Christmas to many people is a time about being together. It is about family and friends. Love and letting go. It is a time of bonding – an extremely special time where old traditions are retained and new traditions formed for future generations. For me, Christmas is a time of MAGIC. Anyone who knows me well, knows deep down I believe in magic. Magic comes in many forms. It comes in the form of the faces of children when unwrapping their presents from their parents and the stocking presents received from Santa, from husbands admiring the mastery of the family monarch seamlessly conducting the symphony of Christmas Day. Sometimes it can be explained, other times magic remains a mystery. Being sick for the last few days with chills, fever and diarrhoea and a spot of vomiting, my only wish this Christmas was to be healthy enough to have the strength to enjoy this day with my beautiful family. Ava and Audrey have been checking in with me over the last few days “Daddy, do you think you will be better by Christmas?” I always provided a positive response, however wasn’t always sure as only the previous night I spent some time looking into hospital distances to have IV fluids and antibiotics administered. Maybe a little over dramatic, possibly a mis-diagnosis. However it comes with the territory of having a family in the medical game!!

I woke with a stiff neck and a headache – I attributed the headache to my sleep position. Prescription – Two Panadol. Apart from that, everything else felt much better. 

I smashed the home made dinner last night and I had my first taste of an alcohol beverage in a few days.  Whilst I consumed it much slower than I may regularly drink a ‘beer beverage’ please be assured it was drunk out of necessity – as felt I may have been deficient in magnesium and B vitamins! 

Christmas morning and another feat of magic was upon the travelling Beattie’s. The girls woke at 5.30am, excitedly poking their heads into the ‘play room’ of the caravan (the opposite end of the caravan which has a similar sized mattress to what Caroline and I sleep on). Caroline opened one eye and said “back to bed for at least 30 minutes”! Even in the presence of a treasure chest of presents to open, the girls turned over and slept for exactly 30 minutes! See what I mean about magic!!

After observing the remains of the carrot, Nanna’s shortbread biscuits and barrel aged gin (quite nice may I add), the girls dragged their bounty to the table and took turns in unwrapping their presents. Seeing the joy on the girls faces while unwrapping their presents transported me back to a similar childhood experience. The joy and elation was the same, minus the decorum. A little remiss of me to suggest a Christmas with two delicate girls would be similar to one in the past with five rambunctious boys.

Once all the stocking presents from Santa were opened, we ate breakfast together – under the glooming shadows of the presents family and friends had given to the girls.   Remarkably the girls were extremely well behaved. They ate their breakfast without fuss and were patient for round two of present opening from family and friends. Santa being magic clearly knows our girls best – the unicorn and Friesian cow onesies that Audrey and Ava received were to be worn throughout the entire day. Rain, hail or shine.

After the exchange of presents, we decided to head to Wineglass Bay, which to Audrey’s relief was NOT another vineyard. Being Christmas Day, Caroline and I expected much less traffic on the roads than what was present. Drivers from many Nationalities inhabited the roads today, with varying degrees of ability. Caroline navigated the roads extremely well, missing the frequent brakes, speed modulation and an Echidna that was trying to cross the road – sorry haven’t got a joke for that!

We arrived at Freycinet National Park, which was busier that we could have anticipated and started our ascent to the viewing platform. After a few days of expelling all bodily fluids (and solids) along with not ‘really’ eating for a few days, I was not in peak hiking condition. Audrey was powering up the climb, headstrong on building stronger muscles for next soccer season, Caroline and Ava aka Daisy, renamed due to her cow ensemble, were skipping up the ascent, while I anxiously looked around for my Sherpa to provide me with a tank of oxygen. Once again, to some may sound slightly ‘over dramatic’ others call this poetic licence. To me the bug/poisoning that I had – really knocked me for six. There were many a time during the 25 minute walk to the viewing platform that I had to stop for a few breaths. I kept reminding myself “What comes up must come down”. Descent will be easier than ascending.

We reached the top of our climb to a mass of other onlookers, who thought Christmas Day would be the quietest day for a walk. Wrong! There was a sea of onlookers, clambering for a view of this spectacular bay. A white beach, turquoise waters in a bay shaped like a wineglass. Go figure! Not a vineyard or bottle shop in sight. 

After a few happy snaps, Caroline and I in our Santa hats (which we wore all day) and the girls in their onesies, we started our descent as the cool wind provided a little relief. We reached the car park in a similar amount of time as it took to ascend. Time for some time to recover in the car.

On our journey home Caroline wanted to pop into Friendly Beaches to see what the free camping sites were like on the North Eastern coast of Tasmania. Compared to the sites at Fortescue Bay, this free camp was based on a first come first served basis. All spots were separated, which meant that there was less chance of hearing the antics of Bogans and was relatively empty – not bad for one of the higher rated camping sites on WikiCamps! Despite this positive outlook and close proximity to the beach, I much preferred where we had set up camp for a few nights in our Bogan free, clean, powered campsite. 

A short trip down the windy road and we were back at our caravan – to begin the Christmas late lunch/dinner. A glass of Gala Estate 2015 Vintage Brut Rose bubbles in hand ensured Caroline and I were ready to play board games with the girls before Caroline started preparing out Christmas feast. On the menu was a beautiful piece of beef, pink-eye potatoes, brussel sprouts and carrots followed by a Christmas pud’. Fast forward an hour of playing and cooking and we sat inside for our Christmas feast as it was extremely cold and windy outdoors. We cheered Merry Christmas to our family, Ava swirled her special drink, ‘Puddleduck Pop’, while Caroline and I enjoyed an exquisite Campbells 2007 The Brothers Shiraz, Rutherglen – thank you Nanna and Grandpa. 

Lunch/dinner was served and smashed in record time. Before digestion had commenced, the girls noticed a little girl outside our caravan named ‘Pippa’, Audrey’s new best friend, and played outside, playing pull the tail off the unicorn and cow, literally, running races and hide and seek – giving Caroline and I a moment of reprieve.

The girls returned for quite a remarkable, microwave, Christmas pudding. Caroline thought the reference to gold on the label meant the $7 pudding was the best that could be bought, no it was literal. The pudding had a spraying of faux gold-leaf and was surprisingly good! Caroline and I washed the pudding down with a nip of McHenrys Sloe Gin, yum before setting the girls down for the night.

The girls are settled and the caravan has all too familiar sounds. The sounds of the ocean as waves come into the shore, only metres away from where we sleep. The sounds of children fast asleep. Of Caroline confidently inserting puzzle pieces into the Christmas puzzle and the noise of typing as I finish this blog.

On behalf of the Beattie Clan, we feel blessed for the MAGICAL Christmas Day we have had today and hope that you and your family were similarly touched by magic this Christmas.