Kelly's World

Last week I flew to Sydney to join up with the rest of the company for a couple of meetings in the morning, following by a brief Christmas party. It was best to take the opportunity while we were all together, as the staff members are scattered amongst states and countries and it’s incredibly rare that everyone is free at the same time.

I actually hadn’t met a couple of the staff members in person before. It was either a case of they were from another country, and we were never in the same place at the same time, or they were only just recently hired and I hadn’t had a chance to meet them. We’d spoken online before (either by email or by Skype – being remote means our company relies on instant messaging for the small things) but never physically in person. I actually got quite nervous hoping that I would make a good impression!

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I started thinking tonight about how a lot of the Christmas songs we hear are about snow, having a white christmas, and sitting by the fire. It’s certainly not like that in Australia!! Here we’re used to sweating, having bbq’s, lots of swimming in the pool or the ocean, and sunburn.

Santa has a change of attire when visiting Australia

Originally I twittered the question of whether there were any Aussie Christmas carols anyone knew of (two replies about Rolf Harris and his song “6 White Boomers” – itunes link), and after starting to do a little bit of research it was clear it would need a blog post. Hence I present to you, a comprehensive list of songs available in iTunes that’s truly representative of an Aussie Christmas! Even if some of them are slightly bogan’ish.

1. 6 White Boomers – Rolf Harris
2. Aussie Jingle Bells – Bucko & Champs (there’s actually tons of versions of this song on iTunes)
3. 12 Days of Aussie Christmas – Bucko & Champs
4. Album called Aussie Christmas with Bucko & Champs by Bucko & Champs
5. A Very Merry Aussie Christmas – Ticklish Allsorts
6. Australians let us Barbecue – Bucko & Champs (had to mention this one – to the tune of the anthem)
7. Album called True Blue Aussie Christmas by Dimmer Twins

And that’s enough for me tonight! I must say, I was quite surprised…I actually didn’t think there would be that much but I was pleasantly surprised. Not that it converted into purchases or anything. I just can’t work out whether it means that there’s more “novelty” albums out there that I expected, or I’m just not up to par on the Christmas albums!

Bonus link – an app in the App Store for Australian Slang, appropriately named “Aussie (Australian) Slang“

Every year buying my sister a Christmas present is damn hard. Normally if she wants something, she just goes and buys it. I can’t even remember what I got her last year it was probably that crappy. And for her birthday this year I really let the ball drop, she went shopping with both my mother and I for her present from each of us….very bad.

So I knew it was all riding on Christmas. I had to buy something fantastic, better than great, go beyond the realm of good presents, and get that one that she will be bragging about to her mates. And by golly gosh, I have got it. I sent Mat out to buy it today (after half an hour of convincing and begging him, and telling him it would be sold out by Christmas). Now I have it in my grubby hands, and it’s like I have ants in my pants I’m so excited to hand it over.

Now for a flashback to my 21st. I was handed a card by Amy, and said it contained a clue to my present. It had been ordered but unfortunately not arrived yet, so she had drawn a clue. I would receive it once the package arrived. Inside I found a square with a circle in it. I was stumped. She even (evily) told one of my mates at my 21st what it was, and they stated just how obvious it was. Way to make someone feel dumb! In the end it turned out it was the first gen ipod shuffles, and I cried when I got it. I think it was the first thing I’ve ever managed not to lose, that’s how much I treasured that gift.

Back to now, it’s finally time for revenge. Hence I present to you, the clue to Amy’s Christmas present!! And no, it’s not a teddy bear.

Can you guess what it is?

This is an outline of the product as drawn in paint by me, and coloured in. Then cut in half. Then rotated an undisclosed degree. I feel so tricky!!

Go ahead….guess if you dare!