Lead up to Christmas

It is a funny lead-up to Christmas here – there are a few things to remind us of the season but not many. The hospital wards have little Christmas trees, complete with climatically impossible, snowy-looking decorations. The two radio stations are having a competition to see who can play Mariah Carey's warbling take on “O Holy Night” most. There are several minutes worth of ads each hour where businesses, MPs, you name it, wish all and sundry a merry Christmas. Otherwise, it is business (and I use the term loosely) as usual.

We, of course, are thinking about what our families are doing around this time, and it is impossible not to miss them madly. In particular, we are pining for our niece and two nephews, who we relished spending time with in Melbourne. If you are not a Melburnian or a family member, you may not have seen our lovely little poppets, who are undoubtedly the three most beautiful kiddliwinks in the world. (I will make sure a photo goes in the album at some point.) So, Benjamin, Isaac and Mikaela, Uncle Steve and Aunty Kelly send you a big Solomon Islands hello and a hug. We are working on something special for you...xoxoxoxo