nervous excitement

Hello from the back seat of my Dad's car on the way to Melbourne Airport!

I am so excited about my trip to New York; I've got butterflies in my stomach! What if I've forgotten something? I have my passport, and Angus is packed, so I guess anything else I've missed I can buy over there.

I don't have much planned for the week - am thinking we'll do the touristy things like Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty, but also I have an important task to complete - buy my graduation shoes. I have said since the start of my first Masters that when I finish I was buying myself a pair of Louboutins, and why not buy them at the post-Christmas sales in New York City?! I promise to post pictures.

I've had a fantastic week chillaxin in Melbourne with my Family; swimming in the pool, shopping at FG,
catching up with some people (although have been terrible at seeing everyone, sorry!)

And so I arrive at the airport and sign off from Melbourne. Next post will be from overseas!

15 more sleeps

I love counting down to things - sure people may argue that it makes you not appreciate what's going on right now, but for me it means that there's a light at the end of the tunnel, that I can get through everyday knowing that there's something exciting coming my way. And for the past few months I've been counting down until my trip to the USA.

I'll be spending 6 nights in New York City encompassing New Years Eve (not sure yet if we are going to Times Square for NYE - I've heard the fireworks in Central Park are pretty amazing).

EEEK! Am super exicted! Here are my top five things I'm seriously looking forward to in New York City:

1. The Statue of Liberty

 2. The Rockerfeller Centre Christmas Tree

3. Pizza

4. Sephora

5.  All the places from TV and Movies

Friends...

Gossip Girl...

My family Christmas

Whilst I'm not the world's best gift giver, I do love giving gifts.

I love the shopping and the planning and the secrecy and most of all, I love the look on their face when they open the present and find something that whilst they didn't exactly ask for it, it's a great present. 

Gracie opening a present from Me from London

Thus my most favourite time of the year is Christmas.

I think my obsession with gift-giving comes from my Mum - she is an amazing Christmas shopper, putting things on lay-buy and storing gifts away all year like a squirrel.

Back in the days of receiving pocket-money, I remember at Christmas we'd get a little bit extra so we could buy gifts; off to the $2 Lauren and I would go, getting silly random things. Now that we've got real money, and a few more siblings, present buying is so much more powerful now. 

I've had some epic gift-giving failures in my times; I remember one year I got my Dad the most ridiculous nutcracker puppet thing, purely because a) I had no idea what to get and b) I thought it was hilariously funny. 

I've also had some fantastic successes - I remember going in with everyone to get Mum and Dad tickets to the Lion King - we got a random old box and wrapped it in so much sticky-tape - it was hilarious. 

Along with the buying, the act of temptation and teasing makes it so much fun. I know that there's been a present wrapped up in my Mum and Dad's lounge room for me since October this year. I also know that one of my Christmas presents is the size of my small roll-on suitcase. 

Pile of presents under the tree

No matter where I am in the world, my family and I always manage to share gifts at Christmas - when I was living in London my Mum would send over all my presents so I would have presents to open on Christmas morning, and I would take pictures of me opening them. I also would send presents home, and they would send photos back of them opening their presents from me. 

Me, London 2009

Me, Berlin 2010

Luckily this year we will all be in Melbourne at Mum and Dad's place - we're all still single and living in Australia. Us kids have made a pact that no matter how old we are, whether we're single or married or have kids or living overseas, we'll always exchange gifts between the five of us. 

Merry Christmas!

I think my first Christmas party was in 2001 or 2002 - it was at my parents house on the big block, and it was with the people I caught the train with to school each morning. I can remember playing board games, and wearing those crazy paper hats. I even think I have the photos from that party somewhere.

Saturday night was my second Christmas party here in Perth and it was amazing. There were so many people in my house, which ended up being a bit of a squeeze as it rained, but I think everyone had a great night.

I think of how many people were there, and how many people I know were missing, and I can't believe how many awesome people I have collected here in Perth in the two and a half years I've been here. There were people from Church, and work, and uni, and French class, and book club, and PSA along with my housemates... all melded in together.

Thanks to everyone for coming along, bringing amazing food and drinks, and being really generous with your Secret Santa gifts - over 47 gifts were exchanged! Next year's will probably happen on the last weekend of November (Thesis depending - it's due on the 21st of November) so if you missed out this year stick around.