CHRISTMAS IN THE TROPICS HANDMADE GIFTS RECIPES & MORE
DECEMBER
TABLE OF CONTENTS CHRI STMAS I N THE TROPI CS SUMMER IN THE TROPICS
RECIPES
Cyclone season preparation
Figgy pudding
Pet safe
Festive biscuits
Stinger season
Spicy gingerbread people
Community relations
Christmas coal candy
Water wise
Egg nog
Gardening basics
Glazed Ham
A citizen’s climate change
Lamb roast with mint sauce
TIS THE SEASON
Roast Chicken
Community spotlight - Stable on the Strand
Barramundi with braised green beans, dill and mint
Community spirit
Garlic and herb pork roast
5 Ways to budget for Christmas
Barbecue prawn & mango lettuce cups
Are pets good gifts?
Moreton Bay bug curry with mango
The gift of you
Prawn, mango & avocado salad
Christmas movies
Crunchy carrot Caesar salad
Merry Christmas - can i still say that?
Creamed spinach
Bon Bon’s
Christmas salad
The origin of gift giving
festive coleslaw
The evolution of St. Nick
Festive Christmas punch for kids & adults
Christmas lights
RELAX
History of Christmas trees
Tips and tricks
Christmas carols
Jokes corner New computer tech Townsville quizically Listen to your body What’s on
Produced by the participants of the Workways West End Townsville Work for the Dole Community ZINE project. Cover: Patrick Goering
S r i c
CYCLONE SEASON PREPARATION Tips on how to be ready for cyclone season
Cylcone season is among us, how prepared are you? Cyclone season offically starts the 1st of November and ends on the 30th of April, but just because it has an official start and end date, doesn’t mean it won’t form at any point in the year, so it’s always helpful to be prepared!
Queenland’s biggest cyclone to date was cyclone Yasi. It was first formed on 26th of January, 2011, and crossed the Australian coast near Mission Beach on the 3rd of Febuary as a category 5 cyclone. Yasi was estimated to have 3-second gusts up to a maximum of 290km/h.
Tropical cyclones are like giant engines, that run using warm, moist air as fuel. They only form over warm oceans for that reason. The warm air rises, causing an area of low air pressure below, and more air from outside moves into the low air pressure area. That “new” air becomes warm and moist and rises aswell, causing a constant stream of air entering, swirling around. As the warmed, moist air cools off, the water in the air forms clouds. The system of clouds and wind spins and continues to grow, feeding off the ocean’s heat and water evaporating from the surface.
The cyclone finally dissipated into a tropical low near Mount Isa at 10pm, Febuary 3rd, 22 hours after it first crossed the coast. Luckily enough, Yasi wasn’t directly responsible for any casualties, but it did cause $3.5 billion in damage, becoming the most expensive cyclone to hit Australia. Cyclone Yasi didn’t cause as much damage as the Government expected, as it missed major cities, although it did destroy 30% of the houses in Tully. Damage to power lines left 150,000 homes without electricity across Queensland.
Once the rotating winds speed reaches 62kmh, it will be labelled as a tropical storm, and once they reach 119kmh, it becomes a category 1 cyclone. The category of the cyclone increases as the winds pick up more speed.
Category 1 - 119-153km/h Category 2 - 154-178km/h Category 3 - 179-208km/h Category 4 - 209-251km/h Category 5 - 252km/h or more
Author: D.C November 2018
Below are a few lists to help you make sure you’re cylcone prepared in the event of a high category cyclone, before, during and after:
Before:
Check with the council to see if your home has been built to cyclone standards.
If you’re worried about your windows breaking, you can install shutters on your windows, the shutter won’t prevent them from breaking, but will stop the glass from entering the house.
If you don’t want to install shutters, you can tape a giant X across the window to help keep the window together if it breaks.
Make sure you have all loose objects around the yard tied down to something to prevent the items from being blown away.
A list of emergency phone numbers, such as family members, neighbours and emergency services.
Any high branches or trees that could cause damage to your house should be trimmed, to prevent them being blown off.
Check on neighbours to make sure they’re prepared.
Make sure to fill your vehicles fuel tanks in case you need them.
Ensure everyone in the house knows the strongest and safest place of the house. The strongest room is usally the smallest room, without windows, like the bathroom or garage.
If you have a pool, you can sink your wooden or plastic outdoor furniture in it to keep them from blowing away.
Prepare an evacuation kit of warm clothes, essential medications, valuables and important papers.
Be prepared to evacuate immediately if the order comes through that it is not safe in your area.
If you have pets, make sure they have somewhere safe to be inside with you during the cyclone.
Prepare a pet evacuation kit, including food, waterbowl and vaccination documents.
Having a portable generator fueled up and ready to use will be helpful after the cyclone if you lose power. Make sure you never use the generator in doors, the fumes can be lethal if trapped in with them.
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Prepare an emergency kit, it should include: Portable battery radio, torch and spare batteries Water containers Dried or canned food and a can opener Matches, portable stove, cooking gear, eating utensils Waterproof bags First aid kit
During the cyclone:
Make sure everyone stays inside and take shelter in the strongest room in the building, i.e. internal hallway or bathroom. Keep evacuation and emergency kits with you.
Have your battery powered radio close by and always on, to listen for emergancy broadcasts or updates on the cyclone.
There is an amazing website, which has all your updates for Townsville’s emergencies, from weather warnings and road conditions to power outages and emergency news: http://disaster.townsville.qld.gov.au/
Disconnect all electrical appliances.
Be wary of the “eye” of the cyclone. If it seems like the wind and rain has stopped, don’t assume it’s over, winds will be returning shortly in the opposite direction. Wait for the official “all clear”.
Regularly check up on people and pets in the house to make sure they’re all okay, and that no one is missing.
If the bulding starts to fall apart, use rugs, blankets and mattresses to cover you from damage while hiding under a table or bench, or hold onto something solid in the house so you don’t get blown away.
If you’re driving when the cyclone hits, stop somewhere safe, away from tree, powerlines and bodies of water, make sure to put the handbrake on and in gear. Remain inside the vehicle.
You want to make sure you avoid leaving your cars in places that they’re in danger of being crushed by falling trees or flying debris, unlike our friend here.
Acknowledgements: Wikipedia, Townsville City Council, Townsville Bulletin, spaceplace.nasa.gov. qbe.com. betterhealth.vic.gov.au disaster.townsville.qld.gov.au
After the cyclone:
Don’t go outside until it has been officially advised it is safe.
Make sure to listen out for tips and advice or official warnings from your local radio station.
Avoid going into any flood water, because the water will be murky and impossible to see through, and there could be anything in there, glass, nails or needles.
Sometimes sea life gets washed into the floods as well, so you’d have to watch out for sharks, crocodiles and dangerous fish.
Animals that usually live on the ground such as snakes, rats, spiders and mice, would also be looking to escape the floods, so keep an eye for them and avoid getting bitten!
Be wary of fallen powerlines, as they’re still active and incredibly dangerous. Call Ergon to report them.
Bridges might have been rattled and shaken by the cyclone and might not be safe anymore, wait for an official go ahead before attempt to cross bridges.
If you had to evacuate before the cyclone, do not return to your home until it’s safe to do so.
Do not go sightseeing.
Make sure to check up on and help neighbours if they need it.
If you still have access to electricity, make sure not to use any appliances that may have gotten wet, and check for gas leaks.
If you have a generator ready to go, you should use it to power up specific, important appliances, like a fridge, freezer and phone chargers.
Don’t make unnecessary phone calls incase you need your phone for an emergancy.
In case of evacuation, there are 2 cyclone shelters in Townsville, The first being the North Shore Clubhouse in Erskine Place, Burdell. The other being the Heatley Secondary College on Fulham Road. They have both be designed to provide protection from winds up to 306km/h, They’re both located further inland, away from any flood areas. Below are emergency numbers and websites that you can use if you need more information
Townsville City Council Phone: 07 4727 9000 or 13 48 10 Fax: 07 4727 9050 Email: enquiries@townsville.qld.gov.au
Weather: www.bom.gov.au/australia/radar/ Power: www.ergon.com.au/home Roads: https://qldtraffic.qld.gov.au/ More: http://disaster.townsville.qld.gov.au/ Chapel pest and Snake take away: 0410 597 606 Wildlife rescue & care: 0414 717 374 CrocWatch: 1300 130 372 RSPCA: 1300 264 625
Life threatening emergency: 000 Police Link: 131 444 Queensland Health: 13 HEALTH (13 432 584) Rural Fire Service: 4796 9082 Ergon: 13 10 46
PET SAFE Keeping your pets cool this summer
With summer approaching, here are a few tips for keeping your pets cool and comfortable during the hot weather. Hydration
Shade & Comfort
Ensure their water bowl stays full and cold by adding ice cubes throughout the day Make sure the water bowl is in the shade It is essential pets replenish the fluid they exhale when panting or breathing as they attempt to lower their body temperature Set up a kiddie pool for your pet to take a bath in Water down your chicken run – chickens stay cooler if they sit on wet ground
Food & Snacks
Freeze your pet’s food so it can lick it like an ice block Frozen treats in a dispenser or a cupcake tin are a way to cool down your pet and keep them occupied The best ways to keep your pet safe in summer is by providing lots of cool, clean, fresh water Prepare low sodium chicken broth or yogurt ice cubes Introduce canned dog food to increase the water content in your dog’s diet
Author: N.T 11/18
Allow pets to chill indoors Supply a cooling bed or mat Give your pets access to a tiled surface indoors Ensure your pets have cool places to lay where they can avoid the sun and heat Encourage your pet to lie under a tree that provides shade An umbrella or tarp may also be used to shade them Caged birds should be kept in the shade and sprayed occasionally with a fine mist of water Beach umbrellas can be used to shade your outdoor fishponds Make certain rabbit and guinea pig hutches are in shade all day
Never leave them in a Hot Car
Heatstroke
The interior of a car can jump 20° plus in a matter of minutes when the sun is out Do not take pets with you to run errands. Leaving your pet in the car while you quickly run into the store for even 15 minutes on a hot day could turn deadly If you must take your pet with you somewhere, take them inside the store or building with you Take another person with you to stay in the car with your pet while you run errands. They can keep your pet company and pet sit right there in the car
Heatstroke is a medical emergency and requires immediate attention. Recognising the signs of heatstroke and acting immediately could save your pet’s life. Heatstroke signs include -
Excessive or exaggerated panting Weakness Drooling High fever Rapid heartbeat Unresponsive to commands and their surroundings Dark red gums Lethargy
Exercising
When it comes to walking your dog think about the heat of the footpath. Dogs’ paws can burn easily Sunrise and sunset are ideal times for a walk Try to walk on grass rather than hot concrete Always carry a water bottle to prevent your dog from dehydrating Dogs appreciate playing in water and pools. A hose is a good way to cool down your dog
Treating heatstroke Heatstroke should be treated as soon as it is identified. First action should be to cool your dog or cat and stabilise their body temperature. Move them from out of the sun and into a shaded cool area. An air conditioned area is best since it provides air circulation and lower temperatures.
Cool your dog by placing cool damp towels on their body and giving them a cool (but not ice cold) drink of water
Once they have been cooled you can then begin to place colder items like ice packs to their necks, backs, or sides and give them colder water to drink
Take your dog to the vet as soon as possible (Permanent organ damage can occur)
Summer can be a fun time for you and your pets, as long as you take steps to keep your pet cool, both indoors and outdoors. You can still go for walks with your dog, but you will need to plan when to exercise in summer. This effort is worthwhile in order to keep your pets happy and healthy.
Author: N.T 11/18
Author: NT November 2018 | Acknowledgement: World Wide Web
STINGER SEASON Watch out for jellyfish in Townsville this Christmas Marine stingers may be present in the waters of Townsville and North Queensland all year round, but the higher risk period is from October to May. A sting occurs when a jellyfish’s tentacle touches a person’s skin. Stinging cells on the tentacles (called nematocytes) shoot poison into the skin. The type of sting and how severe it is will depend on how much of the tentacle touched the skin and the species of jellyfish.
Jellyfish sting prevention
Avoid swimming in the sea when warning signs about jellyfish are displayed Avoid high risk conditions such as warm water temperature and sandy beaches with low waves Don’t touch any jellyfish in the water or the beach Wear a full-body lycra wetsuit and footwear Choose to swim inside stinger nets if possible
Irukandji Irukandji are a group of small jellyfish whose sting causes Irukandji Syndrome. They are often quite small, starting from only 1cm wide. They have small, box-shaped bodies, with a single tentacle on each corner. The body is transparent and usually impossible to see in the water. It fires its stingers into its victim. Restlessness, sweating, nausea, vomiting and severe pain affecting the limbs, back, abdomen or chest are all symptoms. These may take 20 to 40 minutes to develop, and the initial sting is often not felt. For suspected Irukandji Syndrome, irrigate the site with water and then douse with vinegar. If vinegar is not available, wash with sea water. Full recovery usually occurs within 24 to 48 hours.
Box Jellyfish Box jellyfish are found mostly in the warm waters north of the Tropic of Capricorn. Much bigger than the Irikandji, ranging from approximately 10 to 30cm tall. Stings are potentially fatal. Where the tentacles have made contact with the person’s skin, there will usually be severe pain and a red or purple whip-like lesion. Do not attempt to remove the tentacles. Do not rub the sting. Douse the tentacles with vinegar (if vinegar is not available, wash with sea water), and then call 000 for an ambulance.
Bluebottle A blue bottle can cause immediate intense pain followed by redness. Remove any remaining tentacles by washing the area with water. Soaking the affected area in hot but not scolding water (about 45 degrees) for 20 minutes should relieve the pain. Do not use vinegar. The pain usually decreases or stops after 1 to 2 hours. If pain persists, the victim should see their local doctor.
Stinger nets in Townsville The Strand (2 locations) Pallarenda Magnetic Island (Horseshoe Bay) Balgal Beach Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgements: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au
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https://www.health.qld.gov.au
COMMUNITY RELATIONS A glimpse into Workways contribution to the community Townsville, like any city, possesses a number of community groups that seek to provide aid in areas of need. Whilst these groups do a great job in what they do we’re going to look at how these groups help each other out. Workways is an employment service that aids with finding employment for the unemployed and helping them to develop skills for the workplace. Many reading will already know the fantastic and engaging online magazine written by individuals at the Workways organization. However, we will be highlighting the other group of job seekers working out of this location that is little more hands on in the community then us.
As such these job seekers often find themselves working closely alongside support and/or charity groups, working to aid the surrounding communities whilst learning skills and knowledge from their supervisors. Whilst this does not mean that they work for the community groups directly they do often fill a third party role that sees them helping those that help others. Currently, three of the projects that the group are working on are being done in cooperation with the Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Services (TAIHS) and the NOTCH community centre. The two centres are similar in that they provide services to the community around them however the two differ in specifically what they specialize in. Similar in concept to how two individuals can enrol in the same degree at an educational institute but major in separate areas. TAIHS in their own statement “aims to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to take control of their individual, family and community health, which encompasses physical, social, emotional, cultural, spiritual and economic well-being”.
Workways West end: workshop space
Located out the back of the Garbutt Workways location, individuals learn skills in woodcutting and construction. Making furniture and fixtures, these work for the dole job seekers are trained/ allowed access to operate both machinery and manual tools within a workshop environment. Fully supervised of course, these job seekers aren’t merely put through high school workshop class, rather, disposed of materials are collected and reused for the construction of products. When hearing the term “work for the dole” common knowledge envisions high visibility clothed individuals working on roadside projects or in gardens. This creates the misconception that they occupy similar roles to council workers which the similar clothing doesn’t help. Realistically, non-for-profit organisations are where dole activities are set to avoid conflicts found with employment rights. So groups such as Salvos and Workways itself are industries where dole job seekers find themselves at performing various jobs.
TAIHS makes sure that the members of their community are well off to look after themselves and in turn help other around them. The notion of helping a few in order to help many applies here as individuals in contact with this service are given a healthy environment to live and grow in alongside others in situations that would match theirs.
Notch is more commonly referred to as the North of Townsville Community Hub Inc. and more of an overarching view on welfare than TAIHS when interacting with the community. Notch functions in a similar fashion to access points to services for members of the community to utilize; essentially acting as a proxy between the indigenous community and mainstream services such as Centrelink improving ease of access for these people.
In addition to the construction of various products work on the garden beds out at the NOTCH facilities was also completed. Workways Work for the Dole incentive is designed to aid its volenteers develop themselves to be better work ready. As outlined in their website, the incentive help job seekers:
develop the skills that employers want
Where does Workways come into the picture I hear you asking? Well the job seekers out the back have been putting their learned skills to use working with the organisations to different degrees.
show they are ready to start work
meet new people and make contacts who can be a referee
The TAIHS community centre, as a part of their responsibilities, looks after youth that find themselves in need of shelter or food. The development of six wooden bed frames to be used by TAIHS to help more people was put forward. The beds, whilst basic in structure and materials, were to include a light stand and charging port built in for utility purposes.
get involved in their local community.
When talking about “skills that employers want” this is obviously subjective to the field of employment that interests job seekers. Whilst host organisations that agree to take on Dole workers are diverse in what they offer job opportunities still remain within physically intensive labour of some kind. In saying this, whilst the Work for the Dole incentive might not be on par with university qualifications the notion that job seekers are ready to start work is pretty on the mark. Being able to put your job seeker activity on your resume, listing skills and achievements done during your time in the activity, acts as a substantial step forward when an employer assesses why they should hire any particular individual.
Workways West end: Wood frame Bed construction.
The next project, being done for NOTCH, includes a stall to be used in markets frequently held by the organisation for the community. These markets are where people from the community bring fresh produce to sell offering associates of the organisation an unique opportunity to purchase food without relying on major retailers. This service also directly supports the producers in local settlements that provide the food for the markets. More stalls means an expansion of the market body in the progressive manner that it needs to support its attendants.
