Oh wow… where do I start. I guess by firstly saying we had a lovely Christmas Day and I hope so much that you did too…
Our Christmas was not without it’s drama, and I am so pleased I had fairly well prepared by making my wartime Christmas cake and Christmas pudding in advance because 5 days before Christmas we lost our car. Our car is our lifeline as we live 20 minutes drive to our nearest
small store and a round trip by taxi into town is nearly $100. I went to have the front winter 
tyres put on at the garage last week before doing my shopping and the sub frame collapsed, while it was up on the hoist… completely rotted through and it took out the braking system.. (I’m trying not to think about this right now)…oh and did I mention the first snowfall of the year that took down our internet (another lifeline) for 2.5 days..? (I’m smiling honest!!! LOL!)
Luckily a kind friend came into the garage and was able to drive me all the way home and I was able to book a hire car for Monday and was able to get to the shops after 4 days stuck at home, an hour before they shut on Christmas Eve.. alas I couldn’t get the sausagemeat for the “mock turkey” I wanted to make for the kids.
We did however enjoy lots of good food available during Christmas 1940 including a really tasty wartime Christmas cake with mock marzipan and the eggless wartime Christmas pudding tasted fantastic! We made many of our own decorations including tree stars and paperchains, and reused and recycled as much as possible. The children and I had also been busy making homemade gifts for 
when they visit their Dad in the New Year.. we were lucky to get a home care package from my friend Cathy and that gave us extra dried fruit and nuts among other wonderful things
Everything ended up being a last minute rush so we chilled on Christmas Day and simply enjoyed a relaxing time and I’m about to get up and do the clean up this morning while the kids sleep..
So MURKEY will be coming to our house New Years Day and we are looking forward to it!
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year!
I guess it could have been worse – you could have been doing 40 mph down the road when your car fell apart, and you could have spent Christmas in hospital, or dead. That was my boyfriend’s response just now anyway. I hope that cheers you up! It turns out your 1940s Christmas ended up being up even more authentic than you were expecting: no internet and no car! It’ll make great material for the book though. I hope you are still enjoying your Christmas holiday and are managing to relax. After all the exhausting preparations it’s lovely to stay at home and just do nothing. I hope you had help with the cooking.
Hi Carolyn
Sorry about the car, but glad you enjoyed your Christmas anyway. We had a Ministry of Food Christmas cake also. I used real marzipan though as I was not brave enough for the mock stuff. Our pudding was a sugarless one as my friend is diabetic. We had mushroom, shallot and chestnut pie for the veggies and real turkey for the carnivores (yuk!)
Happy New Year
Have to agree with Joss….glad you’re okay, but sorry about the car. You know the saying: “if you didn’t have bad luck, you’d have no luck at all”…..seems to apply to you! (ha, ha). But, you certainly do seem to persevere through all the hardships, just as they did in the 1940’s. Somehow, things will turn out alright! Just keep dodging those bombs!
A new year is just around the corner, and it is sure to bring good things your way. All best wishes for a great New Year’s Eve and a wonderful new year!
Cynthia
Carolyn, I’m so glad you had a Merry Christmas despite the problems you have endured. I hope that 2013 blesses you abundantly.
Hi Carolyn, I was shown a very interesting series of video’s by my son called “War Time Farm” done by the BBC if you go into google and type in wartimeform you should find it. All about what the farmers had to do to try and feed the nation. Hope you find it,
Sorry to hear about the car, but that is what bad weather does to steel.
Just look to your creator Jesus and He will help you through your trials.
Alan Gander