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16 December 2013

Christmas Memories with Dorothy Adamek with giveaway

Please welcome another Aussie writer Dorothy Adamek to my blog today. Also this week you can win an Amazon gift voucher.



1.    What do you most associate with Christmas where you live?
For our family it means summer has arrived, and the school year has ended. It's the start of our 6 or so weeks of beach holiday and the chance to meet with family and relax over a laden Christmas Day table. (Jenny here when I was at school it was 8 weeks and we got of a few weeks before Christmas so had time to do things for Christmas now it seem kids only get out a week before some not even that)

2.    Do you have any special family traditions you do at Christmas time?
My father-in-law has an acre of cherry trees under protective bird netting. One of our late December traditions is to pick boxes-full (not counting bellies-full) of fat, juicy cherries when we visit his farm. Cherries and Christmas go together so well.

Back at home, I like to decorate with a hand-knitted nativity set my mum made for me. It's so sweet and reminds me to focus on what really matters ~ the Lord Jesus, appearing just when it was foretold ~ in Bethlehem, with the angels and the shepherds. And even though there's speculation about when they arrived... there's a trio of magi in there, too.

3.    Do you have a favourite Christmas Carol and if so do you know why?
 Jesus, Oh What A Wonderful Child... I love this Christmas song, although I'm not sure you'd call it a carol. The tune is catchy, and I once taught it to my Sunday School class and they had the best fun performing it in church. But more than that, the words remind us that the coming of Jesus brings 'new life, new hope and new joy.' The entire Christmas message is encapsulated in that one line. Jesus came to offer newness for today and for all eternity. Something no one else could. No wonder we sing about it in celebration!   (I am not sure I know this song Yes I know I have it on one of my cds and I would call it a carol)

4.    If you could spend Christmas anyway you could how would you celebrate?
One day, it would be a dream come true to experience a White Christmas. I already suffer from snow-envy. Match that with Christmas Day and you'd have to slap me a little before I fainted with unmatched thrills!! Somewhere in the US or UK would be awesome. Can you arrange that, Jenny? Thanks, lovely friend. (I know I am good but not that good besides I like warm weather but hey it snowed in Ballarat one Christmas)

5.    Do you have any special memories of Christmas?
In 1992, my firstborn, Sophie, arrived a few days after Christmas, so I was heavily pregnant on Christmas Day that year.  We even gave her a Christmas middle name ~ Holly. The hospital where I delivered was still decorated with tinsel and Christmas trees, and one of the nurses who cared for me still wore her angel earrings. I remember thinking a lot about Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the arrival of her a baby in an environment so different to mine. And my 'first baby' moments fill my heart each year when I hear Christmas carols.

6.    What is a typical Christmas eve and or Christmas day for you.
Christmas Day varies depending on which side of the family we're celebrating with. But Christmas Eve is spent at home, baking almond bread with green and red sugared cherries and watching Carols By Candlelight. We light the candles and transform our family room to match the Sidney Myer Music Bowl. Carols by Candlelight is a long held tradition in Melbourne, and although I attended the rehearsal once, I do love watching it on TV each year with the family.  Sylvie Paladino is my favourite caroller. Interestingly, my parents sat in the audience once...long ago when my mum was pregnant with me. I'm detecting a Christmas/Pregnancy theme happening here....! :)  (Sitting watching the carols on Christmas Eve is a tradition for me too. I cried so hard last year at the Hallelujah chorus as mum said when she got to heaven she would be singing it with the heavenly choir. I love Maria Prior too)

7.    Do you have any Christmas movies or Christmas books you like to see or read each year?
Movies - Funny Farm. I know it's a little silly, but I just love the snow drifts and the house. And there's a writer in it, so that's good for a giggle.
Books are different. With books I want to enjoy the real Christmas story. I have a collection of Children's books I would put beside the Christmas Tree in a basket for my own kids when they were little. Even though they're simple books, I still enjoy the beautiful illustrations and nativity story.

8.    Do you have a Christmas message for my readers?
I've always rested in the knowledge God's timing is perfect, for the details of my own life, and for my family. When we've been impatient for something or disappointed, we've encouraged one another with the assurance God's timing is perfect.

At Christmas time, I like to remember the words of Galatians 4:4 "When the time was right, God sent His son."

God held the plan for His son's coming until the time was right. And we not only rejoice that Jesus came, but that He came to seek and save us. What a privilege to know the story and understand we are the reason. Jesus came when God determined THAT day had arrived. And we can sing with the angels, "Glory to God in the Highest " everyday.., and especially at Christmas time.

Dorothy lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her Beloved and their children. She's the winner of the 2013 FHL ~ Touched By Love Competition. Enamoured by all things 19th century, she writes The Heartbeat of Yesteryear, Historical Romance - Aussie style.
Visit her blog, Ink Dots. http://dorothyadamek.blogspot.com.au/ 


 Giveaway

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great interview girls. Thank you so much for sharing. Queensland kids get up to a month before Christmas - most approx 2 weeks. xxx

Ausjenny said...

Here the kids broke up Friday.

Dorothy said...

