Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

  16 December Christmas Countdown #25envelopes - Christmas Carols ... This postage stamp designed by a 5 year old child reminded me of the Carol ‘The First Noel’ . The First Noel, the Angels did say Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay In fields where they lay keeping their sheep What is your favourite Christmas Carol? Which Christmas Carols annoy you , particulary when they are played over and over in shopping centres? Today’s envelope is a free motion stitched motif on a background of rice paper and a used envelope from a Christmas card .

Carols by Candlelight is an Australian Christmas tradition which has spread across the world. It is thought that the FIRST Carols by Candlelight might have been held sometime in the 19th century. However, in 1938, the Melbourne Carols by Candlelight, established and popularised the concept of large crowds gathering in public outdoor places to sing carols by candlelight, led by celebrity live performances and a live band.  Today, the largest such event  in Australia is held annually at the  Sidney Myer Music Bowl  in Melbourne's King's Domain Gardens on  Christmas Eve  .  This Victorian event was introduced in 1937 by  Norman Banks , a radio announcer.  Whilst walking home from his night-time radio shift on  Christmas Eve  in 1937, he passed a window and saw inside an elderly woman sitting up in bed, listening to  Away in a Manger  being played on the radio and singing along, with her face being lit by candle...

The tourist brochure claims that "Magic Happens ..." in the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains (180 km from Sydney, NSW).  It was truly Christmas Magic last weekend at the annual  Carols in the Caves concert.  We started from Newcastle at 6am, but it was worth the long bus trip there. It was a cool invigorating day, and we enjoyed the amazing vistas on the way, having lunch in the courtyard of the iconic Caves House as well as the beautiful carol singing. It brought out the "child" in everyone... Angels and bright stars appeared from nowhere in cave grottoes...  Shepherds watched their flocks under the cave canopies... Like any show, there were times when the drama is backstage ... how many men does it take to organise a star's wardrobe when the costumes fall from the back of a truck inside the Grand Archway of the Jenolan Caves?  Yes, this is my husband Jim helping ... he just happened to be there!  Ably compered by Peter Vickery o...