In addition to skills job seeker also establish connection with the people that they interact with during their time in the activity. Not just wit the employers but with the customers/ clients that come into contact with your activity. These moments of contacts act as avenues into different industries. A job seeker interacting with the community happens almost passive sense as host activities are held in conjunction with community groups. From building steps into the side of Mt Stuart to cleaning and sorting clothing at the Salvation Army there isn’t an activity that doesn’t have its job seekers right in the middle of the surrounding community with the Workways Workshop group as a prime example. A group not hosted by a community group that still puts there previous and learned experiences to use for groups such as NOTCH and TAIHS. Putting their talents to good for the betterment of the community whilst job hunting.
Images taken from: On site at Workways Garbutt. TAIHS building photo taken from https://www.deadlyvibe.com.au/2013/12/vision-for-equalityin-health-care/
Workways West end: Markets stall construction
Author: JM
11/18 | Acknowledgments: NOTCH, RAIHS and the awesome people at Workways.
WATER WISE Water Smart Package
Townsville is no stranger to water restrictions, permanent water restrictions have been implemented since 1996. The restrictions have always been a central part of the Townsville Water strategy to conserve the city’s primary water reserves of the Ross and Paluma Dams, regardless of a good or bad wet season. Currently Townsville is on a Level 2 water restriction. This means that sprinklers and irrigation can be used twice a week only, between 6pm & 8pm. Odd number houses on Wednesday & Sunday and even numbers on Tuesday & Saturday. Hand held watering can occur at any time and on any day.
families and pensioners will benefit the most.The packages are defined as: Community Entiled to Support Services, Disability or Pensioner: Households in Townsville that receive social services payments through family tax benefit A, aged pension, disability support pension and newstart allowance. These households may receive up to $500 per household. With a choice of two components: 1. Garden Support Package (no cash outlay) or 2. Water Saving Devices (cash outlay required) Wider Community: Households in Townsville, up to $300 can be received by these households. They also have a choice of two components: 1. Garden Support Package (no cash outlay) 2. Water Saving Devices (cash outlay required) Body Corporate: Medium to high density unit properties in Townsville. They may receive up to $1000 per body corporate and are limited to Water Saving Devices package only.
The City Council has recently released a registration of interest for their Water Smart Package. This is part of the council’s 3-point water security solutions. The $10 million Water Smart Package is to help the community to become more water efficient. All Townsville residents, homeowners, renters and body corporates, are welcome to register for the package.
The council has devised these packages to be accessable to all households in Townsville. Everyone will be able to make their gardens more water efficient. It’s a great opportunity to upgrade irrigation systems, install new drought resistant plants and turf. With the Water Saving Device package you can install new showerheads or purchase a new water efficient washing machine.
The Water Smart Package, which is funded from the government’s $225 million grant to improve Townsville’s water security, will start in the first quarter of 2019. The scheme has been tailored into 3 packages, with low income
For more information go to the Townsville City Council website or contact them on 13 48 10
GARDENING BASICS How to grow and look after cut flowers
Here are some flowers that last at least 7 days or longer in a vase and would look great in a garden or greenhouse. These flowers are Dianthus, Statice, Bells of Ireland and Zinnias. Dianthus
Statice Sow statice seeds directly into the garden bed in welldrained soil in full-sun. Remove weeds and work organic matter into the top 6-8 inches of soil, then level and smooth. Sow seeds evenly and thinly in rows 18 inches apart and cover with Âź inch of fine soil.
Dianthus seeds are planted about â…› inch deep and 12 to 18 inches apart. Place soil over the seeds and water daily with a light spraying water nozzle until germination. This can take 7 to 14 days. Water your Dianthus plant about once a week with about 1 inch of water. Feed the flowers about every six to eight weeks with liquid fertiliser to promote continued blooming. Sow in early spring; seeds germinate best at around 15-20 degrees celsius. Once established, the best daytime temperature is 12 to 21 degrees celsius. Pinch off old flowers as they become spent to encourage additional blooming. At the end of the flowering season, cut the stems to ground level. They need to receive at least 6 hours of sun a day. The plants need fertile, well-drained soil that is alkaline. Water them only at the base of the plant to keep the foliage dry and prevent mildew spotting. Many dianthus will keep for as llong as 2 weeks in a vase. Dianthus flowers are considered to be mildly toxic to cats and dogs.
Firm lightly and keep evenly moist and lightly sprinkle with peat moss. The seeds must be kept moist but not wet until germination occurs. Statice prefer warm weather and sandy soils, but will tolerate any well-draining soil provided it is not too rich with nutrients. They need to be planted in full sun, and need to be protected from frequent overhead watering for best success. Too much water can induce a variety of diseases. Water only during a long-term drought. In rainy places statice should be planted in covered areas.
Statice is easily wiped out by frost, so seeds need to be planted directly in the garden once the soil reaches about 18 degrees celsius. Statice seeds require only a light dusting of soil and average moisture to germinate in 14 to 30 days. Statice will last in a vase for up to two weeks. The final step in preparing the flowers for vase life is to trim the stems. Trim them while they are under water. Remove an inch in the direction of an angle. The reason flowers stems are cut is to open up the flower's pores and allow them to drink water easier. Statice are safe flowers for cats and dogs to be near. Bells of Ireland
Zinnias Plant Zinnias in spring, after the last frost has passed and the soil is warm. Plant seeds into direct warm soil and poke into the soil about one-half inch (1 cm) deep and 3 inches (8 cm apart. Zinnias seeds can withstand moderately dry soil conditions, but do better with supplemental watering. In general, zinnias typically need 1 inch of water once every five to seven days. You should check to see if they have enough moisture. Zinnias grow best on fertile, well drained soil high in organic matter. Well drained soil is important because zinnia seedlings can be prone to rotting in cool, wet soils. Apply a balanced fertilizer, such as 10-10-10 fertilizer, according to its package directions every three to four weeks during the growing season.
Bells of Ireland are a good greenery background plant. Bells of Ireland need full sun and soil with good drainage. Mix a light application of a balanced organic fertiliser into the soil prior to planting. In early summer, drench plants with a liquid fertiliser to support strong growth. Work organic matter into the top 6-8 inches of soil, then make it level and smooth. They grow best in rich loam soil. These flowers need soil that is moist at all times. They like cool weather.
Zinnias grow and flower best in full sun. They can flower in part shade, especially in warmer climates with afternoon shade, but they may be more susceptible to disease and ve fewer flowers. Zinnias are hot weather lovers and will sit and wait for the temperature to warm up before really starting to grow. Zinnias can stand a minimum daytime temperature of 15 degrees Celsius. A temperature range of 23 to 28 degrees Celsius is preferred.
To plant Bells of Ireland seeds, place them evenly on a moist paper towel, fold and place in zip-lock bag, then refrigerate for 2 weeks. Then sow in cell packs or flats, press into soil and barely cover. Needs light to germinate at 21 to 23 degrees. Germination is in 14-28 days. You can directly sow in groups of 3 seeds spaced 1 foot apart. The tiny seeds can be sown directly into the garden in spring after all danger of frost has passed. The seedlings are to be spaced 1 to 2 feet apart. Add a high nitrogen fertilizer once a month, to promote lush, healthy growth. Protect plants from high winds. Stake spike may be needed as plants can grow to 4 feet tall. They are heat tolerant, but not in climates both hot and humid. Bells of Ireland are a favourite amongst florists to use in arrangements, especially for wedding bouquets. Cats like to nibble on plants, so luckily these flowers are not toxic for them.
Before placing zinnias in a vase, trim the stems to an equal length at an angle for water absorption. Remove any excess leaves too. Only the stems should find themselves below water level. Trim the stems under water if possible. This will prevent air bubbles from entering the stems. To make zinnias last longer in the vase add flower preservative to the water. You can also add a little sugar to the water to help your blooms last longer. Add sugar to a level of 1 per cent. They should then last a week. Zinnias are not poisonous to cats or dogs.
Author: JP November 2018 | Acknowledgments: https://www.outsidepride.com/seed/flower-seed/statice/statice-purple.html https://www.almanac.com/plant/zinnias https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/dianthus/growing-dianthus
A CITIZEN’S CLIMATE CHANGE I spent a month talking to climate scientists so that you didn’t have to
Global warming, climate change, the planet literally exploding in a fiery apocalypse -- I might have exaggerated that last one somewhat but whatever you may call it, all of us have at least heard of it in one form or another. But that's the thing, even if you know next to nothing about it, you've heard of it- And that's climate change's curse: It's existence has had an immense reach within the past 10 years, however- lamentably, actual information behind the subject has not been able to keep pace with the somewhat "boogeyman"-esque reputation of it's existence in and of itself. I’ve personally been interested in climate change for years but have never delved too deep since it always got a little too complex for me anywhere past the shallow end of the spectrum. I’ve spent the past month trying my best to finally brave the deeper waters and present the average person with a good basis of facts as a solid platform to begin really understanding climate change without all the hassle of clarifying every single statement you read online due to lack of personal knowledge. But I knew from the start that I would need some sort of filter or focal point. Getting lost in the tide of factors that go into climate change is usually what overwhelms the average person. It’s not a singular event in and of itself: It’s a tightly knit interlinked system of events within the climate and within the civilizations industrial, economic and technological undertakings.
I wanted to reach out to someone, preferably multiple people, formally educated on climate change and global warming. I wanted to avoid writing from one perspective, from one or two sources. I wanted a spectrum view of climate change from varied, legitimate sources – All coalesced into a single discussion to really get to solid (at least intermediate) understanding of the truth behind our climate and what’s happening. To do that, I need something to filter the info in an easier to manage, understandeable way. And if I can keep it interesting along the way, that’s a plus. But how do you make climate change enticing to the average person? Especially the younger generation that will be affected by it the most? That’s a question the “ClimateFortnite” squad have been trying their hand at answering. Unless you’ve been living under an ever-increasinglyglobally-warmed rock for the past two years, you’ll have heard of the immensely popular video game “Fortnite”. A game based around building, shooting, explosions and the odd zombie here and there. A group of climate scientists under the banner of “ClimateFortnite” have been using the game as a platform to interact with the average non“scientisty” person. They play the game and live stream it on ‘Twitch.tv’. Here, they answer questions about climate change asked by any viewers and play the game whilst
they do so – creating an entertaining environment that at times goes a little off the rails when the in-game action gets a little intense. But it always comes back to spreading information about climate change and global warming once all antics in the game have died down. It’s a really interesting medium between education and entertainment – which explains why they’ve been featured in everything from ABC News to Wired and even TheVerge. Now I’m certainly no ABC news. But I am an avid-gamer and I’m generally interested in climate change and, oh you know, the fate of our entire planet and future children. So ClimateFortnite caught my attention. I felt like this was my answer – how I could finally get to the facts from the source, finally, climate scientists with all the diplomas, doctorates, experience and willingness to educate others that I had been looking for.
Climate change is a hotly debated topic. Sure, you have the few who discredit it's existence or more so deny it being considered an abnormality among earth's climate in the long term ("the earth has had hotter periods in the past" etc), but the vast majority of it's scepticism concerns the thousands of interlinked factors that apply to climate change. For a theoretical example of these factors we'll look at a discussion I recently had on twitch.tv with Henri Drake, the creator of ClimateFortnite (known as “ClimateScientist” ingame) A doctoral student in physical oceanography at MIT and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology / Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Joint Program. Alongside him I was lucky enough to be joined by some other guests, among them being Andrew Dessler, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University, served on the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy and Peter Griffith, the founding director of NASA’s Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems Office. There were other esteemed visitors stopping in every now and again, all with similarly badass titles that I didn’t get a chance to talk to all too much. And by "discussion" I am referring to me typing questions en masse to them whilst they did their best to answer my questions verbally. So here I am, talking with a bunch of really smart people about pretty complex stuff that on occasion veered off into algebraic equations whilst they were firing their guns at a group of other players in the game
surrounded by laughter and the occassional panicked scream as rockets flew past their digital avatars. "Excuse me, what?" I hear you say, just stick with me, we'll revisit this setup in a moment. For now, let's get to the aforementioned example. I chose this sample of the discussion since it is an extreme example of possible climate factors which during the discussion helped me understand how certain interlinked values can interact a lot better myself.
Learning from our solar twin, venus During our discussion I mentioned how overwhelming this month of learning all I could about climate change had been. Namely, I mentioned that so many, if not literally all, of the factors relevant to climate change and global warming were interlinked with one another and that every time I learned of one thing, it effected three other things in the climate that I didn't kno about yet. And upon closer inspection, all three of those things were relevant to three other factors of the environment and so on and so forth. When I said this, Henri agreed, but then quickly followed up with some insight: "One thing is that, when we talk about things being interlinked, usually we talk about it in a positive effect: One value increases and then so does another. But remember that there is negative feedback as well. One value increasing causes another to decrease which then decreases the initial increasing value, balancing it out." As confusing as that answer initially was for me, I told Henri that "I think I sort of get it." -- "So something changing in the climate isn't always the start of a cataclysmic domino effect, that's a relief." I thought to myself. Henri continued, "However, interlinked factors creating a runaway greenhouse effect are what we estimate happened on Venus at one point in it's past. Events in the planet's lifetime started a chain of events where the atmosphere heated to the point where water began to evaporate. Water itself acts as a heatsink but evaporated water is itself an even more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide." It was at this point that Henri had to turn his attention to some other questions and events happening in his game, so I will continue from his very helpful push-start. As the water on Venus disappeared, the geological evolution of the surface of Venus slowed rapidly, unable to develop plate tectonics like the Earth. Here on Earth, carbon dioxide is captive in plant life, water, minerals and the crust itself. On Venus, the majority of the carbon dioxide resides in its atmosphere. Even back when it was believed to have water, the amount of carbon dioxide in its asmosphere was already believed to be more so than earth at the time. This all eventually led to the runaway greenhouse effect that Venus has today, resulting in a temperature (about 462 degrees celsius) hotter than even Mercury, which is closer to the sun.
Now, even though this example was based on an estimation, that's not what's important. The focal point here was that of the interlinked factors. Whether Venus ever actually held water is irrelevant. Henri has effectively pointed out what makes climate change so difficult to follow and why so many educated people end up with completely different outcomes. Some things in the environment like an ice sheet melting and raising water levels affect the dispersion of heat across the ocean, since the heat has more water available as a heatsink. The heat having access to more heatsinks then lowers the temperature, which then creates more ice sheets, and thenwe're back at square one. But in that small simple cycle I've just mentioned, there's a multitude of other factors, each of which have more factors relevant to them. Thus, differing estimations and graphs are created that, whilst all being correct in terms of equations and values, differ in results due to different interlinking factor values being added, reduced or simply ignored. We've really only been recording detailed climate statistics since the 1880's, according to NASA earlier available climate data doesn’t cover enough of the planet to get an accurate reading. So, we’ve covered the fact that climate change is hard to follow. Not just due to lack of empirical evidence in terms of climate data but also due to the immense amount of interlinked factors. At the end of the day, this all leads to a major issue in terms of public misinformation or lack of interest. Educated people having differing opinions makes it very difficult for the average person to know what's up and down in terms of climate change. During the live stream another viewer made a very relevant comment that I think sums this issue up: “I think the biggest blind spot is that there are many blind spots.”
Thankfully people like Henri Drake are able to reassure the masses that it isn’t all a giant Venus-esque domino effect, but he has warned that if we don’t take action in the next century, it most definitely will have dire consequences. Is the sky falling? No – not yet anyway. It’s up to us to make an actual difference within the next one-hundred years. So, as the average person who doesn't plan on getting a PhD in anything too relevant to the climate, what can you do? Well, start by asking questions. But if that's not your thing, let someone else ask for you, I suppose. So, ask I did -- just for you, fellow citizen.
Q&A with climatefortnite When the stream initially went live there was quite a disparity in terms of educated to non-educated participants in the discussion -- the viewers hadn’t started flooding in yet (I was
quite early, to the point where I was actually sitting there waiting for them to go live), so here I was, sitting in a chatroom with half a dozen very educated individuals, all of whom were completely open to any and all questions concerning climate change. I felt like a really, really nerdy kid in a candy store (I picture it smelling like a library. Do libraries even have a unique “smell” though? Books I guess, right? You know, like-- nevermind). Straight off the bat I wanted a solution, oh how naïve I was. Q&A: Henri with input from his associate, Daniel Gilford, a postdoctoral associate at Rutgers University in Massachusetts, were the first to start vieweing and discussing the questions I posted: Q: “What are some emission-free alternatives to generating energy? I noticed a few of you have studied oceanography.” A: (Henri) “I mainly study deep ocean tides and there isn't very much energy in them. Coasts however, are perfect places for this sort of thing. Certain coasts are better than others. The system works roughly the same as wind turbines. The downside is that water is much denser and moves much slowler than air, thus generating less energy. Large maintenance costs also come into the equation. Keeping a huge metal machine maintained in the ocean poses issues with it possibly being too costly. At least for now. In the future, with technological advances it could obviously be different. You also have to keep the energy return investment in mind. How much energy does it cost to produce a certain amount of energy? Etc. The energy return investment for tidal energy seems like it would probably be quite high. It's a new resource so there isn't a lot of data to see exactly what the return investment rate is. People are working with tidal energy right now and seeing are starting to measure the rate of return.” (Dan)” It’s something we [as humans] aren’t investing in right now, so we don’t have much data to go on. Therefore, it’s not something we want to put too much dependence on until we know if it’ll actually be worth it. Once the technology is there, we’ll see.” Q: What should the world’s government be aware of the most, more so, should there be a specific focal point in terms of combatting climate change? A: (Henri) “I think the first thing we need is some form of carbon tax. Directing the market towards low carbon solutions. What we also need is a standardized price however, if one country has carbon tax and the other doesn't, importing and exporting can creates issues and loopholes." Q: “Is carbon tax realistic?” A: "I'm not sure. It sort of has to come from the public. A carbon tax in of itself may not end up being agreeable. But a carbon fee is more so."
