Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

last christmas, we decorated a mango tree, ate oysters and went for a surf after christmas lunch. this year will be a bit different. we cut down a Douglas Fir tree from the Olympic forest and brought it home atop the car like it was a prized buck. it was an incredibly clear crisp day with the mountains in full effect. jonah, toting his chainsaw, was very into tree hunting and he examined each tree with the eye of an expert. he kept saying, "this is going to be fun!" actually, he said, "karyn, this is going to be fun, karyn!" yep, he mostly calls me by my first name and occasionally by my full name. who does he think he is? i think its a phase. anyway, we've been opening the windows on the advent calendar all month and he loves the chocolate gold coins that i slip him. i hope he realizes money isn't normally edible. oh, and yes, santa. we're doing it. i've told jonah all about this big guy in red and white that lives up north with small elves and rides a flying cart driven by special reindeer. the problem is jonah is convinced santa is a koala, thanks to a charming songbook give n to him by his australian great aunty and sung to tune of Waltzing Matilda. so picture this - a huge koala with an aussie accent dressed in red fur driving flying kangaroo deer around the world climbing down chimneys delivering presents to good boys and girls. why? why do we tell these absurd stories to our impressionable children? because we can. merry christmas everyone.

"oh once a jolly santa, camped by the billabong, pulled up his sleigh by the coolabah tree. he had a little dip and he boiled up the billy can, soon he was snoring and fast asleep. down came koala and climbed aboard his santa sleigh, slipped on the suit, cause he had a plan. he called up his mates on the old bush telegraph, lets give ol' santa a helping hand. santa koala, santa koala, off in a flap like a mad cockatoo. in a christmas sleigh, full of aussie animals, santa koala good on you......."