Hosted by Kelly and Marge, this is the 6th year that the Virtual Advent Tour has shared holiday joy with bloggers everywhere.
About a week before Christmas, our small town in northern New South Wales, Australia, holds Carols by Candlelight at the park just down the end of my street by the river and it is my favourite holiday event. Armed with camp chairs, picnic rugs, snacks (especially my homemade White Christmas), drinks and a plethora of glow in the dark bits and pieces my family (that includes my husband and four children) along with assorted friends claim a comfortable spot near the stage (but not too close to the speakers) and relax to enjoy a night of chatting, caroling, and general carousing . My oldest daughter, who is a display gymnast, performs every year with her gymnastic team and we are also entertained by a variety of musicians and singers. For the children there is usually a petting zoo set up and Santa makes an appearance in the back of a ute handing out bags of lollies but they are just as thrilled to be running around the park or swarming over the playground equipment in the twilight. It usually doesn’t get dark til after 8pm and if the weather has been cooperative (December is summer down under) we are treated to a wonderful fireworks display from a barge in the middle of the river. Eventually we wander home, the kids exhausted but already looking forward to doing it all again next year!
The article has a photo of two of my children captured at the Carols by Candlelight in 2009
Click the image for a closer look
Recipe for White Christmas
3 cups Rice Bubbles
1 1/2 bars of copha
1 cup dessicated coconut
1 cup of powdered milk
1 tbsp vanilla essence
1 cup icing sugar
1 bag of M&M chocolates (the red and green Christmas themed packets if you can get them)
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Combine all dry ingredients except chocolate in a large bowl. Melt copha gently then pour over dry ingredients and mix well to combine. Add M&M’s and stir through evenly
Spoon mixture into small patty pan cases to fill. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Store in a airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
*You can also line a shallow baking tray with baking paper and then press mixture into it. Refrigerate and then slice into even pieces, wrap with cellophane, tie with a ribbon and give as a gift
Dec 11, 2011 @ 05:03:31
Adorable picture and the recipe looks delicious.
Ann
Dec 11, 2011 @ 11:12:13
It’s very rich Ann but totally delicious!
Dec 11, 2011 @ 07:06:13
Thanks for sharing your Carols event. It sounds a very nice outing for the family and the whole town. I’ve never heard of White Christmas, is that your own recipe? Or is it something that is quite common in Australia?
Adorable picture!
Dec 11, 2011 @ 11:47:49
It’s a twist on a familiar recipe Judith. Mostly White Christmas is made with cherries, sultanas and apricots but there is no way my kids will eat that LOL so i substituted chocolate – it’s more like a Rice Krispie” treat
Dec 11, 2011 @ 17:52:18
We were supposed to go to Carols by Candlelight last night but unfortunately there was lightning and thunder, hail and rain so it was called off! Unfortunately we haven’t been for a few years now because it has been like that or the other extreme of more than 40C! Maybe next year.
Thanks for sharing about this Aussie Christmas tradition and for participating in the tour!
Dec 11, 2011 @ 18:18:26
I’m crossing my fingers it will be okay next weekend – the news is full of how this will be the wettest summer on record
Dec 11, 2011 @ 18:26:09
Loved your piece! We’re about to head off for our carols by candlelight soon…it’s a great tradition that I have been to for many years
Dec 12, 2011 @ 11:25:00
I hope you had a wonderful night Fiona!
Dec 11, 2011 @ 23:01:09
The joys of Christmas in summer! Too funny. We’re traditionally all huddled indoors with a fire in the fireplace, and you’re all outside on a picnic. Love the photo of your kids.
Dec 12, 2011 @ 11:24:35
I’ve only ever seen snow once Beth!
Dec 12, 2011 @ 00:12:50
Lovely tradition! Thanks for sharing!
Dec 12, 2011 @ 00:21:09
Love the photos of your children.
Dec 12, 2011 @ 11:23:59
Thanks Mystica, it’s my youngest son and youngest daughter pictured in that photo
Dec 12, 2011 @ 01:18:15
And here we’re complaining because the weather is too warm for December with 5°C:) Caroling picnic sounds fun! That’s a lovely picture of your children. And thanks for sharing the recipe, it sounds yummy!
Dec 12, 2011 @ 11:17:53
I couldn’t imagine temperatures that low – it rarely gets that cold in teh depths of winter here LOL
Dec 12, 2011 @ 05:08:27
Sounds like your town has a lovely Christmas celebration. White Christmas sounds delicious! We’ll have to give that a try. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Dec 12, 2011 @ 11:19:53
Let me know what you think of it if you do!
Dec 12, 2011 @ 05:57:04
Off to find out what copha is and where I can track it down in the U.S. Thank you for sharing your tradition and your recipe!
Dec 12, 2011 @ 11:23:05
Copha is essentially coconut oil which you might be able to find in the US in liquid form with other cooking oils. I hope you find it!
Dec 12, 2011 @ 11:28:28
That sounds like a wonderful event to go to as a family! I’m sure lots of memories are made yearly at them! I hope you and your family have a very merry Christmas!
betty
Dec 15, 2011 @ 10:12:14
Thank you Betty – and to you and yours!
Dec 12, 2011 @ 13:48:37
What a nice tour and thanks for sharing. I wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas!
Dec 12, 2011 @ 19:13:01
I love going to Carols by candlelight, but my boys are “too old” for that now so they say. Thanks for sharing your local carols night and the White Christmas recipe … that’s my kind of White Christmas too lol.
Are you a scrapbooker too? … I love the layout with the article
Dec 15, 2011 @ 10:14:52
I thought I had replied – I am a digital scrapbooker – in fact one of my part time jobs is as a digital scrapbook product designer
Dec 13, 2011 @ 02:31:21
That sounds like a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit – thanks for sharing it with us!
And that recipe sounds totally yummy – I will be bookmarking it to make next year!
Dec 15, 2011 @ 10:15:15
It is delicious and easy!
Dec 13, 2011 @ 06:22:54
Nice to have found your blog, and I greatly enjoyed reading your Advent entry!
Dec 15, 2011 @ 10:15:38
Thank you Andi for stopping by!
Dec 15, 2011 @ 02:39:55
The Christmas celebration sounds wonderful. I’m guessing it will be something your children keep as a favorite memory of childhood. Thanks for sharing your holiday and have a Merry Christmas.
Dec 15, 2011 @ 10:16:38
Thank you Tami – I hope they have great memories of it. Merry Christmas to you and yours