Henri didn’t go into too much detail here since his answer was pretty self explanatory to anyone even somewhat familiar with the carbon fees being discussed quite often on
standardized carbon pricing. That should be our number one priority when talking about something like that [digram].” (Henri) “Absolutely.”
the news and any other governmental spotlights.
Q: If you had 3 minutes of global broadcasting where every screen in Time Square, Tokyo and family household linked to this stream, what message would you want to get across to the masses?
I just wanted to point out the difference between taxes, fees and even tariffs really quickly to help elaborate on his answer. A carbon tax is a tax on the carbon content of fossil fuels that aims to discourage their use and thereby reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Whereas with a fee or ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme), a fee is levied on fuels at their point of origin into the economy, such as the well, mine, or port of entry. The fee is based upon the carbon content of a given fuel. Then you have tariffs – tariffs are a bit more complicated, at least for me, but all in all, carbon tariffs are a tax on carbonintensive imports. Certain rich nations have implemented binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while poorer countries have so far resisted legal commitments. Additionally, because many of the poorer countries simply do not set a price on carbon, they can produce cheaper carbon-intensive goods. So everyone in a first world market would just begin importing it, effectively avoiding carbon fees. But with a tariff in place, those imports are taxed. Carbon imports being taxed is a perfect segue into my next question, but right before we get to that, some context: During my month of jamming as much climate change relevant knowledge into my brain as possible, I stumbled across an article by Marco Springmann, a doctoral student interested in climate change, where a tariff design, which I have now seen in a few other places, cropped up. The design describes a system of mutual benefits for a rich country and poor country in terms of carbon imports/exports.
A: (Henri) “Interesting question, haha. Jeez, this one’s hard. I’d want to say that…
…climate change is real, it’s happening right now and we’re the main cause of it.” Q: Any closing facts in general? A: (Dan) “Producing enough power is not enough. You have to be able to manage those grids effectively. In the most optimistic of views, we think we could bring emissions to 0 by 2050, and keep it like that for the rest of the century. Our average global temperature would climb by maybe 2 degrees. If we could get negative emissions by burning crops and capturing the CO2 or actively taking CO2 out of the atmosphere and pumping CO2 deep underground for the next centruy. Being a little over 2 degrees we'll still see some sea level rise and such. The costs of adapting to the changing climate wouldn't drag too bad if it played out like this. If we can't reach 0 CO2 by 2050 that's when estimations show it gets pretty bad. If we still haven't done so by 2100 that's when you get the really scary scenarios. Stopping emissions today, completely, we’ll still see sea levels rise within the next thousand years. ” (Henri) “We will definitely see some form of repercussions, hopefully minimal. But it’s important we try to minimise the repercussions as soon as possible and meet emission reduction goals every year.”
Where does Australia fit in? Since July 2012, Australia has had in place its carbon pricing scheme. It is commonly referred to as a “carbon tax”, but also as an “Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) with a fixed price”. And the plan is to move to an ETS with a floating price. You’ll have to forgive me for the quality, but the system hopefully remains evident. The poorer country exporting the carbon intensive goods pays tariffs, similair to a postage cost. The richer country is then contractually obligated to use the revenue from the tariffs to help the development of clean energy in the poorer country. I really liked the sound of this system and wanted a scholarly opinion on it. Good thing that I was surrounded by, well, scholars. Q: I stumbled across this diagram the other day and wanted your opinion/s on it. (I then linked the above image) A: (Henri) “Yeah, I like it. That could work. If governments could agree to something along these lines it would definitely be a step in the right direction.” (Dan) “Something to keep in mind is that we first need some sort of
So, which is it? We’ve already covered the difference between the taxes, fees and tariffs. So let’s take a look -- A carbon pricing scheme in Australia was introduced by the Gillard Labor Government in 2011 as the Clean Energy Act 2011 which came into effect on 1 July 2012. Okay, as good a start as any, right? Wrong, unfortunately. As a result of being in place for such a short time and because the then opposition leader Tony Abbott made it clear that he intended to repeal it, organizations took the pricing scheme with a grain of salt. Resulting in very few investments in emission reductions being made. The scheme was repealed on 17 July 2014. In its place the Abbott Government set up the Emission Reduction Fund in December 2014. The carbon price was part of a broad
energy reform package called the Clean Energy Futures Plan, which aimed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Australia by 5% below 2000 levels by 2020 and 80% below 2000 levels by 2050. The plan set out to achieve these targets by encouraging Australia's largest emitters to increase energy efficiency and invest in sustainable energy. As part of the scheme, personal income tax was reduced for those earning less than $80,000 per year and the tax-free threshold was increased from $6,000 to $18,200. So back to that “as good a start as any” outlook -- In February 2012, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Clean Energy Future carbon price scheme had not deterred new investment in the coal industry, as spending on exploration had increased by 62% in 2010-2011, more than any other mineral commodity. Being an Australian citizen myself, learning of this bothered me. Even though my time with the climate scientists had passed, I felt like this was grounds for at least one final question before I published the article. I managed to track the ClimateFortnite squad down to a public Discord (online chatroom) server of theirs. When I brough this statistic up, a familiar name showed itself to be typing a response. Good ol’ “ClimateScientist”, Henri Drake himself. “Yeah, Australia needs to sort out this whole coal issue.” He continued on and made it evident that he wasn’t too up-to-date with the happenings down under but he knew a lot of other scientists working over here who have brought Australia’s coal addiction up to him before. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report stating that coal would have to drop to within 0 and 2 per cent of existing usage by 2050 at the latest. It’s current usage is a massive factor in global warming and Australia is playing a large hand in that. But who are the IPCC? “What makes them the authority on these facts?” you might be asking yourself – a completely fair question. If you don’t know who they are then please just keep reading as usual and even if you do know who they are, feel free to refresh your memory in the following paragraph. If you’re up-to-date and confident with the information, please just skip over the following aforementioned paragraph. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is the international body for assessing the science related to climate change. The IPCC was set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). IPCC assessments are written by hundreds of leading scientists who volunteer their time and expertise as Coordinating Lead Authors and Lead Authors of the reports. They enlist hundreds of other experts as Contributing Authors to provide complementary expertise in specific areas. IPCC reports undergo multiple rounds of drafting and review to ensure they are comprehensive and objective and produced in an open and transparent way. Thousands of other experts contribute to the reports by acting as reviewers, ensuring the reports reflect the full range of views in the scientific community. Teams of Review Editors provide a thorough monitoring mechanism for making sure that review comments are addressed.
In a quote from ABC news, quoting the IPCC (which I am now quoting, ha, go figure) They mention that in a report authored by more than 90 scientists, and pulling together thousands of pieces of climate research, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said global emissions of greenhouse gas pollution must reach zero by about 2050 in order to stop global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius. At current rates, they said 1.5C would be breached as early as 2040, and 2C would be breached in the 2060s. If that happens, temperatures over many land regions would increase by double that amount. And at 2C of warming, the authors warn the world would risk hitting "tipping points", setting a course towards uncontrollable temperatures.
What can I do? Well, reading this has already given you somewhat of a headstart in terms of knowing what is happening and who is causing it. But it’s a complex issue and we all have to do our part to at least understand it. A lot of this whole mess can be attributed more so to ignorance rather than malevolance. Coal/carbon goods orientated organizations aren’t trying to ruin the world, even if they are sort of doing so. Their employees are just regular people. The issues stem from the top and the public influence the top a lot. We’re all learning. We’re working off limited data, using environmentally damaging industries from an industrial golden age that we’re only now starting to understand the consequences of – and none of it has been malicious. We’re learning. But we’re on a tight schedule, we can’t go back in time and be pro-active for the present but we can start being pro-active now for the following generations who are going to be hit with these climate issues the most. A lot of “solutions” are proposed all the time – atmospheric aerosols, tidal energy, vertical farming within ever-growing populations. Some we’ve had time discuss, other’s not so much. But they all have pros and cons. Be aware of your government and try and influence climate positive changes, it benefits us all – maybe not some of the fossil fuel industry’s big shots, but they’re too busy with they’re diamond encrusted lamborghinis and mansions made out of even more lamborghinis to notice what’s best for everyone else anyway. I have an immense amount of gratitude for the ClimateFortnite squad allowing me to bask in their scholarly radiance long enough for me to formulate an at the least (hopefully) helpful article in at least getting some facts out there more than anything, getting eyes and ears on the subject. We only have one planet, guys. And sure, I know Elon plans on launching us into space in Telsa’s to occupy mars colonies at some point, but until that happens, let’s try and make an effort.
Author: (J.V and 11/18) | Acknowledgments: ClimateFortnite, NASA, IPCC
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STABLE ON THE STRAND A very Christmas themed community spotlight
Stable on the Strand is an annual not-for-profit event held to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ; who was written to be the son of God in the Bible. Stable on the Strand is special in that it doesn’t seek to evangelize or enforce the Christian beliefs on the public but rather revels in the simple act of celebration. Even if you aren’t a member of the Christian faith the event is designed to be enjoyed by everyone with entertainment, food and even a petting zoo most years. With stalls occupying the other half of the park, the event continues the theme of celebration even for those that don’t visit Bethlehem. Where and when is it?: This event usually spans a period of five days close to Chistmas. Between the 18th and the 22nd of December the Strand park is transformed into the likeness of Bethlehem. The event itself kicks off at 5:30pm and goes until 9:30pms
Initially this event was not even Townsville based. Instead the original iteration of this event was hosted by the members of the Mount Louisa House of Prayers church congregation. The event was held in a youth centre and attracted around 120 people on its opening night. Volunteers even had their newborn baby play baby Jesus which amazed some people. This drew the attention of the Townsville City Council in 2002 where they asked the organizers to bring their event to the Strand. From there hundreds turned into thousands of attendees to the event each year. In 2015 Lachlan Crossan, who played the original baby Jesus back in 1999, commented on Stable on the Stands vision saying: “It's not to burden people with religious jargon, it's to encourage them around what can be one of the loneliest times of the year, the Christmas season, where there's families that are joyful and there's individuals that are lonely.”
Whilst Christmas is indeed a time of the year where families can gather to celebrate together and build happy memories just like it is true that there are those who can’t. For some the holiday period can be a long stretch of time to have to endure constant reminders of what their lives don’t possess or loss that they’ve suffered. Lachlan’s comment highlights the nature of Stables on the Strand and that isn’t
focused on evangelising visitors or arguing their beliefs. Rather the Stables exist for the purpose of providing five days where anyone can simply enjoy a unique atmosphere at an extremely scenic location without admission fees. Get lost in the entertainment, eat way too much food or spend time with those you love or come simply to pat animals. Stable on the Strand seeks to provide an atmosphere where visitors can take from it what they want including support for those who want it during the holiday period.
In addition to this, the stable on the Strand brings together a wide range of performance artists together on stage to display their musical talents to all visitors. Colin Buchanan, Weekend project and The Embassy are some of the names that will be attending and whilst not all of them hold name recognition in wider circles they do possess diverse musical styles that ensure an interesting concert for anyone in the area.
To this day, the event organisers of Stable on the Strand network with different community groups to raise money for the events that inhabit the night. These sponsors promote the same values as the event planners or aid in services otherwise unavailable with The Townsville City Council being the most prominent.
Regardless of your Christmas traditions or ethnic beliefs Stable on the Strand is a must visit for those who enjoy lively atmospheres and historical performances. Stable on the Strand combines the livewire energy that Townsville is known for when it comes to events with the relaxing beachside local to be enjoyed alongside the Stables.
For a full list of sponsors, and there are a number of them, helping out with the event in 2018 visit https://stableonthestrand.com.au/stab le2018-sponsors/ and check them out.
So what actually happens here? Are visitors swarmed by actors dressed in character? Is there a giant wall separating the Christian stuff with the other entertainment? Is child labour involved to make up the needed manpower to uphold such an event? Well first off no, no and sort of; in that order. It would be more accurate to state that the actors/ volunteers are the ones swarmed by the visitors as they go about their responsibilities to historical accuracy. The two areas of entertainment to be found include the Babylonian reconstruction on the eastern side of the park and a concert and food on the western side of the park. These two areas distinctly take up their sides of the park but are open to one another so that guests may simply meander around enjoying the atmosphere. And finally, whilst not slave labour in any sense of the term, children patrolling the area as roman guards is definitely both adorable as well as fun to watch.
Images taken from: Fernbach, N. and Calderwood, K. (2018). Christmas event's first baby Jesus helps out 17 years on. [online] ABC News. Available at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-22/stable-on-strandfirst-baby-still-involved-event/7047752 [Accessed 1 Nov. 2018]. Stableonthestrand.com.au. (2018). Contact Us – Stable on the Strand. [online] Available at: https://stableonthestrand.com.au/contact-us/ [Accessed 31 Oct. 2018]. https://www.lifechurchtsv.org.au https://www.houseofpraise.com.au
Author: J.m 11/118 | Acknowledgments: Stable on the Strand website
COMMUNITY SPIRIT Sometimes you just need a little help
We are known as the ‘lucky country’ and yet thousands of Australians go without food everyday. It’s an issue known as food insecurity, this means a situation exists where people lack access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food for everyday living. With the rising costs of living, such as rent, mortgages and utilities, many adults go without food so that their children can have a meal. As Christmas approaches, many are stressed about how they will put food on the table and provide gifts for their children. Thankfully there are many organisations in our community that will help you access food hampers and gifts for Christmas. For nearly 25yrs Townsville Council has been providing for the community through the Mayor’s Christmas Tree Appeal. This year alone the appeal is hoping to raise $110,000 in cash, gifts and food donations. A long time supporter of this initiative is the Townsville RSL Club. The RSL collects many of the donations that go towards the appeal. Cash and gift donations are collected all year round and the launch for collecting non-perishable food donations has started in earnest at the beginning of November. The aim is to provide over a thousand Christmas hampers for Townsville community. All money, gifts and food are distributed through Food Relief NQ, who pack and distribute (along with defence personnel) to other organisations. For more information go to www.townsville.qld.gov.au
Established in 2002 as Foodbank and with a purpose built warehouse and local business support, Foodbank was providing much needed food relief to North Queensland communities. When funding from south Queensland was cut off, a name change to Food Relief NQ occurred and a stronger focus on NQ with even more support from local bussinesses. As a non-for-profit organisation they provide affordable and necessary food products to local community groups and welfare organisations. Food Relief NQ distributes to 76 welfare agencies from Cairns to Mackay and out to Mt Isa. Local charities such as St. Vinnies, The Salvos, Community & Aged Care Services and NQ combined Women’s Services are just some of the registered welfare agencies and organisations that access FRNQ to help with food hampers and gifts for Christmas. Individuals seeking support need to contact one of these local community groups for assistance as FRNQ is a charity that supports other charities.
To help support Food Relief NQ you can visit their website www.foodreliefnq.org.au or contact them on : 07 4774 7620 FRNQ the North’s own charity
Author: LB 11/2018 Acknowledgements: Community Services
The Salvation Army has been in Townsville for many years, consistently helping families through hard times. This year will be no different, with many seeking assistance for food, gifts or just a friendly chat. The Salvation Army Northern Hub, encompasses Ayr, Charters Towers, Ingham and Townsville. For assistance you can call on 1300 371 288 between 9am – 5 pm Mon-Fri. If you wish to help those in need you can visit the salvos website www.salvationarmy.org.au and donate through their Wishes Gift Catalogue . From the catalogue you can choose from Baby’s First Christmas, Veggie Goodness and Christmas Lunch to name a few. Another iconic organisaton helping families this Christmas is St Vincent de Paul. Vinnies offer many services such as Disater Relief, Youth Homeless Support and Secondhand Stores. Another service they supply is with emergency food relief, clothing and other assistances. You can access this service by calling 1800 846 643 between 8.30am – 1pm Mon-Fri. You can also visit the Vinnies website www.vinnies.org.au for more information. As part of the St Vinnies Christmas Appeal this year, they have partnered with IGA and their Community Chest Products. If you would like to make a donation you can purchase a Christmas Bauble for $2 at the checkout until the 25th Dec 2018. Food and gifts are not the only help people may need this Christmas. FEAT (Family Emergency Accomodation Townsville)is a Townsville based community managed organisation who provide families, who are at risk or are homeless, with a range of housing and support services. The services they offer are :
Information, referral & advocacy Crisis Intervention Referral to crisis housing & shelter Emotional support Support to sustain tenancies Links to a range of broader assistance Support Services for children
FEAT are limited in what assistance they can offer, however they are sponsored by Townsville City Council, Dept. of Social Services and Dept. of Housing & Public Works, who the organisation can be an advocate for you.
ADRA (The Adventist Development and Relief Agency) is a humanitarian agency of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. In our Townsville community they help run Townsville Food Pantry. The Pantry is run by many volunteers, who help provide food assistance to those struggling to make ends meet. The Community Pantry operates between 8.30am – 10.30am on Fridays @ 127 Francis St, West End QLD 4810 Phone : 0401 945 937 You must bring your concession card for registration. The Access Van is a community outreach program, where mobile volunteers go out Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and Friday night into the Townsville community to assistance to those who are in need. For assistance you can call 0417 773 047 .
13 11 14 Sometimes all you need is someone to talk to. Lifeline and Beyond Blue are two organisations that have a crisis support service 24hrs a day every day of the year. Lifeline is a national charity who have been helping people experiencing a personal crisis by giving them access to crisis support and suicide prevention services. Lifeline is now able to provide this service through phone 13 11 14, face to face and online www.lifeline.org.au They are also currently trialing Lifeline text 0477 131 114 available 6pm-10pm Mon-Sun. Beyond Blue help many people living with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. They do this by providing information and support whatever their age and wherever they live. Beyond Blue can be accessed by phone 1300 22 4636 and online www.beyondblue.org.au through a chat forum.
