Unfortunately for two of my sons, my sister and me, our birthdays closely follow Christmas, meaning that our special days traditionally meet a rather jaded response from family and friends weary of buying presents and having parties.

Undoubtedly this is why we’re such stoic types, a fact pointed out by the Capricorn-the-Goat coffee mug birthday-gifted to me by my daughter. As the mug declares:

“Capricorns are confident, wise, practical and strong willed. Although they sometimes succeed in becoming wealthy they be melancholy if their ambitions are not realised. They like to be in positions of authority although they should avoid pessimism and the tendency to criticise. Despite making good and faithful friends their ambitions can make them lonely.”

Well, that set me back on my pessimistic, lonely and melancholy heels. (Or hooves, rather.) The situation became even more lugubrious when the mug revealed all about the classic Capricorn’s makeup. For example, my Planet is Saturn; my Element is earth; my Stone is garnet; my Metal is lead; my Colour is grey or black; my Flower is hemlock.

Saturn? Lead? Grey? Hemlock? How’s that for a sombre and spartan line-up of astral attributes, you wispy, colourful, flibbertigibbet Aquarians? Hemlock is a poisonous plant whose liquid was used in ancient Greece to execute people, including Socrates. The mug went on: “Suitable careers – politician, lawyer or banker.”  That was really rubbing it in.

Anyway, when the family with their customary weariness asked what I wanted for my birthday this year, I just replied, with suitable leaden melancholy, “Nothing, thanks. Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

That seemed to suit everybody a bit too conveniently, so I added hastily, “Well, what about lottery tickets?” (See, still suitably melancholic and pessimistic but also faintly practical.)

Ever since I was 17 and my friend Johnny Thirsk won the lottery, had his name published in the Daily Mirror and bought himself a shiny new Ford Falcon when we were all borrowing parental cars or driving rust-buckets, I’ve dreamed of winning it.

When contacted as a prize-winner by the Lottery people, I would, however, depart from the accepted response of Australian lottery winners. I’m determined never to say, “This will not change me at all.”

But my favourite Australian lottery winner in 2015 was the fellow who won $16.6 million. When asked how he was going to celebrate, he said solemnly, “I’m going to buy myself some apples and bananas.”

Of course it would. How tiresome of you lucky buggers to always lie about this. You’ve just lucked into $50 million and you’ll still trudge into work every day at the Water and Sewerage Board?

While swimming laps or walking on the beach or lying in bed I often daydream how I would spend a really vast sum. Imaginatively and well.

I would not be declaring, as did the chap who won $20 million in OzLotto last August, “We are simple people who don’t go over the top and still won’t. We might buy a slightly more expensive bottle of red.” Oh, please.

Or follow the words of the man who won the Powerball $50 million in July: “We will remain the same grounded people as before. We will do some much needed home renovations.” Save us.

And smack me down if on winning $30 million in OzLotto, like one family did in December, I announce to the Press, “We’re just excited to be able to get the scratch on our son’s car fixed and buy some new T-shirts.”

Is their some abject-humility competition going on among local lottery winners? No one says happily, “I used to be poor and now I’m not. I’m very lucky and very rich. Drinks all round!. Whoopee!”

Everyone seems desperate to announce that “the win will definitely not change us.” Are they scared of jealous neighbours bitching about them? Why else would another major winner last year say he was going to spend his prize money on getting his lawn mower fixed. My advice for him: “You’re a multi-millionaire now. Go crazy — buy a new lawn mower.”

Another winning fellow showed how ecstatic he was by declaring his intention to buy a new washing machine.

But my favourite Australian lottery winner in 2015 was the fellow who won $16.6 million. When asked how he was going to celebrate, he said solemnly, “I’m going to buy myself some apples and bananas.”

On the subject of lotteries, a family friend has a farmer uncle famed for his tight-fistedness. Uncle Mick never forgets her birthday or Christmas presents. He always sends her a scratchie lottery ticket. But he scratches them first in case they’re winning ones.

And my 2016 birthday lottery tickets, one from each member of the family? How did they go? What do you think?

Robert Drewe’s latest book, The Beach, an Australian Passion, has just been published by the National Library of Australia and is available here: the-beach-an-australian-passion His other recent books The Local Wildlife and Swimming to the Moon are on sale here: penguin.com.au

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Verandah Magazine’s Liz Winter discovers that out Christmas shopping help is at hand, if we only think to ask…

In a crowded department store, my senses were bombarded with Christmas Carols, decorations and stressed out people. The chaos in my mind was no better and there was a sick feeling of panic in my lower stomach. It’s one thing to buy a birthday gift as there is generally only one gift to choose but when you are faced with a dozen or more at once, it can take a toll of us mentally, emotionally and financially.

