What does your festive season look like?
Welcome to our first ever special one-off seasonal link-up called Festive Bonbons, proudly brought to you by Stunners Inc., the creators of the monthly What’s on Your Bookshelf Challenge.
As mentioned in my ‘Coming Soon’ post last week we are asking you to share your Festive Bonbons with us. Jo, Sue and Donna have answered these same questions, it’s so much fun to read everyone’s responses.
So without further ado, here are my answers to the questions:
Christmas Tree – do you have one, when does it go up, who decorates it, is there a theme or is it miss-matched?
Yes, we have a tree and to be honest I wasn’t going to put it up this year as we will be away for Christmas… but my daughter, SIL and 2 of my grandchildren will be visiting for my birthday weekend (soon), so I’ve decided we will put it up together then. Nothing like having children around to give Christmas more meaning. I have also bought a felt tree with velcro spots for decorations so the 3 grandkids can have fun sticking them on and pulling them off when we are at our holiday accommodation over Christmas. Over the years we’ve collected decorations from all over the world so my tree is a mish-mash of colour, tinsel and joy.
Christmas carols – yes or no, faves? Traditional or modern.
I like to think of them as Christmas songs rather than carols and these days I prefer modern ones. We once made a playlist of everyone’s favourites for a family Christmas and it was such fun making it and then listening to it unfold on a family road trip. My favourite would probably be the song Joy to the World in full orchestral mode.
Christmas books – any faves you want to tell us about?
I’ve never got into the whole Christmas book genre but I’m hearing a lot of people do! I like the fun Aussie books for kids that give the summer Christmas story, songs and images with our animals and beaches rather than the snowy card scenes. A few of my faves are: The 12 Days of Christmas and Santa Comes to Australia.
Christmas movies – any you watch year after year?
I do like watching Love Actually, one of the only Christmas movies I watch over and over again. I’ve made a list this year of Christmas movies, collected from recommendations from fellow bloggers, and am planning to work my way through them, just to get into the mood!
Christmas cake – yes or no?
No, never made one, never will. I’m not sure why but think it’s because they sound like too much work and basically, I’m a lazy cook. I’ll eat a slice if you make one though!
Chocolate nuts or fruit?
No question about it – chocolate sultanas all the way! My daughters (and if I’m honest me) buy them up throughout the year when we can find them and we all hoard them ready for Christmas. Most make it to the end but some disappear along the way 🙂
Christmas traditions?
Our main tradition is regardless of wherever any of us are in the world, we stop and have a toast to absent friends. We’ve lost a few key family members in recent years and one of my daughters and her family live overseas so it’s our moment to stop and pause for a minute. You can read more in this post: Top 5 Family Traditions at Christmas.
I wrote this post a few years ago in response to a Christmas tag going around and it was fun to revisit my words – Christmas tag
I’m also trying to get a Santa photo each year with my grandchildren but Covid restrictions have hampered that somewhat.
What’s on the table?
No idea yet, but hopefully food of some sort! I’m not the most foodie of people, despite my highly successful What’s on Your Plate posts (I’m laughing as I write that).
Christmas memories?
One of my best ever family Christmases was spending a week in Italy’s snowfields. Living in Australia means hot sunny Christmases for us but in 2007 we spent December in Europe. Which means it was cold and in places snowy – just like all the Christmas cards we see.
We were lucky enough to stay with friends and family in Finland, Denmark, Copenhagen, Malmo (Sweden) and UK and spent the week over Christmas in Livigno in Italy, way up north in the mountains. To be able to go snow skiing on Christmas Day was amazing and the best part of all was that we had our three grownup daughters with us for the week.
Being in Italy with my family, the beauty of the snow clad mountains, the crystal clear sunny days, the ice sculptures, the icy snow, the minus 22 temperatures, the fun we all had, the skiing on Christmas Day with my Argentinian ski instructor, the decorations, the candles in all the windows, the hot chocolates after skiing, the language…..
So many memories – This is what happens behind the scenes at Christmas
All I want for Christmas is…
I just want a stress-free, bushfire-free, pandemic-free, drama-free, flood-free get together with some of my family. I want to go to the beach with 2 of my daughters and their husbands, watch the grandkids play with each other, build sandcastles, splash and swim, sit and read, eat what others have prepared and enjoy our time with each other, while Facetiming our daughter and granddaughter in England. Is that too much to ask for? I don’t think so!
Seeing Stars
I’d just like to share this story about my large stars as pictured above. Two years ago we were in England with my daughter, SIL and baby granddaughter, celebrating Dottie coming home after 98 days in NICU, my birthday, Christmas and the New Year. While walking around the shops I kept seeing these lovely stars, made of cardboard. I asked in one shop where I could buy them and they said I could take them from the shop floor as it was almost time to take them down and they probably wouldn’t be used again.