Thanks for the interview, Jenny. :)

My youngest (only one in school now) finished last Thursday. It's been a swimming day all day long today after a sweet sleep-in this morning. :)

Melissa Jagears said...

I cannot imagine a hot Christmas at the beach!

Ian A said...

Great chat ladies. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I too am keen to experience a white Chrissy. Actually hoping to do in 2014. Fingers crossed.

Melissa Jagears said...

Errrrr. I tweeted that you were giving away $25 instead of $10. Don't know where I got that number but glad I thought to double check. So new tweet: https://twitter.com/MelissaJagears/status/412482040940875777

Ausjenny said...

Melissa wish it was but cant afford that at this stage.

I would like a white Christmas but it would mean missing the boxing day test.

Today has been a perfect day (even if most was spent in bed or on the couch) not to hot not to cold just right.

Beth said...

We always watch carols on Christmas Eve too! Mum will often still be wrapping presents (usually because she hasn't got around to it earlier).
At the school I work at, kids finished on Wednesday last week, but a friend of mine will still be teaching until Friday this week.

Catherine Hudson said...

What a good reminder Dotti - Gods timing is perfect and it was perfect timing hearing that today. Thanks (and can you send some of those yummy Cherries my way??)
Thanks for the lovely interview Jenny, helped me start getting warm and fuzzy for the Christmas season

Dorothy said...

Melissa, someday we should swap. I'll take your snow and you can have my sand. :)
So jealous that Ian is already planning.
Cat... I'll see what I can do with cherries. Tag you in a cherry photo, perhaps? xx

Mary Hawkins said...

I love getting to know other Aussie authors. Thank you for hosting, Dorothy, Jenny. For the first time this season,yesterday the local cherry grower at the entrance to our village in Tasmania had his sign out so we bought our first ones this season. Very Yummy! I agree it is never Christmas without cherries. They were so special when I was a child that we had to sort out the doubles to hang on our Christmas tree. I thing it may have been one of Mum's ploys to get us to eat something more than chocolate on Christmas morning.

Narelle said...

Hi Dotti and Jenny, I love cherries and I've been cherry picking with my husband when we spent Christmas at his uncle's farm. Lots of fun! My kids finish up at school on Friday, but they don't go back to school until early February. Thanks for sharing your Christmas memories :)

Carole said...

Dotti, I loved your interview and getting a taste of Christmas in Australia. So hard to imagine this season falling during your summertime! But no matter where Christmas takes place, we share a bond in Jesus being the reason we celebrate. Thank you, Dotti and Jenny.

bonton said...

Enjoyed the interview, Dottie!

We've had plenty of snow here, in the US - & it's early in the season! Wish you were here, to enjoy it, & wish I could visit Australia - some day!

Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

bonnieroof60(at)yahoo(dot)com

Sherida Stewart said...

Congratulations on winning the 2013 Touched by Love contest, Dorothy!

Like you, I put a basket of children's Christmas books under our tree...and now I'm giving those to my grandchildren...beautiful memories!

We have snow for Christmas....but your cherries and Christmas sound wonderful, as does the Carols by Candlelight event.

Thanks for the reminder of God's perfect timing. Christmas blessings to you all!

Ausjenny said...

thanks to all who have commented. Is this where I say I dont really like cherries?

Amanda Deed said...

Great interview Dots! I've never been desperate to trade our summer Chrissy for a snowy one, but I remember a few years ago, we woke up Christmas morning to a hailstorm so fierce it left a white layer over everything - roofs, cars, the road - everything. Looked like a white Christmas to me. :)

Unknown said...

Enjoyed the interview. Interesting finding out about Christmas in Australia. I don't eat many cherries, but I love chocolate covered cherries at Christmastime.

Dorothy said...

Mary, I love it that you used cherries to decorate the tree. Did they last long, or did you eat them as fast as you hung them?

Hi Narelle, cherry picking is lots of fun, especially when the farmer is family and they insist you take more than you belly can hold. :)

Hi Carol, I love your focus on the true bond which unites us at Christmas time. Bless you, sister. xx

Bonnie... I'm so jealous of all your snow. Make a snow man for me when you can!! :)

Hi Sherida, thanks for your congratulations. So very kind of you. I'm looking forward to the day when I share that basket of Christmas book with grand-babies... some day. :)

Jenny, I'll eat your share of cherries, hon. My pleasure. xx

Hi Amanda, I remember that Christmas Day. Fun if the hail melts and doesn't ruin anything. Not so much if your tomato plants and car roofs get smashed. Love to you xx

Hi Barbara, perhaps that's how Jenny needs to eat her cherries, too. Covered with chocolate. :)

Patsy said...

I also believe when the time is right God will answer your prayers.
plhouston(at)bellsouth(dot)net

Patsy said...

I also believe when the time is right God will answer your prayers.
plhouston(at)bellsouth(dot)net

Dorothy said...

Hi Patsy, thanks for visiting. It certainly is a sweet assurance to know God will always answer prayer in His good time. ;)

Unknown said...

Love cherries in anything!
Stimmer@familylife.com

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