if were lucky the ground outside is white and glittery which is nice to gaze upon but the last few winters its been diaper brown. Ugggg.

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  10. Great stuff Jo! In your honor this year I’ll start my annual Christmas Carol-a-thon with the 2 Australian cartoon versions of A Christmas Carol, one from the 1960’s and one from the 1980’s.

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  11. Oh no….. Christmas so soon, they will start playing Christmas carols in the shopping centre any day now… Being born British, even after all these years, I still cannot get into the spirit of Cristmas until a couple of days before the 25th.

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    1. I must admit – I love going to the opening, but when I start hearing Christmas music in November I get a little crazy and want to scream: “Are you people nuts??? It’s not Christmas yet !!!”

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  12. I love Christmas! It must be strange though having it in summer. One year my parents were living in California and I went out to visit them. It just seemed to odd to see wreaths on palm trees. But I suppose it is all what you get used to…As you demonstrate with the sandal…Our memories become our symbols…

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    1. I never knew any different Sue. On year it was 42% C and after lunch my crazy siblings wanted to play tennis in Australia. But when I lived in Holland I did get very excited the first Christmas there when my mother-in-law rang very early in the morning on Christmas morning to tell me it was snowing.

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  13. Christmas is coming! Christmas is coming! My mom never threatened to cancel Christmas, but if I didn’t clean my room every day in December, I wouldn’t get any gifts. Oh the hardships I had to endure 😉 I’m pretty excited for Winter Festival to begin in Hyde Park this November. Come on over. They have craft booths and I bet you could find some wonderful ornaments. Then we can ice skate, have some mulled wine, and take in all of the festivities. Maybe I’ll watch Elf tonight.

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    1. I would so do that- except the skating – I am so bad at it. You should have seen me in Holland – not a good sight. Funny though. My favourite movie for Christmas is…drum roll please…”Love Actually”

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        1. It is so great…just what is needed for Christmas. Did you get the list…a very long list I know of all the books I recommended ??

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          1. I saw the list. I haven’t read through all of my comments yet this morning. But I just made a cup of tea and sliced off some banana bread so I can settle in and read and respond to comments. It doesn’t help that I woke up late this am, but who cares. I’m super excited to see what books you’ve recommended. You suggestions are always appreciated 🙂

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          4. Oh shut up. You with the banana bread and cookies and Marian with all the Dutch food talking at the same time – it’s killing me.

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