December 2025 Life Updates
- Ash
- Dec 31, 2025
- 7 min read
Hi friends! Welcome back to another monthly life update for December 2025! So what have Ashy, Benji, and Luke been up to this month? It's been a VERY hectic month, and I feel so behind with everything. I missed my Christmas weekly newsletter due to being overseas, so Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to those who celebrate. Everything should be back to normal this Friday.
And a very happy last day of 2025! For our NYE plans, we are going to stick to our tradition of watching the latest Knives Out movie and have a chill one. I don't know what we're having for dinner, though.
Previous 2025 Life Updates:
January 2025 Life Updates (9 Min Read)
February 2025 Life Updates (9 Min Read)
March 2025 Life Updates (6 Min Read)
April 2025 Life Updates (5 Min Read)
May 2025 Life Updates (5 Min Read)
June 2025 Life Updates (5 Min Read)
July 2025 Life Updates (6 Min Read)
August 2025 Life Updates (6 Min Read)
September 2025 Life Updates (6 Min Read)
October 2025 Life Updates (6 Min Read)
November 2025 Life Updates (7 Min Read)
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December 2025 Life Updates
HEALTH UPDATES: I went in for my gastroscopy and colonoscopy, that week was VERY exhausting LOL. It was multiple days of laxatives and an awful diet, and then feeling blah for a few days after. I don't think they found anything, but I have a follow-up appointment with my gastro on the 6th of Jan. Also, apparently, the gastro did come and talk to me after, and I was so out of it that I don't remember it. The nurses also said she was supposed to come back, but anyway, still no answers as to my health stuff. And as always, the worst part was the prep. I don't remember any of the procedure, thanks to the twilight sedation. I can never drink orange soft drink or fanta again, so sad. You can read a more in-depth blog about it "here".
In other health news, I spoke to the POTS physio who has put me into her clinic - it's 8 sessions over the first half of 2025 to help me get back into exercise safely and just general help without diagnosing me, seeing as my appointment isn't till the end of next year with the doctor. 2026 is going to be very expensive with health appointment after health appointment. Fingers crossed we get somewhere.
I did some Christmas Shopping at Highpoint all by myself, and that shopping centre is huge. We also put up our Christmas Decorations this year, seeing as Benji isn't as small as last year (so he's less likely to eat them).
We did some Christmas Light Hunting around the suburbs near where we live, and I had a very bad experience with one of the places. We took Benji with us and one house didn't allow dogs (which was fine, no issue there) so I just waited outside with Benji while Luke went in to look and a guy dressed as Santa came out to tell me all the reasons why dogs weren't allowed and I was like "Yeah, I know, I'm just waiting for my partner" and he kept going on at me and I was like "Um have I done something wrong?" Literally standing outside on the neighbour's nature strip. Then he got super close to me and made me feel very uncomfortable, so I ran off and had a panic attack and screamed. The Santa guy told Luke that I was dumb and didn't know any better. Yet, I never tried to bring my dog in; I was waiting outside. Anyway, some people came out to check on me, which was nice (yay for no bystander effect), but the guy probably went around telling people how dumb I was. Even though I never tried to bring my dog in or anything like that. It kinda put me off Christmas altogether and made me feel like a really bad person. All the other spots we went to had no issue with dogs.
I made some Christmas-themed cookies; you can find my recipe "here". Luke and I also made a gingerbread house, but it wasn't very good. It was fun, though. Luke did some Christmas baking at my mum's house in CHCH - he made gingerbread and chocolate truffles.
I had a haircut and colour with a different hair stylist (at the same hairdresser, mine was just booked out on the day).
We celebrated Benji's 2nd Birthday, and he got spoiled and picked up lots of presents at the pet shops. We also did an early Christmas in Melbourne, just the three of us, as we went to NZ for Christmas week (I'll put what we did below). Benji stayed with Luke's parents and his best friend Frankie while we were away. Luke gave me a Christmas t-shirt, a care package, and a corgi blanket. I also ordered some Christmas t-shirts online, which still haven't come (I have no idea when they are supposed to lol). One of them was supposed to be a present for a friend in CHCH, so I'm going to have to ship it over to her when it finally comes.
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The YouTube Videos I have put out are as follows: Weekly Vlog: Christmas Decorating & Gastroscopy + Colonoscopy Prep // Christmas Cheer & Cosy Routines ✨ Baking, Gingerbread & Light Displays // Benji's 2nd Birthday //
The Freaky Friday Files I have put out are as follows: Strange Events That Have Happened In 2025 (So Far..) // Christmas Mysteries 2.0 // Not heaps this month, but I did get out the Google Maps/Google Earth Iceberg Blog. I really like researching the iceberg stuff. I am not sure if they would do well as a YouTube video because there is already a lot of saturation of that stuff online.