1300 22 4636 Sometimes you just need a little help
For more information or to book an appointment contact the staff on 07 4772 1450 or 07 4772 2686 or visit their website: www.feat.org.au Author: LB 11/2018 Acknowledgements: Community Services
5 WAYS TO BUDGET FOR CHRISTMAS 5 ways to save money over Christmas Christmas is an expensive time of the year here are some great ways to budget. WORK OUT EXPENSES Make a list of everything that you will need for Christmas. Write them in categories, this will help with budgeting. And also help figure out what needs to be purchased but also what money can be saved. Count the number of people that you will be shopping for. And leave room for some flexibility when shopping as you may need more or less of a certain item. CUT BACK ON NON ESSENTIALS Once you now how much money needs to be saved, start saving and putting the money aside so it is not being spent. Put a certain amount of money aside a day week or fortnight so that you can get to the amount of money that is needed to purchase the items that you will need for the festive season. FIND EXTRA CASH Cutting back on non essentials may not work for everyone so there are some other creative idears that you can use to get that extra cash needed over the holidays.
Work out what items you may already have at home that are not needed that you can sell. Go through old clothes, furniture, household appliances or any other old clutter. Jump on local (Buy swap and sell sites, Ebay, Gumtree) or any other local buying site that you can sell items or even buy items needed to complete your Christmas holiday.
Get your kids to make the wrapping paper Go out and buy butchers paper and get the kids involved give them some paint, pencils, pens and other crafting material and get them to make some wrapping paper for Christmas it is a great way to save and for the kids to have a little fun over the festive season.
START COLLECTING SUPPLIES EACH WEEK Start buying items each week , slowly building towards Christmas. Check local stores for discounts and items that may have been reduced for the Christmas holidays. Buy food items weekly or even fortnightly where needed. This is also a great way to gather up items for the festive season. There are also a lot of pay per week options available that have a large variety of food, toys, and even drinks. One of the major ones Crisco also known as Castle Hampers. They have a lot of easy and affordable packages that can be chosen and purchased at a weekly rate leading up towards Christmas with on-time delivery. Check catalogs as they always have some great ideas for Christmas and you can also lay-buy items over the course of the year and have them ready for the Christmas holidays. DON’T GO CRAZY Don’t go crazy over the Christmas holidays. Try to stick to the list or budget you have created and try not to overspend. Noone wants unwanted depts after the christmas holidays. SUMMARY So there are some of the ways to save and spend over the Christmas holidays. I hope everyone has a safe and happy Christmas holiday. The idears of this article have supplied some way to ease the rush and might help with getting everything purchased over the Christmas holidays. You can then sit back and injoy the festivites over the holidays.
Track your spending There is a large variety of ways that you can track your spending.
Banking Applications.
Track my Spend Application helping keep track of money spent.
Write down what’s being Spent.
Make a list and check it twice Make a list of all items needed for Christmas.
Presents
Entertainment
Food
Drinks
ARE PETS GOOD GIFTS? Think before you give.
Thinking of gifting someone a Pet for Christmas? Gifting someone an animal for Christmas comes with a risk to both the recipient and the animal. Animals require alot of love and attention as well as proper care tothrive. People who give animals as gifts should be absolutly certain that the person receiving the animal wants that particular animal as a gift and lifelong companion and is willing and able to properly care for the animal, there is also the issue of allergies so it’s important to know if the person has any allergies before gifting a pet. Adding an animal to the family is usually a big decision for most families. It means making a permanent commitment to care for and spend time with the animal and to provide lifelong care for the animal. If you do decide to gift someone an animal for Christmas the best thing to do would be to adopt an animal froma shelter and never buy an animal from a pet store. Before adopting there are a number of things to consider includind the significant time and money involed in properly caring for the animal.. Will the person receiving the animal have the time and patience to exercise and housetrain the animal? With the cost of looking after a pet exceeding $1000 in the 1st year, you have to be sure they prepared to pay for food, accessories (such as toys, grooming supplies, leashes and bedding). Vet Bills, including
spaying or neutering, flea treatment, deworming, and emergency care. Are all major costs to consider. If you do decide to adopt an animal, go to the local animal shelter together with the family to choose the animal, having already discussed the obligations and long-term commitments involved. Never buy from breeders or pet stores, and always insure your pets are desexed and registered with your local council. For every animal purchased from a breeder or a pet shop, a potential home is taken away from a homeless dog or a cat at a local animal shelter. Another thing to consider is that Children may not be ready, Small children could unintentionaly hurt animals while they think they are just playing with them, even breaking bones or causing other sevear injuries. Puppies, Kittens and other young animals are especially vulnerable. Stories about children losing interest in a gifted pet are far too common and the parents are forced to make a decision on the best way to “solve� the problem. Often the end result of this is the animal ending up in a crowded animal shelter, pound or passing the animal onto someone else that may alos not be ready for the responsibilites of a pet. All of these outcomes can have significant impacts on the animal causing trauma, psycological issues and behavioral problems.
Other things to be wary of are Allergies, you may not be aware of allergies affecting the recepient or other family members. Some people can have seveer alergic reactions to new pets so it always pays to double check with the reciepient about allergies before even considering gifting a pet. If gifting someone a pet doesn’t seem to be the right option after taking all the information into consideration, all is not lost. There are many other ways you can share the joy of Chritsmas with animal lovers. Alternatives Gift Certificate, Instead of buying someone a cat or a dog for Christmas give him or her a gift certificate for one, from you, so that he or she can go out at a convenient time (preferably after the busy Christmas season!) and make a selection. Encourage that person to go to a local shelter or rescue to find that companion. Make a donation In their name, If someone you know loves animals but is not in a position to own a pet, make a donation to a local pet shelter or rescue in that person’s name? Shelters and rescue groups can always use financial donations, cleaning supplies, pet food, etc.
Angel-Paws Email: INFO@ANGELPAWSINC.COM.AU Phone: 0405046521 Address: Thuringowa Central Queensland Australia 4817
Buy merchandise from a pet charity, Many pet charities also sell a small range of their own personalised merchandise as well, such as stuffed toys, keyrings, mugs, jumpers and other gifts that you can buy either for yourself, or for a pet lover that you are planning to get a gift for! Symbolic Adoption, Instead of adopting a live animal there are also options to support animals by adopting an animal via a monthly subscription with organisations such as WWF. When you adopt, you will be helping to protect endangered animals. Your adoption will support essential conservation work – protecting the habitat, preserving the food and ensuring the safety of threatened species locally and globally.
Townsville City Council Animal Shelter
World Wide Fund for Nature
Townsville Foster and Rehoming Animals
www.wwf.org.au
www.townsvillerehominganimals.org
Free call: 1800 032 551
Address: Po Box 1903 Aitkenvale, QLD
Address: PO Box 528, Sydney NSW 2001
Phone: 0409 184 685
Business hours: 9am - 5.00pm Mon-Fri (Sydney time)
Email: AngelaAtkinson1@bigpond.com
Address: Tompkins Road, Shaw Phone: 0457 769 362 To meet, adopt or find out more information on an animal please contact Council on 13 48 10 or 0457 769 362.
THE GIFT OF YOU Gifts of meaning, not price tag
From store bought to homemade, gifts come in all shapes and forms. From the ever popular gift card, to the specially made or sort after liked gift of the person you are gifting to. Some gifts have a lot of thought and time put into them, while others leave a lot to be desired. We all have received the old socks and jocks, the unwanted sweaters, the not quite right movie, the oh it’s great I always wanted a gift I have no clue what this is. Well fear not, at least with this article you will not be a giver of these disasters. In this festive season it’s easy to get lost among the shop advertising and over commercialism of the “festive spirit” and over spend. Not all gifts are about spending money, with a little time and effort you can give a gift of meaning. If you are a thrifty, crafty or even inept at every kind of craft, there are still thoughtful, meaningful gifts you can give your loved ones, friends and co-workers. Below we will go through a small countdown of some of the more unusual gifts that you can give, at any time of the year. Remember you do not need a special holiday to give gifts from the heart. Coupon books: A small token of time, created to however you like, remember to add an expiry date or specific days for use though to prevent abuse of the coupons. Its your time, so choose wisely as the coupons will be anything you want to give and gift only to those you trust most. It’s recommended to stick to close family members, your partner and very close friends.
Poems from the heart: From your heart to their heart. It’s an unusual gift in this day and age, yet a timeless way of showing your affection and feelings. You can keep it simple or craft it up and frame it for display.
Movie night: No better way than spending quality time with your family together, it doesn’t just have to be a movie, or movie night. Add in dinner, or just have lots of snacks you all like. Enjoy chatting and laughing. You can do it with just your partner, or have a family night. Why not have a party movie night with all your friends and family? Have a viewing early for those with younger children, followed by another viewing for the adults. You can hold intermissions (breaks in the movies and between movies) for people to grab refreshments and use the facilities without missing out on a moment of the movie. Hold it indoors or outdoors depending on the weather. Pop some fresh popcorn, sit back and relax!
Memory jar:
Cook book/Recipe book:
Ever thought about all the good times you had over the year? Why not show it! Write each memory on a piece of paper fold and place in a jar. Simple coloured paper or cardboard is suitable for this and you can even decorate the memories with pictures or scrapbooking craft items. You can even decorate the jar. Many jars include added extras, including trinkets to trigger memories or rules on how to read the memories. Present gift wrapped or as is to your friend/ partner/ family and enjoy the walk down memory lane together.
You can make 2 types of recipe book. The first type is a joke recipe book. Good for people who are bachelor/ette, student or that really lazy friend. Gather local take-away menus from area they live in. Then decorate a ring binder, or book, and display the menus inside. A funny recipe to include on the first page:
Family tree:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Choose menu. Choose food. Phone number, order chosen food. Wait for delivery. Pay delivery person (if not already paid). Eat food.
The second type is a proper recipe book. Fill it with all the recipes you know the person will like/love, or make a proper eating for one recipes for your bachelor/ette, student or that really lazy friend. Ever had friends beg you for your dessert recipes? Make a recipe book on that and gift it. Once again though be sure to decorate and personalise the recipe book.
Why not frame and gift a family tree? Create it yourself with online templates or purchase an already done one (much cheaper to make it yourself though). Family trees can be made from a variety of materials from paper to wood, from stamps to paints, use a canvas or the back of a photo frame. The possibilities are endless. This is a fun gift to make for those who have trouble keeping track of the family birthdays or are just very forgetful. Treasure hunt:
Mix Tape: We all have our favourite songs, remember in the 80’s and 90’s how the mixtape was the ever so popular way of expressing your feelings to the girl/guy you liked? Why not do it again, there are so many media platforms you can use, records, tapes, cd’s, usb’s, memory cards. Collect and decorate to your or their liking. All of these are cheap alternatives to expensive gifts and all require a small amount of your time, some creativity (or online templates) and a minimal amount of money for the materials to create wonderful lasting memories.
What perfect way to entertain your children… or childish friends, then with a treasure hunt! This is a great way to spend time and create memories that will last a lifetime. Make your own clues or riddles, or grab them from a handy internet guide. Be sure to make them easy enough to answer for the age you are creating for, you wouldn’t hand a 4 year old a clue that only an adult could answer! Find unique places to hide the clues, such as under or inside items. You can divide presents up to the locations the clues lead to or have all the clues lead to one big pile of presents. Why not theme it up? The great present search! Santa misplaced the presents, and you have to search for them. Or keep it simple without a theme. The great idea about treasure hunts is you can use them at any time of the year, easter egg hunt, birthday hunt (pirate themed, yarr!), even make a great detective hunt! Any way you do this it’s fun, creates a lasting memory and one of the simplest gifts you can give.
Author: AD 11/18 | Acknowledgments: https://greatist.com/happiness/meaningful-gifts-on-the-cheap/
CHRISTMAS MOVIES The top ten festive season movies 1. Bad Santa (2003) A miserable conman and his partner pose as Santa and his Little Helper to rob department stores on Christmas Eve, but they run into problems when the conman befriends a troubled kid. Stars Billy Bob Thornton. Comedy.
2. Home Alone (1990) An eight-year-old must protect his house from a pair of burglars when he is accidentally left home alone by his family over the Christmas break. Stars Macauley Culkin.
3. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989) Trying to give his family the perfect Christmas, Chevy Chase suffers a series of unfortunate and hilarious setbacks.
4. Die Hard (1988) Action movie about an office Christmas party taken over by terrorists. The only man in their way is an off-duty cop, played by Bruce Willis.
5. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (1987) Stars Steve Martin and John Candy as two rivals trapped in the car on their way home for the holidays. One is a control freak and the other is his opposite whom her finds very annoying. Comedy.
6. Gremlins (1984) In this horror-comedy Christmas movie, a man buy a cute and fuzzy creature as a present for his son, but it spawns evil offspring that totally ruin Christmas Eve.
7. Home Alone 2 (1992) Macauley Culkin plays a kid who is again left behind by his family. This time he loses track of his father at the airport and ends up in New York City. He must outwit the burglars one more time, and to stop them from robbing an elderly man's toy store just before Christmas.
This year’s Christmas films:
8. Elf (2003) In this festive Christmas comedy, Will Ferrell plays Buddy, a man who was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among Santa's elves. Unable to shake the feeling that he doesn’t fit in, he goes to New York City to try find his biological father.
9. A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas (2011) Six years after their last adventure, stoner buddies Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) go on another quest after burning down the family Christmas tree, and look for a new tree to please Harold's father-in-law (Danny Trejo). Comedy.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms A young girl finds a Nutcracker doll among the family's gifts and is asked by her parents to take special care of it, and is subsequently transported to a magical world of gingerbread soldiers and an army of mice. Starring Keira Knightley. Due for release on 22 November. Rated PG.
The Grinch A computer-animated adaption of the 1957 Dr. Suess story, with Benedict Cumberbatch voicing the title role. The Grinch hatches a scheme with his trusted dog Max to ruin Christmas when the residents of Whoville plan to make their annual holiday three times bigger that year. Due for release on 29 November. Rated G and suitable for all ages.
Cinemas 10. Friday After Next (2002) Ice Cube stars in the third installment of this comedy series where someone dressed as Santa Claus breaks into his house and steals all the presents as well as his rent money. His only hope to not get evicted before Christmas is to take a job as a security guard at a local mall, where he learns some lessons about the true meaning of the holidays.
Reading Cinemas 30 Hervey Range Rd, Thuringowa Central Event Cinemas Townsville City Cnr Sturt St & Blackwood St, Townsville City BCC Cinemas Townsville Central 10 Little Fletcher St, Townsville City Warrina Cineplex 164 Dalrymple Rd, Currajong
Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgement: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christmas_films
MERRY CHRISTMAS Can I still say that?
Ah December, my favourite month. Why? It’s the start of summer, school was ending and Christmas was right around the corner. As an adult, it’s still a favourite, however I feel a certain amount of angst surrounding Christmas. Many believe that it’s overly commericialised, some hold true to its religious beliefs and now in the modern era political correctness seems to have an opinion as well. Traditionally Christmas has been a time of families gathering to share a meal, gift giving, singing carols, midnight mass and waiting for Santa to arrive. In school we gave out christmas cards to friends and teachers, wrote letters to Santa, end of year assemblies would have each class sing a carol or Christmas song and wishing everyone you saw a Merry Christmas. It has become a time when the community comes together as well. A must have for any community is a carol by candlelight night, streets are decorated with bright lights and christmas cheer, creating a festive joy through out the month. The neighbourhoods decorate the front yards with extravagant christmas lights, putting on a sideshow for all to enjoy. However with our ever expanding political correctness, shopping to the extreme and less Christmas cheer in our communties, are we endangering our tradtions and forgeting what Christmas really means to all indviduals.
IS XMAS OVERLY COMMERCIALISED Stores have been displaying xmas items since early October, these items include xmas chocolates, fruit cakes and plum puddings. Large retaill stores have started to integrate xmas decorations onto their sales floors. By the end of October we will see xmas trees, wrapping paper and those annoying repitative Christamas songs will start to flow through shopping centre speakers. Every year more and more retaillers have started the trend of introducing xmas stock earlier and earlier. Advertising for xmas presents starts to dominate our t.v screens and catalogues offer customers special sale items which may not be available in December and you don’t want to disappoint the kids. It seems that there is an increasing amount of pressure to buy the latest electrionic consumer product, whether it be the newest gaming console, smart phone or smart t.v. It makes you feel like xmas
Author: L.B 11/2018
happiness is a direct link to what you can buy and how much you spend on a person. Is this really how we want our Christmases to be perceived? That it’s all about the gifts you get and not the giving or the thought behind the gift. Every year my parents would give me and my brothers money to buy each other a gift, not a huge amount, and we would tell each other what we would like. They never listened to me and would buy me something to remember them by, rather than my own football, and I still have all the little trinkets they gave me. It’s these kind of memories of xmas gift giving that we should be passing down from generation to generation. HOW RELIGIOUS ARE WE Many of us have grown up with the knowledge that Christmas Day is when Jesus’ birthday is celebrated. For most of us nowadays, this is really one of the few times we acknowledge any real religious sentiment. Once upon time, many if not all would be attending church services every Sunday, children would attend Sunday school and you would then enjoy a morning tea with the priest and rest of the congregation. By the time christmas arrived, the whole community would come together to celebrate the birth of Christ. The Sunday school would get all the together for the Nativity play with the three wise kings, Mary and Joseph, baby Jesus and barnyard animals. Midnight mass was a dignified celebration of the arrival of the ‘new king’. Nowdays many of us no longer attend church services, Sunday school is no longer a necessity for children and a nativity play has been replaced by wooden made still life figures. Midnight mass is still a dignified celebration, just less people are in attendance. Our community today is not so much drawn together by our religious point of view but rather by the different cultures we are being exposed to, whether it be in our own home towns or social media. So how religious are we? A recent census has stated that ‘no religion’ was the most popular answer to the optional question, while ‘Christianity’ was the most common amongst the denominations. So are we any less religious or are we just more diverse in our beliefs and acceptance of other cultures. I’d like to believe that we have all grown to a point where no matter if you’re religious or not that we respect each other and would like to experience all cultures’ celebrations.
