It Is ...

Of course it had to be food related: Starbucks have turned their cups red for Christmas.

I used to celebrate Christmas on 25th December, just like everyone else, but recently I've turned to celebrating the season. The season here in Queensland, Australia, is quite obviously very different from the northern hemisphere, which I find makes it feel less Christmassy. Let's face it, how often do you associate stinking hot weather with that cosy Christmas feeling?

My season of celebrating starts when the stores bring out their decorations. I must have walked up and down the Christmas aisles 100 times by now just trying to immerse myself in all that is red, green and white.

Other Christmas time favourites:

• Trying to decide which Christmas Starbucks frappuccino I will indulge in. This year the choices are Gingerbread, Toffee Nut and Dark Cherry Mocha. My nearest store is in the city so it's a whole day out affair.
• Myer Christmas windows.
• Ali Edward's December Daily Album.
• 4KQ Christmas lights.
• Lighting of the Brisbane City Christmas tree.
• Actually enjoying the carols played in retail stores.
• Making my own bon bons (crackers).
• And this year, for the first time the abundance of Mum's Only Night Out dinner and drinks, as well as kid-friendly Christmas themed picnics and BBQ's.

I haven't linked the above seasonal events as I'll share a little more with you about each of them before the end of the month.