Christmas always arrives quietly for me - not in a big burst of sparkle, but in the gentle little ways the season creeps into our lives.
A candle I haven’t burned since last December.
A playlist I forget I love.
The first warm night where someone down the street turns on their fairy lights early.

And as soon as those little signals start appearing, something in my chest softens, like I’m being nudged back toward the magic I adored as a child.

Now, as a mum, a florist, a homemaker, a business owner (and a woman who is often running on equal parts tea and hope), I find myself reaching for that magic more intentionally.
Some days it comes naturally - like when Ollie squeals at the sight of a blow up Santa.
Other days, it’s hidden under bouquets to make, a house to clean, dinner to cook, and the mental load of being everything to everyone.

But it’s there.
And every year, I make it a priority to find it again.

So I wanted to write a little blog this week that feels like a conversation with a friend - a peek into our family traditions, a recipe I make every year, and a little look at how I keep Christmas feeling like me through floristry and decorating.

Put the kettle on. Let’s chat.

Our Little Family Traditions: The Rituals That Make It Christmas

Every family has its own set of rituals, but ours are a sweet little collection of traditions we’ve stitched together over the years - some inherited, some invented, some completely chaotic, but all completely us.

They make our December feel warm, nostalgic, and a little bit enchanted… even when life is messy and busy.

The Christmas Lights Surprise

This one is my absolute favourite.

Every year, just after we’ve tucked Ollie into bed and he’s drifted into that warm, floaty almost-asleep state, we tiptoe back into his room and whisper,
“Come on darling… we’re going on an adventure.”

He sits up instantly, all wide-eyed and glowing, still warm in his little pyjamas.
We scoop him into the car, and off we go - sometimes around the neighbourhood, sometimes all the way to the Lobethal Christmas lights, which honestly feel like stepping into a storybook.

There’s something about his sleepy excitement that gets me every time.
It reminds me that childhood is so fleeting, and these tiny rituals become the memories he’ll talk about someday.

Decorating the Tree Together

Our tree is actually immaculate - and I’m a little bit proud of that.
Over the years, I’ve taught Ollie how to decorate it properly, and now it’s become one of our sweetest shared rituals. He knows which ornaments go where, how to space things out, and he takes it all very seriously in the most adorable way.

We put on the Christmas playlist (with a heavy bias toward The Holiday soundtrack), light a candle, and take our time.
There’s something so special about watching his little hands carefully place each bauble exactly where it belongs, stepping back to “check” the balance like a tiny stylist in training.

It’s still full of love and giggles, but it’s also this beautiful moment where I get to see how much he’s grown - and how much of my love for beauty and detail he’s already absorbed.
Honestly? It’s one of my favourite parts of the whole season.

Christmas Photos With Father Christmas

Every year, like clockwork.
Some years he beams, some years he’s nervous, some years I look more flustered than both of them combined - but we always do it.

These photos have become tiny time capsules of our life, and I know I’ll treasure them when he’s older.

The Great English Feast… in Full Adelaide Heat

Look, most families embrace the Australian Christmas with cold meats, salads, pavlovas, and fresh fruit. 

We do not.

We commit, fully and without hesitation, to:

- A hot roast dinner

- Christmas pudding

- Brandy custard

- Eggnog

- Steaming vegetables

- A kitchen that feels like a sauna

- And a table full of people who insist we must continue the tradition

It’s absurd when it’s 34°C outside - sweat dripping, oven roaring - but it always feels like home.
It’s the taste of my childhood, and something I love passing on to Ollie.

Christmas Eve Magic

This night has its own texture - still, warm, with a little shimmer in the air.
We leave treats out, read a Christmas story, and watch Ollie buzz with excitement.
There’s a sweetness about Christmas Eve that nothing else can replicate.

Movie Traditions (Both Classic and… Unexpected)

I have two Christmas favourites:
The Holiday and Love Actually - soft, nostalgic, cosy.

But the real tradition?
The one I’ve done for as long as I can remember?

Watching Titanic while I wrap presents.

Not festive.
Not remotely related.
But it’s my ritual.
A strange comfort movie that somehow makes the wrapping process feel grounded and peaceful.

Traditions don’t have to make sense - they just have to make meaning.

Creating Christmas Florals That Still Feel Like Me

Here’s the thing… I’ve never connected deeply with traditional Christmas florals.
The red roses, pine cones, holly berries - they’re beautiful, but they don’t feel like my style.
And floristry, to me, is an extension of who I am.

So over the years, I’ve created my own version of Christmas florals - pieces that feel quiet, airy, wintery, and soft, rather than bold or heavy.

I lean into:

- Whites and creams

- Champagne toned roses

- Hydrangea that look like little snow clouds

- Chamomile for a soft, whimsical touch

- Dried elements sprayed gold for a gentle festive glow

- Light movement instead of rigid structure

- A palette that feels like early morning frost rather than shopping centre Christmas

It still feels festive - but in a dreamier, more personal way.

Adding Your Own Twist to Christmas Decorating

If you take anything from this blog, let it be this:
You are allowed to decorate for Christmas in a way that feels like you.

It doesn’t have to be traditional.
It doesn’t have to be Pinterest perfect.
It just has to feel like home.

Maybe that means:

- Using gold-sprayed dried stems instead of pine

- Adding blush, sage or ivory in place of red

- Dressing your table with airy florals instead of heavy arrangements

- Choosing ribbons, shells, or personal items for your tree

- Creating soft, whimsical vignettes instead of bold displays

Christmas is personal.
Let it reflect your heart, not a rulebook.

My Whisky Kissed Mince Pies (My Most-Loved December Recipe)

I make these every single year - they’re nostalgic, warming, and just a little indulgent.
The whisky gives them a beautiful depth without being overpowering.

Ingredients

- 1 jar fruit mince

- 2–3 tbsp whisky (I always add a splash extra… it’s Christmas)

- 1 sheet sweet shortcrust pastry (or homemade if you’re feeling fancy)

- 1 egg, beaten

- Icing sugar, to dust

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Mix whisky through the fruit mince and let it sit so the flavours deepen.

Cut circles of pastry to fit a muffin tin.

Spoon in the mince mixture - don’t overfill.

Add pastry stars or circles on top.

Brush with beaten egg.

Bake 12–15 minutes until golden.

Dust with icing sugar while warm.

Best eaten with brandy custard or a simple dollop of cream.

Keeping the Magic Alive (For Ollie… and For Me)

Some years Christmas feels overwhelming - the studio fills with orders, deliveries get last minute, the house is messy, and I go to bed utterly exhausted.
But even in the busiest seasons, the magic finds its way back in.

In the tiny rituals.
In the quiet moments.
In the eyes of a child who still believes completely.

I think that’s what I love most - that even when life feels stretched thin, Christmas has this way of inviting us home to ourselves.

So here’s to:

- Our imperfect trees

- Our sleepy pyjama adventures

- Our mince pies spiked with whisky

- Our Titanic wrapping sessions

- Our dreamy, airy florals dusted in gold

- And our families - who make it all worth it

This is our Christmas.
Messy. Magical. Heart filled. And completely ours.

 

Wishing you all a beautiful week lovely ones, 

With love, always.

Kels x