Celebrating Winter Solstice & Christmas 2022 in WA

Before Covid-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, it was usual for us to visit Perth at least once yearly during the WA school holidays in April. Before April 2020, we had purchased air tickets to fly to Perth in April 2020. When Covid-19 pandemic stuck worldwide in early 2020, borders were closed and almost all international travels halted. We had no choice but cancelled our trip

When the Covid pandemic was finally accepted as endemic in early 2022 in almost all countries, Western Australia finally opened their border for international travelers in March 2022. We immediately applied for Visa to WA hoping to fly to Perth during the April 2022 school holidays. Since the pandemic, procedures to secure entry permit to foreign countries have changed drastically. Online application for Visa to enter Australia has become more tedious and cumbersome. By the time we received the approval online for our Visa just shy of one month after our application, it was almost early April 2022 and too late to make the trip.

Before our one year-validity Visa expires in April 2023, we decided to fly to Perth to spend our Christmas there. This also coincided with the WA year-end school holidays. 

In the early morning of 18 December 2022, we finally landed at Perth. 

Four days after our arrival on 22 December 2022, we celebrated Winter Solstice, the "Dongzhi" Festival. Together with the grandchildren, we made colourful Tang Yuan - the glutinous rice dumplings traditionally eaten in almost all Chinese families.

********************************

Giving and receiving gifts during Christmas are always happy moments for the family. This Christmas, the grandchildren took great pain to get gifts for their grandparents. Irrespective of the size or value of the gifts, it's the thought that's put in which is of paramount importance.

Gracie displayed all her favourite soft toys
received all these years.

Home-made buns for Christmas dinner.