Somewhere in that moment of panic, I called out for help to my Spirit Guides, Angels or whoever may be listening, trying hard not to resent them for living in a non-physical world where Christmas gifts didn’t exist. Quite spontaneously, I felt my breath slow down and closed my eyes for a moment. I saw in my mind’s eye a clear vision of one of the intended recipients of my gifts. I tuned in psychically on this person’s energy and I asked their higher self, what can I gift you with that would bring you pleasure? I opened my eyes and it felt like my head was literally turned by some invisible force towards the sports section. I then recalled this person did have a passion for sport. I went straight to the item and purchased it, intuitively knowing this was the correct gift.

This experience led me to re-evaluate my gift giving techniques. I realised that often I buy gifts when I feel obligated and pressured and also how I frequently choose gifts that I think the person should have. Sometimes I can even be resentful I have to buy a gift when my funds are low. I am sure someone would not want a gift given with the energy of resentment.   I have made a decision to shift my focus now when buying gifts and be more aware of the person, their needs and their passions. Then there truly is the joy of giving and hopefully the energy of care and love will be felt.

The reminder I want to leave you with from this story is that you can ask your Spirit Helpers for any type of assistance, anytime and anywhere.

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas! May you give and receive gifts that emanate love!

Liz Winter has been a medium and spiritual development teacher for over 25 years.  Liz is a Medium, Reiki Master/Healer, Angel Therapist, Spiritual Teacher, Author and Qualified Counsellor. To contact Liz go to her website: lizwintermedium

You can purchase Liz’s memoir from Amazon here: LoveofSpirit

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Belinda Jeffery offers us a beautifully light alternative to the sometimes overly heavy Christmas dishes – a zesty calamari salad – perfect for the summer holidays.

Now the weather has become quite steamy, I’m starting to pull out all my salad recipes, and topping the list of favourites at the moment is this lovely lemony calamari one. It’s so very light and zesty, and full of lovely flavours and textures with its curls of tender calamari, crunchy pale-green celery, the mild sweet bite of red onion, and little bursts of heat from the chillies.

Serves 4

2 small red chillies, seeded and sliced into very fine strips

4 large calamari tubes (or squid hoods), cleaned (they should be nice and white)

¼ – ½ red onion, very finely sliced (or more to taste)

3-4 celery stalks, very finely sliced on the diagonal

¼ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Marinade:

90ml extra-virgin olive oil

2 small red chillies, finely chopped

4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

Dressing:

⅓ cup (80ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained

¼ – ⅓ cup (60 – 80ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon small capers, rinsed and drained

1 clove garlic, crushed

Sea salt, to taste

To serve, optional: Slices of good sourdough or ciabatta bread that have been grilled or toasted and rubbed with a halved clove of garlic, then drizzled with good olive oil; flat leaf parsley sprigs and lemon or lime wedges.

Put the chilli strips in a small bowl of iced water. Cover it tightly and put it in the fridge. (If you’re wondering why I suggest to soak the chillies, it’s to take just a bit of the heat out of them as they’re being used as a garnish.)

For the marinade, whisk together the oil, chilli and garlic in a medium-sized bowl. Cut down one side of each calamari tube and open it out. Run your fingers over the calamari to check that no little bits of the quill are still attached – the quill feels hard and looks rather like a shard of fine, clear Perspex. Halve each piece lengthwise and use a sharp knife to score a diamond cross-hatch pattern on the inside, taking care not to cut all the way through. Put the calamari pieces into the marinade and swish them about so they’re well coated. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge while you make the dressing.

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl, taste it and adjust the flavour to suit you, then set it aside.

Delicious for a light Christmas treat – calamari salad. Photography Rodney Weidland

There is a bit of an art to cooking calamari and much of it is in the timing. In general, it should either be cooked very, very rapidly or slowly and gently, anywhere in the middle and it becomes incredibly tough. In this particular dish it’s cooked quickly. So to cook it, heat a barbecue plate (or large, heavy frying pan) until it’s very, very hot – almost smoking. Add the calamari pieces, scored-side down, and cook them for 1 ½ minutes, pressing down on them occasionally with an egg slice or wide spatula. Now turn them over. As you do this they may start to curl, but don’t worry – as you turn each piece, press it flat for about ten seconds then let it roll, by which time it will be cooked. (If you are cooking the calamari in a frying pan, you may have to do this in batches.)

Remove the calamari pieces to a chopping board and slice the rolls into rounds about 1cm thick (if the pieces haven’t rolled, slice them into bite-sized squares). Toss them in the dressing until they’re well coated – you can leave them in it for up to 30 minutes if you like. Just before serving the salad, add most of the finely sliced onion, celery and parsley to the calamari and mix it in gently.

I sometimes just pile this up in bowls sprinkling it with the reserved onion strips, celery, parsley and chilli shreds. However to make it a bit more substantial, and to soak up the delicious dressing, sit a slice of garlic-rubbed toast on each plate, drizzle it with a smidgen of olive oil, then top it with some parsley sprigs. Divide the salad evenly among the four slices of toast. Garnish each one with a little of the reserved onion, celery and parsley, then sprinkle, sprinkle the chilled chilli shreds on top. Serve with lime wedges.

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