They folded down flat, so I was able to pack them in my suitcase. Now every time we put them up, we have them hanging each side of the front door, I think back to how we acquired them and smile to myself. I think the shop people took pity on the visiting Australians.
Why bonbons?
We feel that the word ‘bonbons’ creates a festive feel. Bonbons are small bits of Christmas cheer, just like our questions 🙂
A bonbon is a sweet or small confection, especially a small ball coated in chocolate.
We hope you’ll join the link party by clicking on the blue link below. Or, you might want to get involved via Instagram or your social media of choice. We even have a hashtag you can use #festivebonbons.
It’s time to get festive!
Wishing you all the best at this time of the year. I know it can be hard for some and we will definitely be missing some special people again this year. Take care.
Deb xx
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Deb's World 
How lovely this was to read. Gosh you have seen Christmas in so many places Deb! I would be doing the same as you, getting the grandkids to help with the tree for your birthday visit. Nothing does Christmas better than little ones. Love the story of the Star. Linky not open yet (says in 30 mins) so I will be back. Denyse x
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Thanks Denyse, I agree, I’ve been very fortunate to see Christmas in other places around the world and now the memories are fabulous to look back on, especially when one daughter is living overseas and we can’t get to her easily or quickly! Thanks for joining up with the linky, it’s made it a great way to see everyone’s posts.
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Love all of this – from your Christmas jumpers, to the stars and especially the daggy family pic. Happy Christmas!
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These photos help me so much Jo, having the memories and laughing at our craziness makes it so much more fun each year! Thanks 🙂
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Hi Deb, I’m so pleased we decided to go with the Festive Bon Bons Link up as it is proving to be a highlight of my morning, reading everyone’s posts. I’ve only spent one Christmas away from my family, when Mike and I went on our first European holiday together. We spent Christmas Day in London and it was lovely. Such beautiful memories for you and now you are creating new memories with the grandchildren. Christmas is really about the kids isn’t it and their excitement is infectious! You have some lovely photos Deb especially the last one of you and Grant which is a favourite of mine. Thanks for co-hosting Festive Bon Bons and making me smile xx
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Thanks so much for being a fabulous co-host, we all make a great team! It’s been fabulous reading everyone’s posts and learning about traditions around the world. Christmas in London would have been lovely for you, with so many memories to look back on now.
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Lovely, Wishing you and your family a Happy & Safe Christmas!
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Thank you so much Cindy, wishing you a happy time too.
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Hi, Deb – What a wonderful tradition to stop and have a toast to absent friends. What could be more meaningful?
I also love all of the fun and fesitivities that this post includes from chocolate sultanas to Santa pics to bold Christmas sweaters.
Wishing you an awesome holiday season and a very happy upcoming birthday!
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Yes Donna, we all stop at 11am wherever we are in the world, for a minute and just remember those unable to join us. It’s been a great linkup and I hope we make it an annual event. Thanks for your lovely comments, it’s been fun sharing these thoughts with everyone.
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Lovely post! I’ve had a go as well https://thistlesandkiwis.org/2021/12/10/festive-bonbon-a-christmas-challenge/
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It was great to have you join us too 🙂
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Lovely smile. 🙂 Happy December!
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Thank you, all the best to you too Manja 🙂
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Hi Deb – I hope all your Christmas wishes come true – it’s about time we caught a break – and especially you with the added natural disasters on top of good old covid. Loved the Christmas stars and their story – it’s hard to find the perfect Christmas decoration, so when you do it’s an added bonus isn’t it? Also loved the Christmas sweaters and hats and the family memories from Italy – great post xx
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Thanks Leanne, I agree, we all need a break in things! I can still remember the fun we had asking about the stars then walking out with them for free! It was such fun sharing some stories 🙂
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Hi – your idea of a Christmas tree sounds perfect “mish-mash of colour, tinsel and joy”
and skiing on Christmas Day with all those extras sounds like a really great holiday –
lastly, cheers to the stars that bring the memory and energy with them 🙂
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Thanks Yvette, I am all about making things as easy as possible these days! I loved sharing some of my stories in this post 🙂
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🤍😊
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Your Christmas post was truly lovely to read Deb. As usual your photos are really great. I loved the Santa photos and your Christmas jumper. I could feel the joy in your post.
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Thank you Jen for such a lovely comment, you are such an encouraging person and I do appreciate it. Joy is all around!
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So fun to read! I’m working on my post but too many distractions today!