IS BEING P.C OVER THE TOP There’s much debate in recent years about what is the least offensive way we can wish everyone a ‘Merry Christmas’, what Christmas carols can children sing in schools and is it appropriate to give xmas cards depicting a religious scene to school friends. Even our public displays of decorations at christmas time have come under scrutiny. Last year, a newspaper article released, a report by the Education Department, that teachers were to warn students who receive religious education that they were not to ‘evangelise’ to students who did not. This meant these students couldn’t give Christmas cards, refer to Christmas as the birth of Jesus, nor could any student make Christmas decorations. This also follows with schools excluding any Christmas carols that relate to Jesus in any form. Rather than remove these from public education, we should be asking the students to show & tell how they celebrate christmas and what traditions do share in their families rather than excluding them. Our society is much more diverse today than it was 20 years ago. We actully celebrate or rather, embrace other cultures traditions, a few that come to mind is the Chinese New Year, the Jewish holiday Hannukkah and St. Patricks Day. We are a country that reconises many different religions and people are given choices of what they choose to believe in or not. With so many differences are we overreacting to what is deemed as offensive to others. Or are our government and media just using this as a ’political tool’. MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS MERRY CHRISTMAS For the most part, I don’t believe that Australians would want to see Christmas carols banned in schools, nor do I believe that students who receive religious education are going to ‘evangelise’ to students who do not. What I do believe is that we are all pretty open to the different cultures in our society and as most of us would be unable to travel to experience these differences, we are fortunate enough to have them in our own backyard. It also goes the other way, they’re in a new country as well and we should share our tradtions not feel like we are ashamed of them. So as I am doing my Christmas shopping this year I hope the retail staff wish me a Merry Christmas . So can I still say ‘Merry Christmas’? Yes, yes I can and will be for many more Christmases to come.
Author: L.B 11/2018
CHRISTMAS BON BONS Put your twist into Bons Bons this Christmas
The humble Christmas Bon Bon, a favourite pastime to the beginning of your Christmas meal. Crack one open and surprise! Although it can be quite disappointing with the lack of fun items inside these days. Fear not though! With the help of a handy dandy guide and a little bit of creativity or using a pre-made kit, you can custom make your own Bon Bons that will make everyone very happy. Pre-made kits are easy to source, most craft shops will start stocking them this close to Christmas, and other stores such as Target, Kmart and Big W may also have them available. Take a look around and if you cannot find a kit that suits your taste then jump online. You can find many wonderful step by step guides on creating Bon Bons. Of course you will need to source the materials yourself.
Materials: Coloured paper/gift wrap Snaps (pick them up at your local craft store) Ribbons Cardboard/ paper towel rolls Items to fill the crackers (toys, chocolates, jokes, crowns) Scissors Glue/Tape
When in doubt, or budget conscious, supplies can be found around the home. You can use toilet rolls, paper towel rolls cut in half or cardboard to form the roll of the Bon Bon. To decorate take a look around for materials like left over wrapping paper and ribbons, small trinkets or stickers. Filling up your Bon Bon is simple, just choose a small gift like a few chocolates, or a mix of items, (e.g. a small toy, game, joke, hand made crepe paper crown).
Step 1: Cut the cardboard into rolls and glue together. Step 2: Cut to size and glue the paper around the roll. Step 3: Place the snap inside and twist one end of the wrapping paper - being gentle to not rip the paper. Step 4: Tie together the end with a ribbon. Step 5: Flip over the cracker and pop the presents inside. Step 6: Twist other end and tie together with a ribbon. Author: AD11/2018 | Acknowledgments: https://www.frankie.com.au/blogs/craft/frankie-diy-christmas-bon-bons
THE ORIGIN OF GIFT GIVING Gifts are for any time of the year, not just special days! The history of gift giving can be traced back to our earliest ancestors. A long standing tradition that shows our social nature and need for companionship, through a method that can express our feelings for others. From celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, offering good luck, best wishes for getting well, showing love and affection, or just saying thanks. Gifts are given to family members, friends, those we work with and even neighbors. Historically gifts were given as symbols of a persons status, to secure a favour, show allegiance or simply give praise to the hard working of a group. Gifts of symbolic nature were and are still given today – such as a token of good luck. Today we still have a heavy culture in gift giving, for celebrations, anniversairies and special occasions. However due to the commercialism of gift giving it seems that many only give gifts on those special days.
“A gift or a present is an item given to someone without the expectation of payment or anything in return.” Giving a gift has been commercialised and limited to certain moments in our lives. However giving a gift can be done at any time by anyone for any reason. Such as the times a husband brings home a bouquet of flowers for his wife on a day which isnt his anniversairy, or a child brings home a gift they made that day for their parents. Small tokens to express their love and appreciation for each other. Deepening our relationship bonds, giving people a connection with a sense of purpose along with the feeling of satisfaction. To put it simply, giving a gift creates happiness for both people involved. Improving your state of mind through a sense of purpose, which in turn improves your overall happiness. Due to a release of endorphins, which not only benefits the giver, but the receiver. The receipient is more likely to gift to others. This improves their environments, mental happiness and deepening their current relationships. Gifts are more than just monetary spendings on shop merchandise, gifts can also be handmade. There is a lot of value placed on gifts in these modern times, it has transitioned from just a simple token to the need for the latest technology. Handmade gifts are relatively left behind,
however for those of us with budgets, handmade can be a great way to express ourselves and keep to our budget! A general tip on gifitng is to stick to a budget, especially during the major holidays of the year. It can be quite expensive and overwhelming. Giving a crafted gift is a meaningful way to show your sincerity, rather than buying something cheap, generic and liable to be in the bin by the end of the day. Crafting can be cheaper, but it can also be dearer depending upon the materials you choose to use and what tools you need. However if you set yourself up this year, then next year you can craft again for cheaper!
“Stick to a budget, do not put yourself in debt – it will only cause problems for you and the ones you love.” Crafting can also be a fun and relaxing alternative to the stress of the shops during the holiday season. Not to mention you can give gifts you have crafted all year round – the gift of giving needn’t be limited by the time of the year! Gifts should be treated as ways to show your gratitude, affection and kindness. An unconditional way of saying “I love you”, “I miss you”, “I’m sorry”. Gifts today are all about being the best of something, the most expensive and compared to each other. The thought being, the less you have spent on you, the less you are loved. This is what commercialism has created over the years. Gifts should be valued intangibly, not monetarily. We are the only ones who can change society and the way it works, if we do not start now, then commercialism will win and gifts will be nothing more than trinkets that will be used once, broken and thrown away. Gifts can be created in all shapes and sizes, let your imagination run free, or head online and find a guide to help you. Some of the best guides are just an easy google away. Look for in depth guides with step by step instructions or if you are more craft or feeling the need to wing it, look up pictures of your desired project and go with the flow. Websites like https://www.lovelyetc.com/50-awesome-diygifts-under-ten-dollars/ are brilliant for easy to craft and still cheap gifts. Here are some relatively fun, crafty options that can be personalised when crafting.
Scrapbook/handmade cards: A perfect gift and card combo for the all in one kind of person. You can craft to suit the individual’s tastes. A lot of cards can be bought in kits, with instructions, or you can choose to find and buy the materials yourself to create a unique one of a kind card.
Fridge/office magnets: Magnets are a cute way to gift something fun and quirky to anyone. Their versitilty and how creative you get can be used both in homes and workplaces. You can find a range of different ideas all over the internet. Listed below are some helpful websites. https://www.coolcrafts.com/diy-magnet-projects/ https://www.coolcrafts.com/diy-magnet-projects/
DIY for your love: For a special gift to your partner this is a simple DIY way of expressing your love, the DIY Reasons I “like/love” you cards found at http://talisha.ru/2012/01/52str/ for a full tutorial. Very simple and easy to make. Find an old deck of cards, print or write your reasons, then attach it all together! A thoughtful way to express your affection.
DIY Handmade boxes filled with treats: An easy way to impress co-workers, teachers, parents, and friends is with a homemade box filled with chocolates, snacks or trinkets that are homemade or store bought (especially if you are pressed for time, store bought is a good option, however remember to stick to budget). There are many different templates that can be found with a google search – a template for a pyramid shaped box has been supplied. Use cardboard or stiff paper, trace and cut the shape, fold, use a hold punch on top, stuff with treats and bind together with ribbon. You can choose to decorate however you please, personalise them individually or keep them all simple. These are a great way to wrap small gifts for family and friends too!
Author: (AD 11/18) | Acknowledgments: See Links in Article, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gift http://www.curioushistory.com/theorigins-and-history-of-gift-giving/
THE EVOLUTION OF ST. NICK Who is Santa Claus?
Santas Claus, Kris Kringle, Old Saint Nick. We see him on advertising posters in parades, at department stores, in supermarkets and toy stores. Who is this guy and why does he have so many aliases? The original St Nicholas lived in southwestern Turkey in the 4th century. As the bishop of Myra he was credited with performing a number of miracles involving sailors and children. After his death, this led him to become the patron saint of both groups, as well as for unmarried girls. As a saint, he was given his own “feast day” that was celebrated on December 6th. At about the same time Nicholas lived, Pope Julius 1 decided to establish a date for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. As the actual time of year for this event was unknown, the Pope decided to assign the holiday to 25th December. There had long been a pagan midwinter festival at that time of year and the Pope hoped to use the holiday to Christianise the celebrations. Eventually, Saint Nicholas's feast day also became associated with December 25th and his connection with Christmas was established. A tradition developed that he would supposedly visit homes on Christmas Eve and children would place nuts, apples, sweets and other items around the house to welcome him. However, as the reformation took hold of much of Europe, the popularity of St. Nicholas dropped in most Protestant countries, with the exception of Holland where he was referred to as "Sinter Klaas." After this tradition came to the United States, "Sinter Klass" would eventually be corrupted to "Sancte Claus." Santas’s rise to fame can be traced to two legends: the three daughters and the children at the inn.
The three daughters This first story shows his generosity. There were three unmarried girls living in Patras who came from a respectable family, but they could not get married because their father had lost all his money and had no dowries for the girls. The only thing the father could do was to sell them when they reached the age to marry. Hearing of their imminent fate, Nicholas secretly delivered a bag of gold to the eldest daughter, who was at the right age for marriage, but had despaired of ever finding a suitor. Her family was thrilled at her good fortune and she went on to become happily married.
When the next daughter came of age, Nicholas also delivered gold to her. According to the story handed down, Nicholas threw the bag through the window and it landed in the daughter’s stocking, which she had hung by the fire to dry. Another version claims that Nicholas dropped the bag of gold down the chimney. By the time the youngest daughter was old enough for marriage, the father was determined to discover his daughters’ benefactor. He thought that she too might be
given a bag of gold, so he deciced to keep watch all night. Nicholas, true to form, arrived and was seized and his identity and generosity were made known to all. As smilar stories of the bishop’s generosity spread, anyone who received an unexpected gift thanked St Nicholas. Children at the inn Another one of the many stories told about St Nicholas explains why he was made a patron saint of children. On a journey to Nicaea, he stopped on the way for the night at an inn. During the night he dreamt that a terrible crime had been committed in the building. His dream was quite horrifying: three young sons of a wealthy Asian family, on their way to study in Athens had been murdered and robbed by the innkeeper. The next morning he confronted the innkeeper and forced him to confess. Apparently, the innkeeper had previously murdered other guests and dismembered their bodies and pickled them in casks of brine. The three boys were still in casks and Nicholas made the sign of the cross over them and they were restored to life.
Perhaps nothing has fixed the image of Santa Claus so firmly in people’s minds as the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” written by Clement Moore in 1822. Moore, a professor of biblical languages at New York’s Espiscopal Theological Seminary, drew upon Pintard’s thinking about the early new Amsterdam traditions and added some elements from German and Norse legends. These stories depicted a happy little elf-like man presiding over midwinter pagan festivals. In the poem, Moore depicts the Saint as a tiny man with a sleigh drawn by eight mininature reindeer. They fly him from house to house and at each residence he comes down the chimney to fill stockings hung by the fireplace with gifts. Moore had written the poem for the enjoyment of his own family, but in 1823 it was published anonymously in the Troy Sentinel. It became very popular and has been reprinted countless times under the more familiar title “The Night Before Christmas”. As time went by, more and more was added to the Santa Claus legend. Thomas Nast, a 19th century cartoonist, did a series of drawings for Harper's Weekly. Nash's vision of Santa had him living at the North Pole. Nash also gave him a workshop for building toys and a large book filled with the names of children who had been naughty or nice.
How St. Nicholas became Santa Claus In the 16th century in northern Europe, after the reformation, the stories and traditions about St. Nicholas became less popular. But someone had to deliver presents to the children at Christmas, so in the UK, (particuarly in England), he became Father Christmas or Old Man Christmas. This resembled an old character from stories during the middle ages in the UK and parts of northern Europe. In France, he was then know as Pere Noel. In some countires, including parts of Austria and Germany, the present-giver became the Christkind, a golden hair baby with wings, who symbolises the new born baby Jesus. t's been said that Dutch settlers brought the tradition of Saint Nicholas to the North American city of New Amsterdam (later renamed "New York"). However, research shows that it seems more likely that Saint Nicholas became an American tradition during a wave of interest in Dutch customs following the Revolutionary War. John Pintard, founder of the New York Historical Society, took an especially keen interest in the legend and the Society hosted its first St. Nicholas anniversary dinner in 1810. Artist Alexander Anderson was commissioned to draw an image of the Saint for the dinner. He was still shown as a religious figure, but now he was also clearly depositing gifts in children's stockings which were hung by the fireplace to dry.
Author: TW November 2018 | Acknowledgement: World Wide Web
As many of you know, people may call Santa Claus “Kris Kringle,” a name popularized by the 1947 movie “Miracle on 34th Street”. But the origin of the name goes back much further. In the 1500s, during the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther wanted to discourage the figure of St. Nicholas (he believed praying to any saint was against Scripture). Luther and his followers introduced the idea that the “Christkind” (German for “Christ-child”) would secretly come on Christmas Eve to bring presents to all good children. Christkind was modified to Kriss Kringle in the 1840s and became a popular nickname in some countries for Santa Claus. The 19th century Santa was often shown wearing outfits of different colours: purple, green and blue in addition to red. This slowly faded out so that by the beginning of the 20th century the standard image of Santa Claus was a man in a red suit trimmed with white. The Coca-Cola company has often been cited for cementing the image of Santa with the colours red and white through a series of popular advertisements in the 1940's depicting Saint Nick enjoying their product. However, Santa was already well associated with these colours by that time. American artist Norman Rockwell had done a number of paintings with Saint Nick wearing red and white. The truth is, that by the time the Coke ads came out in the public's mind, Santa was already wearing only the modern version of his colours. This is the version that we now see today.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS What you need to know
A brief history The custom goes back to when Christmas trees were decorated with candles, which symbolized Christ being the light of the world. These were brought by Christians into their homes in early modern Germany. It wasn’t until the 20th century that Christmas trees displayed with electric lights became popular. The history goes back to when there were concerns of use of candles on Christmas trees being a fire hazard in the 1800s, which then introduced the idea of electric lights. It’s also known that the first manufactured baubles were fruit and nut shaped glass, which eventually extended to plastic light baubles, allowing cheaper manufactoring and affordability for everyone. Christmas Lights Christmas lights are a big part of the holiday season. It is fun to enjoy with friends & family. Some people display them around their yards for public views or inside their homes but the tradition comes from being displayed on christmas trees. Types of Christmas Lights: LED and Incandescent LED Projection Spotlights LED Rope Lights Icicle Lights Net Lights Author: (R.W 11/18 | Acknowledgement: world wide web
Animated and Color-Changing Lights Battery-Operated Lights Large Bulb Lights Wide Angle LED Mini Lights Mini String Lights
Incandescent lights: Often cost less than LEDs Have a warm glow LED (light-emitting diode) lights: Use less energy than incandescent bulbs Are longer lasting – some LEDs are rated up to 100,000 hours Burn at a lower temperature Come in both warm- and cool-glow varieties Here’s what you need to install christmas lights: Lights Manual instructions Ladder for safety in reaching high places Extension cords if needed Handy tools Hooks, Nails, Tape, Zip ties or anything suitable to hold the lights in place Test the lights before installing ensure they are not damaged Ensuring safety precautions
HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS TREES How did it all begin?
Before the advent of Christianity, trees and plants that remained green all year round were considered special. People would decorate their homes during this festive time, known as the Winter Solstice, with branches of fir trees, pine cones, holy and ivy. This tradtion was done to brighten their spirits during the dark winter months and to keep witches and evil spirits away. It was also a time to promote fertility and new life.
However there is also a belief that in 1533 a German by the name of Martin Luther created the custom. After seeing an array of stars on Christmas Eve, he recreated the scene for his family by standing a young fir tree in their darkened house and placing candles on its branches and a tradition was born, especially in Germany.
How did it all start with Christianity? It’s believed that in the 8th century St. Boniface (Winfrid of Crediton) chopped down a blood stained tree before a crowd of barbarians, who used the site for human sacrifices. With the tree splintering, a young fir tree is said to have grown in its place. Winfrid is quoted as saying to his audience “ This little tree, a young child in the forest, shall be your holy tree tonight “ and the fir tree became a holy symbol of life giving.
The actual first authentic documentation of a Christmas Tree was in 1605, in a manuscript by a Starsbourg merchant. In it he wrote ‘ On Christmas, they set up fir trees in the parlours of Strasbourg and hang thereon roses cut out of many coloured paper, apples, wafers, gold foil, sweets etc.’ This was especially true of the royal courts in France as decorations became more lavish than custom.
