2014: The year that was. 2015: The year that will be...?

One of my New Years resolutions this year was to write at least 12 blog posts. I had previously tried to blog before but I had never stuck with it, and this year was the year I decided to really get into it. I started off writing about beauty and lifestyle, but I didn't upload all that often. That changed in May, when I stumbled across the #YesAllWomen movement on Twitter. This was when I realised that I had been writing about what I thought people wanted to read instead of what I cared about, and this is when Laurables took a turn from being my lifestyle/ makeup/ fashion rambles (I occasionally blog about all that jazz at Laura Robin) to being centred on social justice and issues that I believe are important.

I think one of the best things about writing my blog has been it behind me meeting new people and the beginning of new conversations. A few weeks ago I was out with friends at a bar and a girl who I had met a few times before came up and told me that she loved my blog. That's happened a few times and it makes me so incredibly happy because it's creating discussion about issues that (I believe) are important, and that's one of the bits about this blog that I love. It's very touching to hear that someone has enjoyed and believes in something that you have written, so thank you!

2014 was an interesting one - I had a surgery and a few procedures on my back, and while the last half of the year was fairly interesting in regard to my health I'm looking forward to starting 2015 all healthy. I'm halfway through my university degree, and I swapped majors halfway through the year as what I want to do with my life has became a little bit clearer (not lots clearer - I still have about 7 career options!). I also travelled without parents/ teachers for the first time this year to Cambodia and Singapore with a good friend from school. I had an amazing time and I'm planning to do something like that again. I also went to Melbourne to see family, down to Albany for a university trip, and to my friend's farm.

So, what will 2015 bring? I plan to keep writing of course, continuing to focus on issues that are important to me. If you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them - message me on Facebook, message the Laurables page, or comment on this blog/ a Facebook post. In my actual life, I'll be living away from home for the first time while I study abroad in England (!!!) which has been a dream of mine since I was about 8. I will be keeping a separate blog of my adventures and if you're interested it can be found here - at the moment it has a lot of bad quality iPhone photos of the trip that I am currently enjoying with my immediate family in Europe but there will be more writing once the semester starts.

I feel like I should write a few New Years resolutions because that's really where this blog began. So I'd love to keep writing, become more organised, keep fit (these are getting more and more unlikely) and see as much of the world as I can. One quotation that I read in 2014 that I'd like to keep in mind for the new year - "do what you can, with what you have, where you are".

I'll be celebrating the New Year with my family here in York, England. It will be a warm 7 degrees tonight (as opposed to -2 like it is right now) but we'll probably be asleep when the clock strikes 12. I think I'll be going out to dinner with them, counting the New Year in for Perth (4pm local time), and then head to bed early. Exciting stuff!

Thank you to anyone and everyone who has read, liked, shared or suggested a post this year - I feel like I have finally found a passion and thank you all for supporting it. I hope that you had a wonderful year, and that 2015 is even better for you.

Goodbye 2014 - it has been a great one.

Here's to 2015!

What Christmas Means To Me

Christmas has always been my favourite day of the year - my close friends know that I start getting excited in August, thinking about what presents to buy in October, and put up the decorations in my bedroom in November.

When I was younger I would get beyond giddy about Santa arriving - a favourite holiday story of my family is of the year dad got me so wound up about Santa's path through the sky that mum had to give me Panadol so I'd sleep. Christmas would be at home or in Melbourne - at home, we'd spend the day with my Nanna and uncle with family friends who also didn't have much family in Perth, and over in Melbourne we'd celebrate with my Grandma and all the uncles, aunties and cousins on mum's side of the family.

This year's a bit different because I'm in Germany with my family! While we're usually enjoying the heat (well, sort of) with a huge feast, probably a swim, and definitely some backyard cricket, this year we'll be heading to a restaurant for the first time ever and having a bit of a quiet day. We're expecting a high of 5 degrees Celsius and while we're not holding our breaths for a white Christmas, we should be getting snow on Boxing Day. Instead of piling food on serving trays out of the ovens, we'll be piling on the coats and walking to a restaurant (and I am more than okay with this).

I was absolutely flat out in the run up to Christmas because we left on the 19th of December and I won't be returning home with my family - I'll be in Europe until July on a student exchange program. I didn't put any Christmas decorations up, I barely bought Christmas presents (I know, naughty me) and I didn't make my traditional Christmas cookies. It honestly didn't even feel like Christmas was coming up because I had a to do list a mile long between then and now. Now that it's the night before though, I'm getting so excited - being nearly 20 (oh dear) has not dulled my enthusiasm in the slightest.

So, what does Christmas mean to me?

Christmas means amazing food - I have fond memories from Christmas last year in Melbourne when various family members were lying borderline comatose around the living room after one too many helpings of Christmas dinner. I love the days after Christmas when leftovers are readily available, and the feeling of being uncomfortably full (although last year when I woke up on Boxing Day feeling that way, and continued to overindulge at my Grandma's birthday celebrations, I wasn't quite as pleased with myself).

I love spending time with my family, and that's my favourite part of Christmas. While in the past, I used to get giddy at the prospect of presents, I now relish spending the day with relatives in the eastern states who I only get to see once a year, and having my entire immediate family together. We're all so busy, and Christmas is the one day of the year that the world seems to mostly stop and we all get to spend time together.

This year I'm trying to keep in mind that there are some people who will be spending Christmas without their families, maybe for the first time. With a few tragedies in Australia over the last few weeks, this has been at the forefront of everyone's minds more than ever. So while you're doing your thing at Christmas, spare a thought for those who are missing someone special this year or feeling lonely. Holidays seem to be the time of the year when our losses feel magnified, so I hope that everyone who is without a loved one still has a wonderful day with others who are close to their hearts.

I'm writing this on Christmas Eve, sitting on a couch in Munich. My sister is lounging around and my brother is constructing his Christmas stocking as instructed by mum and dad (my turn next - hopefully it at least somewhat resembles a stocking). My dad is watching some skiing on the TV and my mum is wrapping presents in the room next door. 

I just returned from making my Christmas stocking (mine's the best [I decided]) and an impromptu singalong with Mariah Carey to "All I Want For Christmas". We set up a little Christmas tree on the table and now we're setting up to watch Elf.

And while it's different to what my Christmases usually are, it means just as much to me.

I hope you have a wonderful day wherever you are, filled with at least some fun, festivities and laughter.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a goodnight!