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Hope you get all your Christmas wishes! Have a lovely time away with the family x
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Thanks Deb, wishing you well over there too! Hope it’s all good.
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Loved reading your answers! This is my favorite time of year celebrating the season with laughter, peace and joy! Merry Christmas!
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Many thanks for visiting and leaving a comment Lucia! Merry Christmas to you.
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Christmas crackers are also called Bonbons. I thought it was for that. I agree I think most of us want to be pandemic and bushfire (and now flood free). My party tonight is shrinking rapidly to the Byron and local cases. Too bad I got it catered for. I’ll be sending people home with food! I love your toast to absent friends. I might steal and start that. Thanks for hosting. Great idea.
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Yes I thought of the crackers as bonbons too, it works both ways doesn’t it? Oh dear I hope your party went well, what a shame for you after all that effort. We do our toast at 11am wherever we are in the world. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all the posts and learnt loads! Thanks again for joining us.
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Funny how your year away included snow and cold and our year away included beach and sand! Although we’ve done it twice. Once to Perth Auz and once you Mexico. Same family time but Auz was better by a mile! So many cool traditions down there. Enjoy your season and thanks for the nudge towards one big Bon Bon Blog Post!
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My pleasure Bernie, I’m so glad you enjoyed my post and your Aus holiday! Loved your creativity in your post too 🙂
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This is such an enjoyable link-up! I’m so looking forward to everyone’s posts! Writing my own post made me so emotional because Christmas is so connected with memories and people, and during this time when we live far away and Covid keeps us apart, it’s difficult. But I also very much enjoyed writing my post and reminding myself of all the good things over the years, and what aspects of Christmas are important to me.
How fun to go to the Italian alps and spend Christmas there! And I loved your star – it reminds me of Sweden!
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It’s been so good Susanne, I’ve only just finished reading and commenting on posts and now getting back to look at comments here! I can understand the difficulty you felt when writing your post and feel for you. We have a special connection with Sweden as we hosted a boy from near Malmo for a year on a Rotary Youth Exchange, and have been to visit him and his family a few times now!
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It was fun reading about your holiday traditions. I particularly like your tradition of remembering loved ones passed or far away. Christmas is all about family.
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Yes we do our toast at 11am wherever any of us are in the world and it’s always an emotional time. It’s all about family, you’re right there Sandy!
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So nice to get photos of yourself with your grandchildren and Santa at Xmas. Gee, the photo the socially distanced Santa is a sign of the difficult times we live in, isn’t it?
I felt envious looking at your Christmas in Italy skiing. That is something I would have loved to do to. The ski resort looks stunning. (I am a fan of snow). And knowing how good the Italians are at cooking, the Christmas dinner must have been amazing?
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Thanks Amanda. The socially distanced Santa is here to stay for a while apparently! That time in Italy was when I gave up skiing, as nowhere else in the world would compare to the experience I had there. We self catered for our Christmas dinner so it was interesting to say the least but we did go out the next night and enjoyed the food more 🙂
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So the Italians celebrated Dec 24?
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I enjoyed reading this post, Deb. Beautiful family memories and photos. I hope your wishes come true. Happy upcoming birthday to you! Thank you for linking up with #weekendcoffeeshare.
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Thanks Natalie, it was great to write this post and share memories. Thanks to for the birthday wishes, it was a nice weekend with family.
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I love your giant stars! That Christmas vacation in Europe sounds like it was a magical vacation. I hope you get everything you wished for this Christmas.
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Oh Joanne, the whole trip was magical and something I’ll always remember. All the best to you too!
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I loved reading about your festive bon-bons, Debbie. Looks like I was late to the link up party–oh well, this served as wonderful inspiration for my Sunday Stills post today. I’m with you on what we want for Christmas–pandemic-free, stress-free, wildfire-free, etc…what does normal look like these days! I’m glad you put up a tree for the grandkids. I would have been shocked as a kid to not see a Christmas tree at my grandparents house. Hope you have a minute to check out SS today (color challenge metallic). Havea great week!
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Thanks Terri, it was fun sharing my thoughts and answering the questions. Your metallic post was so clever and I loved that you now have two trees up. It was great to have you join us.
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Such a fun link. Sorry I missed it.
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It was so much fun reading everyone’s thoughts Antoinette. Sorry you missed it too.
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Oh no! The link party ended! Here’s my post. https://readingladies.com/2021/12/13/meet-the-blogger-christmas-version-festivebonbons/
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I’m sorry the linkup closed before your post was able to be added. I really enjoyed reading your post Carol.
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No worries! I didn’t realize it was a short window and I had so many distractions over the weekend!
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