During the 1800’s German immigrants brought the custom of Christmas Trees to Britain, but this practice wasn’t readily accepted by the locals. It wasn’t until Queen Victoria, an extremely popular monarch, started celebrating Christmas with her German husband Albert. With a fir tree and presents hung by its branches, the British subjects became enarmoured with celebrating Christmas in this fashion. During this time a drawing of the royal family and their children around a Christmas tree was published in a 1848 edition of the London News, further cementing its popularity. Two years later it was circulated in America, where Christmas trees were considered a pagan ritual. This was the first image to show a decorated evergreen tree in the USA, and the Christmas tree came into vogue, starting a new tradition amongst all of the USA, not just the German immigrants. During the 1900’s the Christmas tree once again became a symbol, this time as a meaning of temporary truce. On the Western Front in December 1914 small decorated trees were used by the German soldiers to have a moment of peace for Christmas Day. Although this did not occur all along the Western Front, in some parts it was said that soldiers from both sides met in the middle of ‘No Man’s Land’ to exchange gifts. No such truces were to occur during WW2. Two years after in1947, the people of Oslo, Norway gave Britain a Christmas tree. The gift was an expression of goodwill and gratitude for Britain’s support to Norway during the war. The Norway Spruce has now be given every year since and presides in Trafalgar Square, London. Norway are not the only city to use a Christmas tree as a thank you gift. In1971 and every year since, The Province of Nova Scotia presented to the city of Boston for their assistance in the 1917 Halifax Explosion. The maritime disaster destroyed most of the city when two ships collided, one carrying explosives. The Boston Red Cross were one of the first responders to supply food, water and medical supplies, as well as relieving medical teams who had been working for two days straight. The tree is now the official Christmas tree of Boston.
By the 1930’s artificial trees came into their own. Originally made with dyed goose feathers in the 19th centuary by the Germans, a company by name the of Addis Housewares started producing the trees made from brush bristles.This British company made them on the same machines which produced toilet brushes. In 1950 Addis Housewares patented their artificial Christmas Tree. It was known as The Addis ‘Silver Pine’ Tree and was designed to have a revolving light source in its base, coloured gels allowed the light shine different shades as it revolved under the tree. In 1958 the USA started manufacting Aluminium Christmas Trees, highly popular until 1965 when ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ aired, highlighting the commericalism that Christmas had become. Today artificial Christmas trees are popular mainly due to the environment and preserving our trees. As Christmas is celebrated around the world, many countries are preparing their Christmas trees to kick off the season. No longer are trees just the standard evergreen, cities are making their trees from recycled materials, glass and lights. Every year cities are going out of their way to impress their citizens. Here are a few from past Christmases:
Stasbourg, France 2014
Martin Pl, Sydney 2017
Gorky Park, Moscow 2013
Rockerfeller Center, NYC 2015
The Christmas tree is now easily recognised as a symbol of gift giving, whether you are placing gifts under the tree or the tree itself is the gift.
WE WISH YOU…….. A Merry Christmas
HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
Have yourself a merry little Christmas Let your heart be light From now on Our troubles will be out of sight
We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year
Have yourself a merry little Christmas Make the yule- tide gay From now on your troubles will be miles away Here we are as in olden days Happy golden days of yore Faithful friends who are dear to us To gather near to us once more Through the years we all will be together If the Fates allow Hang a shining star upon th highest bough And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.
Good tidings we bring for you and your kin Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New year Oh, bring us figgy pudding Oh, bring us figgy pudding Oh, bring us figgy pudding and a cup of good cheer We won’t go until we get some We wont’ go until we get some We won’t go until we get some, so bring some out here We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas We wish you a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year
HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS
THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY
Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, Right down Santa Claus lane Vixen and Blitzen and all his reindeer Pullin’ on the reins Bells are ringin’, children singin’ All is merry and bright Hang your stockings and say your prayers ‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonight!
Come they told me Pa rum pum pum pum A new born King to see Pa rum pum pum pum
Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, Right down Santa Claus lane He’s got a bag that’s filled with toys For boys and girls again Here those sleigh bells jingle jangle, Oh what a beautiful sight So jump in bed and cover your head ‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonight! Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, Right down Santa Claus lane He doesn’t care if you’re rich or poor He loves you just the same Santa Claus knows we’re all Gods children That makes everything right So fill your hearts with Christmas cheer ‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonight! Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, Right down Santa Claus lane He’ll come around when the chimes ring out That it’s Christmas morn again Peace on earth will come to all If we just follow the light So lets give thanks to the Lord above That Santa Claus comes tonight!
Our finest gifts we bring Pa rum pum pum pum To lay before the King Pa rum pum pum pum Rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum So to honour Him Pa rum pum pum pum When we come Little baby Pa rum pum pum pum I am a poor boy too Pa rum pum pum pum I have no gift give to bring Pa rum pum pum pum That’s fit to give our King Pa rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum Shall I play for you Pa rum pum pum pum On my drum Mary nodded Pa rum pum pum pum The ox and lamb kept time Pa rum pum pum pum I played my drum for Him Pa rum pum pum pum I played my best for Him Pa rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum, Rum pum pum pum Then He smiled at me Pa rum pum pum pum Me and my drum
Author: LB 11/18
WE WISH YOU…… A Ripper Christmas!
AUSSIE JINGLE BELLS Dashing through the bush In a rusty Holden Ute Kicking up the dust Esky in the boot Kelpie by my side Singing Christmas songs It’s summer time and I am in My singlet, shorts & thongs Oh, Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Christmas in Australia On a scorching summer’s day Jingle bells, Jingle bells Christmas time is beaut Oh what fun it is to ride In a rusty Holden Ute
Engine’s getting hot Dodge the kangaroos Swaggy climbs aboard He is welcome too All the family is there Sitting by the pool Christmas day, the Aussie way By the barbecue Oh, Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way Christmas in Australia On a scorching summer’s day Jingle bells, Jingle bells Christmas time is beaut Oh what fun it is to ride In a rusty Holden Ute By Bucko & Champs
12 DAYS OF AUSSIE XMAS
SIX WHITE BOOMERS
On the first day of xmas my best mate sent to me, A koala in a gum tree,
Early on one Christmas Day, a joey kangaroo Was far from home and lost in a great big zoo Mummy, where’s my mummy, they’ve taken her away We’ll help you find your mummy son, hop on the sleigh
On the second day of xmas my best mate sent to me, 2 meat pies and a koala in a gum tree On the third day of xmas my best mate sent to me, 3 kookaburras 2 meat pies and a koala in a gum tree On the fourth day of xmas my best mate sent to me, 4 crocodiles a smilin’ 3 kookaburras, 2 meat pies And a koala in a gum tree On the fifth day of xmas my best mate sent to me, 5 sharks lurking 4 crocodiles a smilin’, 3 kookaburras , 2 meat pies And a koala in a gum tree On the sixth day of xmas my best mate sent to me, 6 kelpies playing 5 sharks lurking, 4 crocodiles a smilin’, 3 kookaburras, 2 meat pies And a koala in a gum tree On the seventh day of xmas my best mate sent to me, 7 dolphins swimming 6 kelpies playing, 5 sharks lurking,4 crocodiles a smilin’ 3 kookaburras, 2 meat pies And koala in a gum tree On the eighth day of xmas my best mate sent to me, 8 roads a winding 7 dolphins swimming, 6 kelpies playing,5 sharks lurking 4 crocodiles a smilin’, 3 kookakburras, 2 meat pies And koala in a gum tree On the ninth day of xmas my best mate sent to me, 9 opals shining 8 roads a winding, 7 dolphins swimming, 6 kelpies playing, 5 sharkks lurking, 4 crocodiles a smilin’ 3 kookaburras, 2 meat pies And a koala in gum tree On the tenth day of xmas my best mate sent to me, 10 roos a leapin’ 9 opals shining, 8 roads a winding, 7 dolpins swimming, 6 kelpies playing, 5 sharks lurking, 4 crocodiles a smilin’ 3 kookaburras, 2 meat pies And a koala in a gum tree On the eleventh day of xmas my best mate sent to me, 11 wombats napping 10 roos a leaping, 9 opals shining, 8 roads a winding, 7 dolpins swimming, 6 kelpies playing, 5 sharks lurking, 4 crocodiles a smilin’, 3 kookaburras, 2 meat pies And a koala in a gum tree On the twelfth day of xmas my best mate sent to me, 12 lizards running, 11 wombats running, 10 roos a leaping, 9 opals shining, 8 roads a winding, 7 dolpins swimming, 6 kelpies playing, 5 sharks lurking, 4 crocodiles a smilin’ 3 kookaburras, 2 meat pies And a koal in a gum tree Kellie Bright Author: LB 11/18
Up besides the bag of toys, little Joey hopped But they hadn’t gone far when Santa stopped Unharnessed all the reindeer and Joey wondered why Then he heard a far off booming in the sky CHORUS Six white boomers, snow white boomers Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun Six white boomers, snow white boomers On his Australian run Pretty soon old Santa began to feel the heat Took his fur lined boots off to cool his feet Into one popped Joey and curled up right away While those old man kangaroos kept pulling on the sleigh CHORUS Then Joey said Santa, what about the toys Aren’t you giving some to these poor suffering girls & boys They’ve all got their presents son, we were here last night This is an extra trip, It’s Joey’s special flight CHORUS Soon the sleigh was flashing past, right over Marble Bar Slow down there, he cried, it can’t be very far Hop up on my lap son, and have a look around There she is, that’s my mummy, over there, laying down CHORUS Well that’s the bestest Christmas treat that Joey ever had Curled up in his mother’s pouch feeling snug and glad The last they saw was Santa heading towards the sun The only year the boomers worked a double run CHORUS Six white boomers, snow white boomers Racing Santa Claus through the blazing sun Six white boomers, snow white boomers On his Australian run
Greg Champion & Colin Buchanan
Re
e
FIGGY PUDDING We wish you a Merry Christmas
READY IN: Prep 15mins Cook 2h 10m Ready 2h 35m SERVES: 4-6
METHOD 1.
INGREDIENTS 1 ¾ cups buttermilk 1 ½ cups dried figs 1 cup white sugar
2. 3. 4.
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon salt
5.
3 eggs 1 ½ cups breadcrumbs ½ cup butter, melted
6. 7.
150g sliced almonds
Gently heat buttermilk and figs in a saucepan over medium-low heat until figs are soften, 10-15 mins, set aside until cool Preheat oven to 175°c. Grease a pudding pan. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl Beat eggs in a large bowl with electric hand mixer on high for 1 minute. Add fig and buttermilk mixture, bread crumbs, butter, almonds, orange marmalade, orange zest and vanilla extract to the beaten eggs and mix until blended Gradually add flour mixture while gently beating into batter. Once mixed pour mixture into prepared pan. Grease a sheet of aluminum foil, use to cover pan Bake in preheated oven until firm and pulling away from sides of pan (app. 2hrs) Set aside to cool for 10mins before serving.
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
8.
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
Summary
½ teaspoon vanilla extract *custard/cream/ ice cream to serve
Author: LB 11/18) | Acknowledgments: allrecipes.com Author: LB 11/18 | Acknowledgement: http://allrecipes.com.au/
You can add lemon zest instead of orange Other dried fruits can be added also
FESTIVE BISCUITS Christmas cookies with a difference
FRUIT MINCE BISCUITS
GINGER SHORTBREAD
READY IN: 40 minutes SERVES: 80 small biscuits
READY IN: 1 hour and 20 minutes (includes chilling) SERVES: 20 - 24 cookies
INGREDIENTS
INGREDIENTS
250g (1 cup) butter
330g (1 1∕3 cups) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups white sugar
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 eggs
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3¼ cups plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup minced crystallised ginger (not in syrup)
1 teaspoon bi-carb soda 1 cup chopped walnuts 1½ cups fruit mince
METHOD 1.
Preheat oven to 180°C.
2.
Mix the the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and 2 teaspoons of water and mix. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt. Slowly add to the butter mixture and mix until the dough starts to come together. Add ginger, then put onto a surface generously dusted with flour and shape into flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 mins.
3.
Roll the dough 1cm thick and cut circles with a round cookie cutter. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges start to brown.
METHOD 1.
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease baking trays.
2.
Cream the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs and vanilla.
3.
Sift the flour, salt and bi-carb together, and add to the butter mixture. Mix until well blended. Stir in the nuts and fruit mince and mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the baking trays.
4.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until light brown.
Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgement: www.allrecipes.com.au Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgements: www.allrecipes.com.au | https://www.foodnetwork.com
SPICY GINGERBREAD PEOPLE Christmas biscuit recipe
READY IN: 30 minutes SERVES: 24
METHOD 1.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in the golden syrup and egg yolk.
2.
Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Blend into the butter mixture until smooth. Cover and chill for at least one hour.
3.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to ½ cm thickness. Cut into desired shapes with biscuit cutters. Place biscuits 5cm apart on ungreased biscuit trays.
4.
Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until firm. Remove from trays to cool on wire racks. Ice and/or decorate with M&M’s when cool.
INGREDIENTS 125g butter ½ cup (90g) brown sugar ½ cup (125g) golden syrup 1 egg yolk 2 cups (250g) plain flour, sifted ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Summary
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Preparation: Cook: Cooling: Ready in:
Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgement: www.allrecipes.com.au Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgement: www.allrecipes.com.au
15 mins 10 mins 5 mins 30 mins
CHRISTMAS COAL CANDY Know someone on Santa’s naughty list?
READY IN: 4 hrs 15 mins (includes cooling) SERVES: 10
METHOD 1.
Line a 20cm square baking pan with baking paper, leaving a 2cm overhang. Mix together the egg white, confectioners sugar and cocoa in a bowl with a fork until smooth and very thick. (The mixture should hang on the fork in a blob without falling off.) Whisk in the vanilla and vinegar. Whisk in enough food colouring (½ to 1 teaspoon) to turn the mixture a deep black colour and the brown of the cocoa is no longer visible.
2.
Combine the granulated sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan and stir until the mixture looks like wet sand. Using a wet pastry brush, wipe down the sides of the pot where any sugar has clung to the side. Cook over medium heat for 8 – 10 minutes, until the mixture registers 125˚C – 127˚C on the candy thermometer. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the black mixture, stirring vigorously until smooth. Spread in the prepared pan and let harden and cool completely (about 2 hours).
3.
Lift the candy out of the pan using the baking paper overhang as handles. Peel off the parchment and chip into small irregular-sized pieces using a chisel (or a sturdy butter knife) and rubber mallet.
INGREDIENTS 1 large egg white, at room temperature, beaten 1 ¼ cups confectioners sugar ¼ cup dark cocoa powder 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract ½ teaspoon white vinegar 3 cups granulated sugar Black gel food coloring, for tinting SPECIAL EQUIPMENT candy thermometer rubber mallet chisel, or sturdy butter knife
Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgement: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes
EGGNOG We wish you a Merry Christmas
READY IN: 30 mins + refrigeration time SERVES: 8
METHOD 1.
In a saucepan, combine milk,cream, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla pod & seeds.
2.
Bring mixture to the boil over medium heat. Once boiling, remove from heat and allow to steep.
3.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar until combined and thick ribbons form when whisk is lifted.
4.
Strain milk mixture and slowly whisk into egg and sugar mix. Combine until smooth.
5.
Refrigerate overnight or for up to 3 days.
6.
Before serving, beat egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form.
7.
Gently fold egg whites into eggnog mixture until combined.
8.
Serve and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.
INGREDIENTS 3 cups full cream milk 1 cup heavy or double cream 3 cinnamon sticks 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, extra for garnish 1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves 5 eggs, separated 2/3 cup white sugar * vanilla extract can be used instead of vanilla pod * if making an adult only version you can add ž cup of dark rum/bourbon or brandy
Author: LB 11/18) | Acknowledgments: Jamie Oliver Author: LB 11/18 | Acknowledgement: https://www.jamieoliver.com/
GLAZED HAM Christmas ham for the family
READY IN: 2 ½ hrs SERVES: 10-20 (depends on the size of ham) Honey & Clove Glaze 1 ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
Cherry Glaze 1 cup of cherry jam ½ cup golden syrup ½ teaspoon of ground allspice
5 tablespoons of pineapple juice
1 cinnamon stick
5 tablespoons of honey
20 cloves to stud ham
½ an orange juiced & zested 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
METHOD 1. 2.
Classic Marmalade Glaze 1 cup of marmalade
3.
¼ cup of honey ½ cup of orange juice
4.
Pre heat oven to 180°C, place ham in roasting pan. In small saucepan combine all ingredients, bring to the boil, reduce heat & simmer for 5-10 mins. Set aside. Bake ham in pre heated oven uncovered for 1 ½ 2hrs. Remove from oven & brush with glaze Bake for an additional 30-45mins, brushing ham with glaze every 10 mins.
20 whole cloves to stud ham Sweet Bourbon Glaze 1 ½ cups of brown sugar 1 ½ tablespoons of dry mustard 1/3 cup of bourbon 3 cups of apple cider or apple juice
* Ham can be any size * All hams must be skinned and scored (making diamond shapes) * Cloves can be studded into the diamonds * The method can be used for all glazes * Can be made a couple days in advance and served cold
Author: (LB 11/18) | Acknowledgments: Donna Hay, Allrecipes and Taste
LAMB ROAST WITH MINT SAUCE Classic Christmas dish PREPARATION TIME: 20 mins COOKING TIME: 1 hr 35 mins SERVES: 8
INGREDIENTS 2kg leg of lamb 1 bulb of garlic ½ a bunch of fresh rosemary 1.5kg potatoes 1 lemon 2 tablespoons of olive oil MINT SAUCE 1 bunch of fresh mint 1 teaspoon sugar 3 tablespoons wine vinegar Tips Try putting a few parsnips or carrots in with the roast potatoes.
METHOD 1. 2. 3.
4.
5.
6.
