Originally Posted by steandleigh

This morning, I was on the 'phone to my mum and dad (in the uk), had a good old natter and then ( whilst on the 'phone to them) there was a 'knock' on the door - 'twas the postie, wiv a big parcel for us!!!!

Turns out it was from me m&d, so mum stayed on the 'phone whilst we opened it and what was in it?....

* Thorntons 'Toffee soft centre pudding'
* Matthew Walker 'Sticky Toffee sponge pudding'
* Matthew Walker ' chocolate sponge pudding'
* A 'premium' xmas pudding with cider, sherry, brandy and rum
* 3 packets of paxo
* 8 walnut whips
* 2 Cadburys selection stockings ( for the kids)
* Box of Maltesers
* Box of 'After Eights'
* 2 bags of 'chocolate gold coins' (for the kids)
* Box of 'Cadburys Milk Tray'
*Box of 'Bassetts' Jelly Babies
* Box of 'Famous Names' Liqueor Chocolates
* 5 packets of shortbread
* Packet of 'Jelly shaped novelty thingys for kids'


Just want to say a 'public' thanks to me mum (if shes reading this). x

I didn't realise that i was missing these things and TBO, don't think I really was...but now they're here, shall devour them like a demon and regret the extra pounds and sicky feeling later!!!!

Anyone else recieved anything from OS and did it make you all nostalgic and blurry eyed like meself??? ( Blurry eyed 'cos of "family at xmas", not 'cos of the Cadburys!!!!).

Originally Posted by pockygoes

What a loveley surprise! it is making my tummy rumble just reading the list!! We are about to experience our last Xmas in the UK - 14 family to mums & half of them will not want to talk about Oz & we are still in denial about the goodbyes on 2/1!!!

Hope you don't mind me asking - do you know how much it cost to send that lot from the UK & how long ot took?? Only mum is already thinking about sending bits of home to Oz to keep our peckers up!!

pockygoes

Originally Posted by steandleigh

Darn you, Pollyana, fink that was me 1st aussie tear....

Am off to fill my face wiv walnut whips....

Originally Posted by Pollyana

Sorry mate; wish my mum would send food - she just keeps sending videos of The Bill! Keep telling her we aren't far behind here, but it doesn;t stop her.If she misses an episode she frets horribly

Originally Posted by Pollyana

MIL in residence here for a week, all up to the Bloke's borther for lunch midday Xmas Day - food eaten at rate of knots, presents all unwrapped together so no fun of watching people open things, then back home about 4pm to watch TV the rest of the day in silence! Last year i took a bottle of wine - they treated it like it was a hand grenade and all drank cheap beer instead......all the more for me!!
This year i am definitely going to Midnight Mass, at least that might make it feel a bit more Christmassy!!

Originally Posted by joh117

I had a few tears last week when we got a load of mail from the UK and ithad birthday and xmas cards and pressies for us. Really made me miss them all.

It was hard but its the second xmas without my family last year we were in Sri Lanka with hubbys family so didn't feel so bad.

Actually I wonder why it upsets me so much as thinking back it has been 6 yrs since we spent xmas with family we always went on holiday at xmas.

I think cos we haven't seen family for over a year

Anyway will get off before the tears start again

Jo

Originally Posted by Pollyana

That bit is horrible, isn't it. Last Christmas all The Bloke's family kept saying how lovely it was that families could all be together at Christmas, and wasn't it good to be together again after a few weeks since they'd last seen each other, stuff like that. Made me just want to scream "Hey!! Remnember ME!!" Selfish, I know, but it made the whole thing really hard. I'm dreading this year - think I might hibernate

Originally Posted by JayDeee

Ahh Poll come over to Gero for xmas, we are having an orphans christmas because all the backpackers aswell it wont seem so bad not having family around. They aint getting there hands on my Paxo tho!!!!!!

Got my chrismas card from my mum today, made me cry.

Nasty shipping company have still got my stuff 14 weeks now so I dont have my web cam and microphone so cant even have my live xmas day chat with my mum and dad I had planned.

The only shop in Gero playing xmas music is crazy clarks, I dont know if they are all over the country or not, it is basically a cheap shop and the music they play is the traditional tune but the lyrics are all about having a BBQ and a beer cos that what makes Christmas apparently !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bloody mad the lot of them.

Originally Posted by Pollyana

Would LOVE to come and join you! However I think i'm stuck here. At last this year I'm prepared for it! I shall go to Midnight Mass (and wake the MIL up when I come home and start posting on here!), have Bucks Fizz for brekkie (and be called extravagant!) open all my pressies from the UK before we go out for lunch - wasn't allowed to last year, we had to open them all together and it was just chaos, couldn't enjoy the thrill - and will take 2 bottles of wine for lunch and drink them myself!
I love my beer, but somehow wine & Christmas lunch just go together.

Make sure you ring your mum and dad even though you can't chat with them; just tell yourself - the second Christmas is easier. Mainly cos you are prepared for it, and you know how different it will be.

We have Crazy Clarks over here, with tacky Xmas music. Even the carols aren't 'real', they sound cheap and tinkly!

Anyway, I'm sure us orphans will get together on here at some point for a virtual beer or two, and some cheery comments , and I hope the Paxo comes up to expectations........its in the post as we speak!!!!!

PS - change your location.........!