'Twas the night before Christmas, we go off to see the lights.

Every year as has become the tradition, all the kids travel around the island together on the back of trucks or in cars & visit all the best lights.

Some lovely people like Brian and Coral who have won the best house lights for the past 2 years wait for the kids to come in and visit to give them all a candy cane, they must have given out hundreds on Christmas eve.

Jaspers first time walking around the maze, he was still crawling last year!

Then we head around to Cascade and New Cascade road to see the lights on the way to Little house day care which also won a best display award. Each year, the little house staff have a Christmas maze set up to walk around as well as many mini displays and lights.

The Main street looks lovely and festive with all its lights ablaze.

The Large Norfolk Island Pine tree at Kingston, right among the convict ruins and restored buildings, is decorated each year.

During our road trip, we heard the plane land with some friends who moved off the island 12 months ago returning for  Christmas, but rather than going to the busier than usual airport, we went to the next and last destination as we knew that we spend so long there, that everyone turns up there. Sure enough, not long  after leaving the airport, we saw many returning friends come to the Cat's cafe lights , 12 months just melted away for our kids as they reunited to play in the bubbles.

The place we always leave til last is Cat's Cafe.

Throughout December, Caroline 'George' Douran sets up many lights at Cats cafe next to the school, but on Christmas eve, it is extra special with a bubble machine and a 'snow' machine which generates snow like foam, this is my kids favourite place to be, dance laugh and get completely covered in foam before heading home for a warm shower and hot chocolates.

ho ho ho

The last job left to do is to hang the stockings and feed Santa and the reindeer.

This year Santa got chocolate Afghan biscuits and milk and there were 9 carrots on the front yard plus water for the reindeer.

This year, Sienna didn't try to sleep under the tree, both big kids happily trotted upstairs to their castle shaped bunk beds and fell asleep.

I then had my almost ritual, nightly *Baileys Milo while watching the Christmas carols on TV.
 I may be the only one awake and sing along by myself while the rest of my 4 'babies' are tucked up in bed sleeping, but I am happy and content to be safe and sound with my family in our home.

Often before bed, I will follow the Norad Santa tracker to make sure that Santa is on his way. It is a magical night.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

* Baileys Milo recipe

After the kids are in bed, boil kettle

add large splosh of Baileys to a coffee mug, size of splosh depends on how your day went.

Add 2 spoons of Milo to mug, again, size of spoons depend upon the day you've had.
Fill with hot water. Stir.
Sit down at the computer to catch up with facebook friends or read updated blogs while enjoying your Baileys Milo.
Enjoy!