Remove the lamb from the fridge 1 hour before you want to cook it - let it come up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 200ÂşC and place a roasting dish for the potatoes on the bottom. Break the garlic bulb up into cloves, peel 3, leaving the rest whole. Roughly chop half the rosemary leaves. Peel and halve the potatoes. Crush the peeled garlic into a bowl, add the chopped rosemary, finely grate in the lemon zest and drizzle in the oil, then mix together. Season the lamb with sea salt and black pepper, then add the marinade and rub all over the meat. Place on the hot bars of the oven above the tray. Parboil the potatoes for 10 minutes, drain and allow
to steam dry. Gently toss the potatoes in a colander to scuff up the edges, then tip back into the pan. 7. Add the remaining rosemary sprigs and whole garlic cloves to the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with oil. Tip the potatoes into the hot tray and place back under the lamb. 8. Cook the lamb for 1 hour 15 minutes if you want it pink, or 1 hour 30 minutes if you like it more well done. 9. Meanwhile, make the mint sauce. Pick and finely chop the mint leaves, then place in a small bowl. Mix in the sugar, a good pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon of hot water and the vinegar. 10. When the lamb is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven and leave to rest for 15 minutes or so.
Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgement: https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/
ROAST CHICKEN With pistachio and cranberry stuffing
PREPARATION TIME: 20 mins COOKING TIME: 1 hr 25 mins SERVES: 8
METHOD 1.
INGREDIENTS 2 (about 1.5kg each) whole chickens 2 teaspoons olive oil
2.
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper 1 bunch fresh parsley
3.
PISTACHIO & CRANBERRY STUFFING
4.
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil 2 small brown onions, halved, finely chopped
5.
½ cup (75g) dried cranberries, finely chopped 1∕3 cup (55g) unsalted pistachio kernels, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed
6.
3 ½ cups (245g) fresh breadcrumbs 2 eggs, lightly whisked 1∕3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
7.
To make the stuffing, heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, cranberries, pistachios and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 810 minutes or until onion softens. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Place the pistachio mixture in a bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, egg and parsley and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 190˚C. Rinse chicken (inside and out) under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towel. Spoon the pistachio mixture into the chickens, and close with toothpicks. Tie the legs together with unwaxed white kitchen string. Line a large roasting pan with non-stick baking paper. Place chickens in pan and brush with oil. Season with sea salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thighs. Cover with foil and set aside for 10 minutes to rest. Place chickens on serving platters and serve with pistachio stuffing and parsley.
Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgement: https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/
BARRAMUNDI WITH BRAISED GREEN BEANS, DILL AND MINT Mouth-watering seafood dish to impress guests this Christmas
READY IN: 30 mins SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS
METHOD 1.
Preheat oven to 220°C. For braised beans, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, fennel, garlic and sauté until tender (4-5 minutes). Stir in beans, then tomato and wine, season to taste and simmer until beans are tender (5-6 minutes). Add herbs and lemon juice and keep warm.
2.
Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add fish, fry until well-browned (2-3 minutes), then turn and brown other side. Transfer to an oven tray, season to taste and roast until just cooked through (23 minutes). Meanwhile, wipe out pan with paper towels, add extra-virgin olive oil and garlic and cook over medium heat until light golden (1 minute). Add herbs and lemon rind, fry until crisp (1-2 minutes), then remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
3.
Top braised green beans with fish, herb and garlic mixture and fennel fronds and serve with lemon wedges.
1 tbsp olive oil 4 skinless barramundi fillets (200g each) 50ml extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced ½ cup each mint and dill, coarsely chopped Braised green beans 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 1 baby fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 300g green beans, trimmed and thinly sliced 400g canned chopped tomatoes 100ml dry white wine ¼ cup each dill and flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgements: https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipes
GARLIC AND HERB PORK ROAST Super simple one pot garlic and herb pork roast
READY IN: 1 hour 10 minutes SERVES: 8 People INGREDIENTS 1 pork loin trussed, 5-6 pounds 1 cup white wine 3 rosemary sprigs pinch of red pepper flakes 5 cloves of garlic 1/4 cup of olive oil 8-10 small red or white potatoes skin on and washed salt and pepper to taste
METHOD 1. Whip up the marinade of white wine, olive oil, garlic, red chili flakes, rosemary, salt and pepper. Use a blender or food processor as it makes it way easier. Taste the marinade, make sure it tastes good and seasoned. 2. Spray your pan down with olive oil or pan spray. Cut your potatoes in quarters and place them cut side face down on the pan on the edges of the pan. Place the pork right in the middle of them. Season the pork with salt and pepper. 3. Pour marinade all over your pork roast and let it drip down on the taters. 4. Let that marinade for at least 30 minutes and up to over night. 5. Preheat oven to 200°C and let it cook for about 30-40 minutes or until your internal temperature is at 145. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
RW 11/18 http://girlandthekitchen.com/garlic-and-herb-pork-roast-a-one-pot-recipe/ Author: (R.W11/18 | Acknowledgments: girlandthekitchen.com
BBQ PRAWN & MANGO LETTUCE CUPS Recipe for a healthy seafood Christmas dish
READY IN: 25 mins
METHOD
SERVES: 8
1.
Place mango, chilli, onion, lime rind and juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Cover and set aside.
INGREDIENTS
2.
Place prawns, oil, garlic and paprika in a glass or ceramic bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Marinate the prawns up to 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
3.
Heat a barbecue chargrill or hotplate on high. Barbecue prawns, turning, for 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly charred and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
4.
Place a prawn on each lettuce leaf. Top with mango mixture. Transfer to a platter. Serve immediately.
2 small ripe mangoes, finely chopped 1 long red chilli, seeded, finely chopped 1 green onion, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon lime rind, finely grated 2 teaspoons lime juice 24 large green king prawns, peeled, de-veined 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed ½ teaspoon smoked paprika 24 small gem lettuce leaves
NUTRITION (per serve)
ENERGY 501 kj FAT (TOTAL) 5.1g SATURATED FAT 0.7g FIBRE 1.3g PROTEIN 12.5g CHOLESTEROL 85mg SODIUM 258mg CARBS (TOTAL)5.3g
Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgement: https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/collections/christmas-seafood-recipes
MORETON BAY BUG CURRY WITH MANGO Stunning seafood curry, perfect for an alternative Christmas lunch
READY IN: 30 mins SERVES: 6
METHOD
INGREDIENTS
1.
For curry paste, pound ingredients in batches with a pinch of salt with a large mortar and pestle to a smooth paste (this can also be done in a food processer with a little oil).
2.
Place the bugs shell-side down and, while holding with a tea towel, insert a knife into the middle of the bug, then cut downwards and along the length of the bug, pressing firmly to crack through the shell. Turn and repeat on the other side to split the bugs entirely. Remove meat and refrigerate wrapped in plastic wrap in an airtight container until needed (bugs will keep for up to 3 days; the shells can be used in a stock).
3.
Heat coconut oil in a very large saucepan over high heat, then add curry paste and stir until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add coconut milk and bring to a simmer, then season with fish sauce. Add bug meat and cook, stirring occasionally, until flesh turns opaque (24 minutes). Stir in mango and lime leaves and season with lime. Top with coriander and Thai basil and serve with lime wedges.
10-12 Moreton Bay bugs 1 tbsp coconut oil 1.6 litres coconut milk 2 slightly underripe mangoes, coarsely chopped 6 makrut (kaffir) lime leaves, torn Curry paste 30 dried long red chillies, soaked in cold water for at least 4 hours or overnight, then drained and coarsely chopped 6 red shallots, coarsely chopped 30g galangal, coarsely chopped 15g fresh turmeric, or 1 tsp ground turmeric 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 lemongrass stalks (white part), coarsely chopped 3 tsp roasted shrimp paste 6 coriander roots, scraped
Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgement: https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipes
PRAWN, MANGO & AVOCADO SALAD Recipe for the perfect Aussie Christmas
READY IN: 25 minutes preparation SERVES: 4 INGREDIENTS
METHOD 1.
Peel, de-vein and roughly chop half the prawns. Place in a bowl with mango and avocado.
2.
Grate the zest of half a lime, and then juice both limes. Place the lime zest and juice in a small bowl with the coriander, chilli, honey and oil. Whisk to combine and season well. Pour over prawn mixture and toss to combine.
3.
Divide lettuce among plates, fill with the salad and serve with the remaining prawn and lime.
400g cooked tiger prawns 2 mangos, cut into 2cm cubes 2 avocados, cut into 2cm cubes 2 limes, plus lime wedges to serve 1∕3 cup finely chopped coriander leaves 1 long red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1 butter lettuce, leaves separated
Author: Author: CB CB November November 2018 2018 | | Acknowledgement: Acknowledgement: https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/ https://www.taste.com.au/recipes
CRUNCHY CARROT CAESAR SALAD Side dish for Christmas
READY IN: 30 mins SERVES: 4-6 INGREDIENTS
METHOD 1.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place baguette on tray and drizzle with oil. Rub cut side of halved garlic over bread. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crisp and golden. Set aside to cool.
2.
Place chopped garlic, yoghurt, anchovy, mayonnaise, lemon juice and parmesan in a bowl. Season, and stir to combine.
3.
Place carrot in a bowl of iced water to crisp up.
4.
Place ham in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Cook, turning once, for 3-4 minutes until caramelised.
5.
Drain carrot and pat dry. Arrange ham, carrot and baguette on a platter. Scatter with sunflower seeds, carrot tops and basil. Drizzle with dressing to serve.
8 thin baguette slices 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, 1 halved, 1 finely chopped 1/3 cup (95g) thick Greek-style yoghurt 3 anchovy fillets in oil, drained, finely chopped 1/3 cup (100g) whole-egg mayonnaise Juice of 1 lemon 1/4 cup (20g) finely grated parmesan 2 bunches mixed heirloom carrots, thinly sliced lengthways on a mandoline, tops reserved and washed 2 carrots, thinly sliced into rounds 200g leftover sliced Christmas ham, torn 1/4 cup (40g) sunflower seeds, toasted basil, to serve
* ham can be excluded * a mandolin is unnecessary for thin slices
Author: (L.B 11/18) | Acknowledgments: delicious.com.au Author: (L.B 11/18) | Acknowledgments: delicious.com.au
CREAMED SPINACH Serve this simple side dish with your Christmas meal
PREPARATION: 10 mins COOKING: 6 mins SERVES: 6-8
METHOD 1.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
2.
Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook, stirring, until the mixture lightens, for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat; whisk in the milk, 2 teaspoons salt and the nutmeg. Return to medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking. Remove from the heat again; stir to cool slightly.
3.
Heat a deep skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and 1 teaspoon salt; cover and cook for about 3 minutes. Toss with tongs, then continue to wilt, uncovered, for about 2 more minutes. Drain and cool slightly, then squeeze the spinach until dry. Coarsely chop.
4.
Gently reheat the sauce, then whisk in the whole egg and yolks; cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the spinach; heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
INGREDIENTS 3 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ cup all-purpose flour 2 ½ cups full cream milk, at room temperature ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 900g spinach, tough stems removed 1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks Salt Freshly ground pepper Tips You can add ½ cup of cheese and 4 rashers of bacon if you want.
Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgement: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes
CHRISTMAS SALAD Side dish for Christmas
READY IN: 20 mins SERVES: 4 -6 INGREDIENTS
METHOD
1.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Spread walnuts on a baking tray.
2.
Toast in preheated oven until walnuts start to turn golden brown and become fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool, about 5 minutes.
3.
Toss toasted walnuts, strawberries, iceberg lettuce, baby spinach, feta cheese, red onion and black pepper together in a large bowl.
1 1/2 cups walnuts pieces 350g strawberries, quartered 300g iceberg lettuce, sliced 150g baby spinach leaves 120g feta cheese, crumbled 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings freshly ground black pepper to taste
* Instead of using strawberries you can use: Oranges, watermelon, rockmelon, beetroot or pears. * Walnuts can be replaced with pinenuts. * You could also use a marinated feta
Author: (L.B and 11/18) | Acknowledgments: allrecipes.com.au
FESTIVE COLESLAW Side dish for Christmas
READY IN: 30 mins SERVES: 8
METHOD 1.
Place cranberries and orange juice in a bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes.
2.
Meanwhile, place cabbage, carrot, celery, apple, onion, parsley and pecans in a bowl.
3.
Whisk vinegar, maple syrup, oil and mustard in a jug. Season with salt and pepper. Add cranberry mixture. Mix well. Pour over salad. Toss well to combine. Set aside for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally.
4.
Just before serving, add beetroot to salad. Toss until just combined. Serve immediately.
INGREDIENTS ½ cup dried cranberries 1∕3 cup orange juice 150g green cabbage, shredded 1 large carrot, cut into long matchsticks 1 large celery stalk, trimmed, cut into long matchsticks 1 granny smith apple, cored, cut into long matchsticks 1 green onion, cut into long matchsticks ¾ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
NUTRITION (per serve)
¾ cup pecans, toasted, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons maple syrup 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard 1 large beetroot, peeled, cut into long matchsticks
Author: CB November 2018| Acknowledgement: https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/
ENERGY 803 kj FAT (TOTAL) 12.3g SATURATED FAT 1.2g FIBRE 4.4g PROTEIN 2.3g SODIUM 91mg CARBS (TOTAL)16.6g
HAPPY HOLIDAYS Festive Cocktails
CITRUS & SPICE Serves 1
CELEBRATE THE FESTIVE SEASON WITH A GREAT SELECTION OF SUMMER COCKTAILS.
Pour 30ml Scotch over ice in a short glass. Top with soda water drop in a cinnamon stick and stir Garnish with an orange wedge.
CLASSIC PIMM’S Serves 4 Fill a jug with ice. Add 1sliced orange, ½ sliced cucumber, 5 sliced strawberries and ½ a bunch of mint leaves. Add 180ml Pimm’s and top with equal parts dry ginger ale And lemonade. Stir gently,
OFF THE GRID Serves 1
THE ROYAL Serves 1 Combine 50ml Pimm’s with 2 lemon wedges, 4 mint sprigs and 5 blueberries in a short glass And stir. Top with Lemon, lime & bitters and add Ice. Garnish with extra lemon wedge & mint *Pimm’s is a gin based liqueur infused with herbs
Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon Into a tall glass, add 30ml Scotch, 2 tsp of honey and stir until honey dissolved Garnish with a lemon wedge
CHIVAS COOLER Serves 1 Add 30ml Scotch, 1 wedge of lime over ice, top with ginger ale Garnish with an extra wedge of lime
Author: LB 11/2018 Acknowledgement: Woolworths Fresh
HAPPY HOLIDAYS Festive Christmas Punch for Kids & Adults
SANTA CLAUS PUNCH Serves 10+ You will need 250g of strawberries,125g of raspberries 150g of bluberries, 2 kiwi fruit, 1lt cranberry & raspberry Juice, 1lt lemonade and 500ml pineapple juice, 1/2bunch of mint. The night before, use half of the strawberries/raspberries/blueberries & kiwi fruit (berries need to be halved & kiwi fruit chopped) divide evenly amongst ice cube trays, top with water and freeze. Combine in a large jug or punch bowl remaining strawberries/raspberries/blueberries (halved) and kiwi friut (chopped), add mint leaves slightly crushed. Add fruit ice cubes. Add lemonade, cranberry & raspberry juice and pineapple juice. Stir gently and serve * To make it adult only add 375ml of vodka or replace lemonade with 750ml bottle of champagne.
SUMMER PUNCH Serves10+
250g of strawberries, 2 x 440g tins of tropical fruit salad, 1 bunch of mint, 2lt tropical fuit juice, 2.5lt of dry ginger ale, 2lt of orange juice, 1lt of apricot juice. Cut strawberries into quarters and finely slice ½ the bunch of mint. In a large bowl add strawberries, mint and the tins of tropical fuit salad and mix together. Pour in tropical fruit juice, dry ginger ale, orange juice, and apricot juice. Gently stir, add left over mint leaves and ice to serve. To make a ctirus punch replace apricot juice with 500ml lemon & lime juice cordial and 500ml of water. Replace strawberries with slices of 1 orange, 1 lemon & 2 limes.
* To make it adult only add 500ml of white rum or 500ml of vodka or replace apricot juice with 2 x 750ml bottle of Strawberry Champagne.
Author: LB 11/2018 Acknowledgements: allrecipes.com & taste.com
THE BONUS DAY Serves 1
FROSĔ Serves 8 Combine 250g of strawberries, 1 tbs lemon juice & 2 tbs sugar, sit for 10 mins In a blender add 375ml of rosè and 4 cups of ice Add strawberry mixture & blend Spoon into glasses and top with Remaining rosè, garnish with mint
Combine 30ml of Dry Gin and 2 wedges of squeezed grapefruit in a tall glass, add ice and top with tonic water, Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
BERRY & BOTANICAL Serves 1 Combine 30ml of Dry Gin, ½ tsp honey and the juice of ¼ lemon in a short glass. Stir unitl honey dissolves, add ice and top with raspberry tonic water. Garnish with cracked black pepper & raspberries.
ESPRESSO MARTINI Serves 1 Stir 2tbs of brown sugar & ¼ cup of espresso to dissolve. Place in shaker with ¼ cup of vodka, 1 tbs coffee liqueur & ice Shake and strain into glass, float 2 tbs of cream on top. TROPICAL COCKTAIL Serves 8
CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL Serves 8 Place juice of 1 orange, 1 lemon and ½ cup caster sugar in a large bowl and stir until well combined. Stand for 20mins or until sugar dissolves. Trim ½ fresh watermelon cut into thin wedges, refrigerate until required. Add 3 cups of chilled Watermelon water, 1 cup of chilled cranberry juice, ½ cup of Malibu and 1 bunch of mint leaves, add orange/lemon mixture and stir. Pour into 2 tall jugs with ice, top each mixture with soda water and stir. Place watermelon wedges into short glasses and fill with cocktail. ENGLISH MULE Serves 1 Combine 50ml Gin with 25ml of lime juice in a shaker, the pour into a glass Top with ginger beer Add crushed ice, lime wedges and a sprig of mint.
Trim ½ fresh pineapple, cut into thin wedges place into fridge. Add 1 cup of water, ½ cup caster sugar, 4 kaffir lime leaves & 4 thin slices of ginger into a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, stand for 20 mins to infuse flavours. Strain sugar mixture, place in fridge until required. Combine 3 cups of coconut water, 2 cups of pineapple juice, juice of 2 limes ½ cup Malibu, 2 limes leaves scrunched and stir. Add sugar mixture and 4 pineapple wedges, pour Into a jug with ice, top with soda water. Place A pineapple wedge into glasses, pour drink mix and garnish with lime wedge. TROPICAL ESCAPE Serves 1 Combine 50ml vodka and 20ml of lime juice in a shaker. Shake then strain into a short glass top with tropical flavoured soda. Add crushed ice and garnish with lime wedges.
