My Christmas Weekend

Ten Things I Did This Christmas

1. Spent the four day weekend with 40 of my closest family members at the Alpine Heath Resort, which is set in the heart of the glorious Northern Drakensberg Mountains. It was fun, peaceful and relaxing, with none of the drama of last year's trip, thank goodness.

The majestic Drakensberg Mountains

2. Ate more ice cream in one weekend than I did the entire summer. I don't want to see another Paddle Pop again - or at least for the next week or two ;)

3. Got my yearly dose of Vitamin D by spending an enormous amount of time relaxing by the pool, in the scorching midday sun.

The serene view from the spa 

4. Indulged in blissful treatments at the heavenly Alpine spa, which overlooked a tranquil lake and resplendent green mountains. It was so r that I only left because I probably would have been forcibly removed if I didn't.

5. Watched 'Home Alone' on Christmas Day with six of my adorable little cousins. I remember seeing it all through my childhood years. It's still the best holiday movie around.




6. Befriended a peacock who took shelter at our chalet during a rain storm. It was the first time I've seen one of these magnificent creatures up-close. They are truly beautiful.

7. Got hoaxed into going for a hike. I seriously don't know how this happened, as I am the least outdoorsy person around.

8. Wore harem pants after I swore that I wouldn't in this post. What was I thinking?

A view of the resort

9. After winning 3 consecutive games of 30 Seconds in a row, my team (aka The Gossip Girls) lost the grande finale against the team of underdogs (aka Our Mums aka The Desperate Housewives), who until that moment had lost every other game. And there were a lot, believe me. They even beat out our main competitors - aka our brainiac dads, whose team was aptly named The Big Bang Theory. Looking forward to next year's championship, we will come prepared for victory ;)

10. Most importantly, I spent quality time with my awe-inspiring family over good food, good laughs and we created great new memories. And there are no amount of gifts in the world which can top that.

*All photos taken by me, except the reception area.