Christmas in Melbourne and Geelong 2021

Last Christmas seemed odd enough but this one in 2021 is even further from normal.  Not only are we still feeling the effects of lockdown but, unlike last year, the covid cases are increasing at an alarming rate and we are all on edge about the Omricon variant.  Despite the challenges, there are moments of joy and hope, Christmas celebrations at work, time with family, baking and Christmas lights.  Here are a few photos of good times.

An impressive cheese platter at our work Christmas party at a bowling club.  My director is incredible the way he wins year after year.  It was great to meet people in our Centre that I had emailed but not yet met.

I had a fantastic lunch with my work team at University Cafe in Lygon Street.  It is quite some time since I had a three course meal.  We started with antipasto and focaccia, then I had canneloni, and then a wonderful warm chocolate mud cake with fudgy chocolate sauce.

I also had a great brunch at Florian in Rathdowne Street with my friend Eliza.  She had rhubarb and golden oats.  I had toast with macadamia cream, peas, asparagus, zucchini flowers and shisho leaves.  It was so satisfying.  I haven't had much time and energy to catch up with friends lately but hope to do this more after Christmas.

I was amused by some gift wrapping decorating the entrance to the Kathleen Syme Library in Carlton.

As I have driven and ridden around the suburbs, I have enjoyed the purple bloom of Jacaranda trees.  Flowers bring hope so I took a photo of this impressive tree in the Princess Hill area of North Carlton.

We decorated a Christmas tree at home.  After last year's tree couldn't stay upright, I am very happy to have invested in a new tree stand.

Sylvia helped me make these gingerbread men and decorated them herself.

I started a few weeks leave on Monday so we had a couple of days in Geelong with my parents.  While there, my dad drove us around to see some of the houses with impressive Christmas lights.

This house was impressive with lots of Australian animals, in the manger scene, outlined in lights on the fence and in blow up characters in the garden.

 

And on the side fence of this house were some kangaroos pulling santa in an old ute.  The creativity was impressive.

Perhaps one of my favourite Christmas house decorations was Santa on a shark in this house in Torquay, where I had a swim with my brother.

I had hoped to write more posts before the end of the year but there has been too much else to attend to.  However, as always, I have hope I might have more time over my holidays to write up a few posts.  Meanwhile I hope you enjoy Christmas and/or holidays.  It has been such a tough year that we all need a break.  And stay safe while covid is yet again racing through our populations.

More Christmas in Melbourne posts:

• Christmas in Melbourne: Gingerbread village and other gingerbread (2013)
• Christmas in Melbourne, salt dough decorations and quicklinks (2014) 
• Christmas in Melbourne lights, trees, pancakes and local decorations (2015) 
• Christmas in Melbourne: Myer windows, Gingerbread village, Lego tree etc (2015)  
• Christmas in Melbourne nights and lights (2016) 
• Christmas in Melbourne nights and lights 2017
• Christmas photos in Melbourne (2018)
• Christmas sights and lights - gingerbread village, trees and gumnut babies (2019)