CHAMPAGNE CHERRY MIMOSA Serves 8
PINEAPPLE & WHITE RUM SODAS Serves 8
In a small saucepan combine 2 ½ cup orange juice, 2 peels of orange & ¼ cup caster sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat & add 100g cherries (pitted), 2 tbs of orange liqueur Allow to cool & infuse flavours (app 20 mins) Strain mixture, divide evenly to 8 glasses Top each glass with sparkling white wine. Garnish with cherries.
Combine 1 cup caster sugar, ¾ cup water 2 lemon grass stems(sliced) & 6 limes leaves chopped in a saucepan over medium heat stir until sugar dissolves, simmer for 2mins and infuse for 20 mins. In a blender add 1 small fresh pineapple(chopped), 1 cup white rum, 750ml mineral water, sugar mixture & blend. Strain mixture into a large jug, add 750ml of sparkling mineral water. Serve over ice and mint & pineapple to garnish.
Author: LB 11/2018 Acknowledgement: Woolworths Fresh
Rl
TIPS & TRICKS Scrub, scrub, scrub……… 1) Make your own facial scrub by adding a teaspoon of caster sugar to your normal cleanser. Then massage it into your face. 2) Remove tea and coffee stain from cups by sprinkling bicarbonate of soda over the stained area. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then scrub with a wet scourer they’ll look brand new. 3) For an easy way to clean the shower tiles wipe them over with an exfoliating glove. 4) To smooth rough hands after gardening, wet with warm water, sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice, and rub together. Then rinse with warm water, dry, and rub with moisturiser. 5) When buying new kitchen utensits, choose different colours. This makes it much easier to find what I’m looking for in my utensil drawer. 6) When travelling, store hair elastics and pins in a soap container. It’s perfect for keeping them all together. 7) When opening ring pull cans, use a five-cent piece it fits perfectly and will stop your nails from breaking. 8) Store your feather duster in a cardboard cling-wrap roll-it keeps the duster tidy and keeps the dust down in the cupboard. 9) When you finally find a produce you’ve been looking for ,write on the label where you bought it. This will save you plenty of time when it runs out.
12) A cheap, effective and nourishing make-up remover is coconut oil. Just rub it all over your face and use a towel to remove the remaining make-up. 13) If your house is looking messy and you need to get it clean and tidy in a short time, just stack things up! Stacking things neatly will always make the place appear clearer than it is. 14) Use toilet bleach gel to clean your grout. Just pour it on the grout and leave it for 15 minutes. Scrub with a toothbrush and let it sit for five more minutes. Mop the floor with hot water. It will look good as new. 15) Keep string shopping bags hanging on the kitchen doorknob for your dirty tea towels. When the time comes to clean up, just put everything together into the washing machine. 16) When you’ve finished with your cake tins and muffin trays, wash them immediately and return to the warm, turned-off oven. It will dry them thoroughly to prevent rust and other marks. 17) An easy fix for unclogging a drain is to mix together one cup of baking soda and half a cup of vinegar. Pour it down the drain and then cover up the plug with a plate for half an hour. When the time is up, turn on the hot water and problem solved. 18) Adding eucalyptus oil to a clothing wash gives a beautiful smell and freshness to the clothes, while also lowering the risk of moths and silverfish.
10) You can make the perfect shade of nail polish to match your outfit and make-up. Just mix a pinch of eye shadow into some base coat. Paint on a few coat and you’re good to go.
19) If you get candle wax on your tiled floor, put a few sheets of paper towel over the top and iron the paper towel with a medium –hot iron. The wax will melt into the towel – problem solved.
11) Can’t get a stinky smell out of your kitchen bin? Add 2 drops of tea tree oil and two drops of lemon essential oils to a cotton ball and pop it in the bottom for a sweet smelling bin.
20) To clean up and remove tarish on pewter or silverware, soak it in warm water with a dew dropsof dish soap, then rub it with outer cabbage leaves. Buff it with soft cotton cloth to make it shine.
Author SD November 2018 Acknowledgement Take 5 Magazines
JOKES CORNER Festive Season Funnies Q) What’s Santa Claus’s wife called?
Q) Why does Santa have 3 gardens?
A) Mary Christmas.
A) So he can ho-ho-ho.
Q)Where does Santa go on holidays?
Q) Why was Santa’s little helper depressed?
A) Ho Ho Hobart.
A) Because he had low elf esteem.
Q) What did Adam say on the day before Christmas?
Q) What do you call an elf who sings?
A) It’s Christmas, Eve.
A) A Wrapper.
Q) What do you get when you cross Santa with a tiger?
Q) What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
A) Santa Claws.
A) Frostbite. Q) What do snowmen eat for breakfast? A) Ice Crispies. Q) How much did Santa pay for his sleigh? A) Nothing it was on the house.
Q) What’s red, white and black, and taps on the window? A) Santa Claus in the microwave. Q) What is rude and only comes at Christmas? A) Rude-olf. Q) What’s Santa’s favourite vegetable? A) Holly-flower. Q) What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus?
Q) What’s red and white and gives presents to good little fish on Christmas?
A) Claustrophobic.
A) Sandy Claws. Q) What do you get when you cross an archer with a gift – wrapper? A) Ribbon Hood. Q) What do you get when you combine a Christmas tree with an iPad? A) A pineapple. Q) What do you get if you cross mistletoe and a duck? A) A Christmas Quacker.
Author: SD 11/2018 Acknowledgement: Jokes by Andy Jones
NEW COMPUTER TECH New mini computer tech
SOME OF THE BEST AND NEWEST SINGLE BOARD COMPUTERS There are a many single board computers hitting our markets in 2018. Some of which are well-known and some of which are fairly new and unknown to the general public. Most are capable of running Linux/Windows and are great for people who want a computer experience that is cost efficient and portable and that has a large variety of software and hardware that can be installed and added to the board. They can be used as desktop or can be customised to be used as a handheld.
ASUS TINKER BOARD S
CPU - Rockchip RK3288 (4x cortex a17-1.8ghz) GPU - Mali-T760 Memory - 2gb Storage - 16/128gb
ODROID XU4
ROCK 64 MEDIA BOARD
CPU - Rockchip RK3328 (4x cortex - a53 - 1.5ghz) GPU - Mali 450 - Mp2 Memory - 1/4gb Storage - 16/128gb
ARDUINO MEGA 2560
CPU - Atmega2560 GPU - N/A Memory - 256kb flash rom Storage - 16gb
BANANA PI M64
CPU - Allwiner a64 (4x cortex a53 - 1.2ghz) GPU - Mali - 400 - mp2 Memory - 2/8gb Storage 16/256gb
CPU - Samsung Exynos 5422(4x cortex a15 - 2.0ghz 4x cortex a7 -1.4ghz) GPU - Mali T620 - MP6 Memory - 2gb Storage - 16/64gb
Author: (P.G November 2018) | Acknowledgments: www.britannica.com - https://all3dp.com /Future tech
HUAWEI HIKEY 960 ORANGE PI+ 2
CPU - Kirin 960 (4x 2.3ghz arm a73 (cores 4x arm a53 1.8ghz cores) GPU - Arm Mali g71 mp8 Memory - 3gb Storage 16/128gb
LE POTATO
CPU - Amlogic s905x(4x cortex - a53 - 2.0ghz) GPU - Mali 450 mp2 Memory - 1/2gb Storage 8/64gb
LATTE PANDA
CPU - Intel cherry trail z8350 quad core -1.8ghz GPU - Intel hd graphics 200/500mhz Memory - 2gb Storage - 16/256gb
NANO PC - T3+
CPU - Samsung s5p6818 (8x cortex a53 - 400/1.4ghz) GPU - Mali 400 mp Memory - 2gb Storage - 16/256gb
CPU - Allwiner h3 (4x cortex a7 -1.6ghz) GPU - Mali 400 mp2 Memory - 2gb Storage - 8/128gb
PINE A64 –LTS
CPU - Allwinner r18 (4x cortex - a53 cores 1.2ghz) GPU - Mali 400 mp2 Memory - 2gb Storage - 16/128gb
RASPBERRY PI ZERO W
CPU - Broadcom bcm2835 -1ghz single core GPU - Video core 5 dualcore Memory - 512mb Storage -16/128gb
RASPBERRY PI 2
CPU - Arm cortex a7 quad core - 900mhz GPU - Broadcom video core 5 - 200mhz Memory - 1gb Storage - 16/128gb
RASPBERRY PI 3B+
CPU - Arm cortex a53 1.4ghz GPU - broadcom video core 5 3D Memory - 1/2gb Storage – 16/500gb
WEBSITES https://all3dp.com/1/single-board-computer-raspberry-pialternative/#lattepanda www.ebay.com.au https://www.amazon.com.au/
TOWNSVILLE QUIZICALLY A quiz break from your regularly scheduled magazine reading
Here are some questions that bring to light the more quizical nature of our good city.
1. Who are the original landowners of the Townsville area
The Bindal People
The Wulgurukaba People
The Turrbal People
The Sauk People
Did you know? The Strand posseses a number of art pieces spread along its length such as the silver coconuts near the rockpool. These pieces were bought by the council off of the creators over the years following art expositions that are held on the Strand.
2. How many meters short is Castle hill from being qualified as a mountain?
20 meters
8 meters
Not even close
5. Between Castletown, Willows shopping centre and Stocklands which possess the most stores
50 meters
Willows
Stocklands
Castletown
3. Stable on the Strand is an event in which historical biblical town is re-created at the Strand?
Jerusalem
6. True or False: Crocodile Creek is a rural locality located approximately 20 kilometres South-East of Townsville where people can enjoy the scenery and water holes.
Bethlehem
True
Thebes
False
Gamora
qu
7. What year did The Cowboys (the local NRL football team) most recently win the finals?
4. How many P's in a pint?
2014
-See answers at the end
2017
2016
2015
8. The Grand Chancellor is a four star establishment located in the heart of the Central Business District. What is it alternatively known as by the locals.
13. What tradition has people traversing the town around the Christmas period?
The Sun Hotel
Santa parades
The Sugar Shaker
National Blackout day
The Green Plate
Christmas light viewing
The Ville
The never-ending need for more presents to give
Note: This one has two valid answers but only one correct one.
17
18
41
9
How many did you get correct? Remember to high five/ fist bump/ slap playfully on the arm the person next to you if you got them all. Heck, do it even if you get half correct. This concludes our irregularly scheduled Zine break, enjoy the rest of the magazine; especially the next article, that one’s got some good stuff in it.
Q13: Christmas light viewing (although the present shopping was close)
9. Townsville Possess a number of Secondary education facilities. How many of these schools exist in Townsville?
Q12: Pub crawl Q11: Stables were first held at the a church in 1999 before relocating to the strand three years later.
10. What of these is the oldest
Tobruk memorial pools (Strand)
Queesnland Rail travel
Q10: Harvey range Tearooms (built in 1865)
James Cook University
Q9: 17
Harvey's Range Tearooms
Q8: The Sugar Shaker Q7: 2015 Q6: False, this description is for Alligator creek Q4: There’s only one P in the word Pint
11. What year did Stable on the Strand begin in Townsville?
Q5: Stocklands at over 200 stores
Surprise Christmas Bonus Round
1999
2005
2002
Q2: 8 meters
2010
Q1: Bindal and Walgurukaba people
Q3: Bethlehem
12. On the 15th of December Crowds of Santas will embark on what venture in Townsville
Conga line
Marching Band
Pub Crawl
A Civil Revolt against the local governing body
Author: JM, 11/18 | Acknowledgments: www.letibefood.com/ North Queensland Cowboys
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY Making healthy food choices
What are healthy foods? Healthy foods are foods that are alkaline which are live, raw, elctric, organic, whole foods, plant based naturally grown straight from the earth, they are unprocessd foods, untouched by man, nothing added to them. Fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, plants and herbs.
Herbs have been known to cure deadly diseases such as cancers, HIV, AIDS, diabetes, lupus, epilepsy, blindness and more by cleansing all the plaque from the system, removing inflammation, detoxifying the body to rid of all toxins using alkaline foods/herbs that are whole plant based and
Do you get pains regularly ? Headaches? Bloating? Lack of energy a lot of the time? Poor concentration? Have sickness, any type of illness? Lack of sleep? Feeling weak? Breathless? Have dental problems? Aches and pains throughout your body?
naturally grown. Pathologist, herbalist, and naturalist,
If so, it may very well be because of what you eat. What we allow into our bodies matters greatly. Depending on what we eat, food can make us sick and food can also heal. Processed fast foods, sweets can have a massive negative effect on our health, it weakens our immune system and results in illnesses and diseases. You can become obese/overweight, high blood pressure, leads to cancers and many other diseases, heart probblems and many more health problems. Not only does bad eating effects our physical health but also effects our mental health, poor brain functioning, our thinking, which leads to anxiety, depression and fears. Fast foods are loaded with additives which causes us to become very addicted, so we crave more and more fast foods. Eating raw organic health foods brings healing to your body, cleanses out everything unhealthy in you, keeps you feeling alive, energetic, light and strong and protects us from diseases and illnesses. So much positive benefits from living a raw organic way of life, and also a big positive change on our mental health. Eating healthy is hard but with one step at a time with one small change everyday will change your life.
Author: LG 10/18 | Acknowledgments: www.pexels.com
African man by the name of Dr. Sebi has spent decades studying the plants and herbs of North, South and Central America, Africa and the Caribbean. His unique approach to healing the human body is firmly rooted in that experience. Dr. Sebi learned in treating himself of asthma, diabetes, impotency, and obesity, with a traditional herbalist in Mexico. On finding the healing he’d sought through herbs, Dr Sebi created a line of natural vegetable cell food compounds used for intercellular cleansing and cellular revitalization. . Dr. Sebi’s African approach to disease relies on natural botanical remedies to cleanse and detoxify the body, bringing it back to a more alkaline state from the acidity that causes disease and pathology. Dr. Sebi is pleased to share his deep understanding of traditional herbal and vegetable compounds through the USHA Research Institute, Dr. Sebi's Office, and the Usha Healing Village in La Ceiba, Honduras You may find it challenging to live on a whole plant based life style, but the meal ideas are endless such as meatless meatballs, meatless lasange, fluffy gluten free waffles and many more creative meal ideas Living a plant based lifestyle has many great benefits. You are less likely to have hospital visits, dental visits, medical visits, less spending on chemical medicines, drugs. You’ll have a longer life, stronger bones, healthy mind and heart, feeling great always enjoying life to the fullest.
WHAT’S ON Things to do in Townsville this December Christmas in the City Saturday 1st Be there for the official turning on of the city’s Christmas lights and enjoy carols with local band Cranky Pants, as well as roving entertainment and amusements. 5:30pm – 8:30pm Flinders Street & Victoria Bridge Parkland Free
Carols by Candlelight Sunday 9th 5:00pm – 9:00pm Riverway Stadium, 2 Sporting Drive, Thuringowa Central Free
Jim Jefferies: The Night Talker Tour Tuesday 11th Australian stand-up comedian 8:00pm – 11:00pm Townsville Entertainment Centre, Sir Leslie Thiess Drive, Townsville City A Reserve $129.90; B Reserve $99.90; C Reserve $79.90 Recommended 15+
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery Artist Market Saturday 1st 5:30pm – 8:30pm Corner Denham St & Flinders St Free
Strand Night Markets Friday 7th 5:00pm – 9:30pm Strand Park, The Strand Free
Townsville Fire v Adelaide Lightning Friday 7th 7:00pm – 9:00pm Townsville Stadium, Murray Lyons Cres, Annandale Adult $20; Concessions $13; Child (3 - 17 Yrs) $11.50; Family $50 (2Ad+2Ch). Tickets at the Ticketshop
Townsville Fire v Perth Lynx Friday 14th 7:00pm – 9:00pm Townsville Stadium, Murray Lyons Cres, Annandale Adult $20; Concessions $13; Child (3 - 17 Yrs) $11.50; Family $50 (2Ad+2Ch). Tickets at the Ticketshop
Free Microchipping Day
The Strand New Year's Eve Celebrations
Saturday 15th Available to currently registered dogs and approved cats 8:00am – 11:00am Cambridge Park, 85 - 99 Cambridge Street, Gulliver Free
Monday 31st Relaxed family-friendly event with food vendors, amusements and two exciting fireworks displays (one at 8pm and then another at midnight) Strand Park, The Strand Free
Stable on the Strand Tuesday 18th – Saturday 22nd 5:30pm – 9:30pm Strand Park, The Strand Free
New Year's Eve at the Civic Monday 31st A variety show extravaganza of local Townsville talent to entertain the entire family. Presented by NQOMT. 8:00pm – 11:00pm Townsville Civic Theatre 41 Boundary St, South Townsville Adult $37.50; Conc. $30; Child $30; Family (2ad+2ch) $110 Tickets at the Ticketshop
Riverway Movie Night Sherlock Gnomes Friday 21st 7:00pm – 9:30pm Riverway Oval, 20 Village Boulevard, Thuringowa Central Free
Townsville Fire v Canberra Capitals Sunday 23rd 3:00pm – 5:00pm Townsville Stadium, Murray Lyons Cres, Annandale Adult $20; Concessions $13; Child (3 - 17 Yrs) $11.50; Family $50 (2Ad+2Ch). Tickets at the Ticketshop
NYE Countdown: Thirsty Merc Live Monday 31st 7:00pm – 1:00am The Ville 45 Sir Leslie Thiess Drive, Townsville City Tickets $59 Ages 18+
Author: CB November 2018 | Acknowledgement: https://whatson.townsville.qld.gov.au/