The things I remember about Christmas are…..

Putting a glass of port and a slice of Christmas cake out for Father Christmas. The glass of port was always emptied  but the Christmas cake was left behind. As time went on Dad said I had to leave the bottle in case Father Christmas wanted a second helping.

 

 

Going to a wine show in the 80’s. The MC was spruiking how great the wine industry was and that in Australia was a growing market. Apparently that year per capita every person was drinking a case a year. The wine industry all look around at each other confused. My dad spruiked ‘ bloody hell, we did that at Christmas!” …….the wine industry always was its own best supporter.

Turkey or seafood. One year Dad swaps some wine for a turkey.  He was also keen for barter. I remember the turkey because it took three extra hockey straps to fit it into our Webber.  It was a ridiculously huge turkey, Mum was furious. We ate a lot of turkey that year. Now it’s a standard order of lobster and prawns and maybe fresh local oysters… yummo….

Gifts from Father Christmas.  Every year we’d have a standing joke with my uncle. We’d buy the worst gift ever and say “from” gifts ranged from figurines made from shells, a green and yellow art deco chicken and the eggs which were salt and pepper shakers, and ….you get the picture!  My uncle had a Christmas card for Dad every year. They would cross the name out and send it back to each other every  year.

My Dad first meets Nigel on Christmas Eve.  Nigel and I driven down from Perth together and he dropped me off.  Nigel came inside and met Dad. When Nigel left Dad turned to me and said ….’ Gee, he’s big!”

The first Christmas in Mum’s new house. It’s a standing joke around here that Mum has never had a proper house before.  In 1995 they finally built their dream house here at Galafrey.  Like most projects the builders were delayed.  They kept saying ‘you’ll  be in it by Christmas’.  So in 1995 we had our first Christmas in Mum’s new house. It was just finished and the boys worked super  hard just to get it to that stage. There was no furniture and a few things needing to be completed. We put a few trestle tables down and plastic chairs and had a great Christmas lunch in an empty but new house with lots and lots of wine.


May your Christmas Stocking be full of Great Aussie Wine!!

Merry Christmas from the Galafrey team!!

 

Christmas Day