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Nadine (far right) at age 2 with brothers Leigh, Craig and dog Ruff
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Christmas
time has always been a big time for me as I’m one of those Christmas
Day babies! Yep, born on the day itself – but not only was I born on
Christmas Day, Mum unintentionally decided to make it extra special and
gave birth to me in a 1956 Holden FJ Ute. Now, if you’re unfamiliar
with this iconic Australian car, the equivalent would be being born in a
classic ’50s Chevy pickup truck. My Christmas birth even made a little
story in the newspaper on Boxing Day, under the heading, “Father just
kept driving and honking the horn!” As I was growing up, people would
say to me, “Oh, you poor thing being born on Christmas Day,” but I
actually never knew what they were talking about because in my mind it
was the most special thing ever! My mum and nan always made sure that my
birthday was not simply lost in the excitement of all of us kids in a
sugar-crazed, present-opening frenzy. Christmas Day here in Melbourne
is usually 100 degrees in the shade, so we would all sit outside under
Nanna Lil’s clothesline eating a hot roast lunch (go figure), and at
some point during Christmas lunch I would get presented with the
wishbone from the chicken and Nan would tell me that I could wish for
anything I wanted. That little offering was so amazingly special.
Looking back and knowing that my nan was quite poor and went without so
she could give her grandkids a present and feed not only our families
but the extras who had nowhere else to go, she sure knew how to make
people feel good. I thank her for instilling in us that Christmas is
about generosity of spirit, and giving, not of presents, but of
ourselves.