TV Shows that Luke and I have been watching are The Office (US), Below Deck Med, Blankety Blank, and 30 Rock.
TV Shows that I have been enjoying are The Paper, Palm Royale, Loot, Graham Norton, and SNL.
The books I have read are as follows: 1. Shower Habits Inspired by Reddit 2. The World's Dumbest Questions by Sidney S. Prasad 3. It's The Law by BH & VHM McKechnie 4. The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins & Sawyer Robbins You can check out my December 2025 Book Reviews "here".
We spent Christmas in my hometown, Christchurch (my first Christmas home since I've lived in Melbourne). We did a lot. On Monday, we went and finished off our Christmas shopping and had a snack at Sweet Soul Pattisserie. On Tuesday, we saw my friend Alex and went to Barrington and had lunch with her. Wednesday (Christmas Eve), we went and scattered my Nana and Grandad's ashes, then went to the dog park with Scout (the dog my mum looks after), then we had a Christmas lunch with my mum, made ambrosia eton mess and charcuterie boards - one that looks like Santa! On Christmas Day, we spent time at my Dad's house with him and his wife. I thought there would be more people there, but it was just the 4 of us. We saw some sheep too (idk if the sheep was called Molly or Polly). On Boxing Day, we caught up with some cousins on mum's side of the family, and then Luke and I went for a walk around Travis Wetlands and saw some birdies. Saturday, we went and visited my Aunt Cath and had afternoon tea with her, then on Sunday, Luke and I spent the day in CHCH CBD exploring the gardens and town, and also made a stop to visit a friend who was working in the city. We did 20K steps that day. Mum also started making some food art, it was very cute.
I felt like a lot was expected of me while we were there, and I am exhausted now. I did try to explain my health, but I don't think people got it. I also got called fat and told I didn't have any friends in Melbourne. That was weird. A CHCH/Christmas Vlog will be out soon, once I've edited it. I have a lot of footage to go through.
Some CHCH highlights for me were seeing friends and family, trying the new pastry shop Blue Moon Bakehouse, and getting real fruit ice cream (NZ is the only place that does it - it's Vanilla Tip Top ice cream mixed with frozen fruit), and it comes out like soft serve. I am not sure if I can replicate it here. I also enjoyed getting all my Kiwi snacks that I can't get over here, like L&P, Lewis Road Creamery, Kettle BBQ Chippies, Jelly Tips, Mallowpuffs, and lollycake. I did try to replicate the lollycake recipe once, but it wasn't perfect. The recipe is "here". Also, Whittaker's, where is the Jelly Tip Chocolate???? Oh, and seeing my cat Bella obviously, as she's 16 and a 1/2. We don't know how much longer she has. I think she's a vampire.
We were supposed to have a Christmas Dinner with Luke's family last night, but we were just so exhausted and felt like sh*t, so it didn't end up happening. They gave us a new frying pan set, a blender, and a cake stand. Very grateful. Now, we just need to make room in our kitchen or maybe downsize a little (I hate having so much stuff, especially if we don't need it).
I'm also planning to do an Eats with Ash Christmas/CHCH food diary, so keep an eye out for that one too.
I am definitely very behind with everything. I haven't even set my 2026 goals yet. I did most of my 2025 goals except for a few. The ones I didn't get to were: finishing my ebook, losing weight, writing fiction, a ghost tour, and learning more about Procreate - I did watch a few tutorials, but I just haven't gotten into it. I also didn't do anything adrenalin junkie, BUT I did try foods I never thought I would (that counts, right?)
Highlights of 2025 for me were learning to make ice cream, going on a few holidays (Daylesford, Torquay, CHCH), starting EMDR therapy for PTSD trauma, seeing a Tawny Frogmouth family & getting a photo, going to a few corgi meet-ups, starting a 2nd blog, my 30th birthday dinner, getting an ice cream cake, going to a friends wedding, and some of my blogs/vlogs getting thousands of views.
Things I am looking forward to in 2026 are:
Hopefully, figuring out what's wrong with me, health-wise.
Going to Vancouver to meet my Pen Pal. The plan is to go in our winter, so it's their summer. We need to book our flights soon.
Being able to renew our lease if we can (fingers crossed, I do not want to move right now).
Luke's 30th (I think he wants a big party with his friends).
Here are some more photos I couldn't get into my Pinterest Pins!
Thank you for reading! Much love,
Ash x
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