It can be the time for long-standing traditions to be upheld, some changing, as families grow and change.

For many years Ruby Webb hosted Christmas at her home in Stawell, before her granddaughter Jessica Cass offered her home for the venue.

In 2019, Mrs Webb's descendants will embark on another "new concept" for Christmas and travel to St Arnaud to Ms Cass' new home.

One thing will always remain the same, a hot roast lunch on the table at lunch.

Mrs Webb recalls a time when her father would hand pluck the turkey in preparation for the big day.

"Before I hosted Christmas we travelled to Callawadda," Mrs Webb said. "The first time I hosted Christmas I don't remember a lot about it. We had Christmas for quite a few years before my sister had a turn. I would always cook the meat earlier and warm it up with hot roast vegetables."

Christmas preparations would begin at about 2am, regardless of the weather.

"I only had a wood stove back then as well," she said. "I would cook the whole bird in the oven. We had to get up early to get Christmas day ready. It's a lot of work for one day."

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The family tradition which hasn't changed for the family is the motto; "everyone is welcome for Christmas".

"For a number of years we had what some might call blow-ins on Christmas day," Julie Cass, Mrs Webb's daughter said. "If I find out someone will be on their own I'll always ask them to come over."

Julie doesn't feel like she's 'missed out' after hosting Christmas has skipped a generation in her family.

"I always help out and probably do a lot of the work now," she said. "When Jess (her daughter) bought her house 11 years ago and asked if she could host Christmas I couldn't say no, because I hadn't had my turn."

Julie said her favourite memories of Christmas was packing up after lunch, making a nibble platter and playing cricket in the street.

"We even played cricket when it was a dirt road before it was sealed," she said. "When the kerb and channelling were put in Dad made blocks of wood to block off all the drains. All the neighbour's kids would come in and join us. The wicket was an old banana box which we had to pick up and carry to the side of the road when a car would come along."

This Christmas, the family have already spied a spot to carry on the tradition of playing cricket, at St Arnaud.

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"I live across from a park so we've been and looked at where we can play cricket," Jessica said. "I'll have to get some wickets, I'm not sure where the banana box would be."

Traditionally the family have cooked turkey and ham at Christmas, this year the addition of roast pork will be added to the menu.

"We'll be celebrating with my partner and his family and I'm lucky, his mum will be bringing the pork," Jessica said. "We've bought turkey already cooked in the past since I started hosting but this year, the pressure is on, I'm cooking the meat."

Christmas desserts have changed over the years, with more on offer and the accessibility of ready-made items.

"Mum would have always made the plum pudding for many years," Julie said. "We moved over to buying one through the Lions Club. This year, Jess has cooked the pudding for the first time in a lot of years."

For dinner, the family used the leftover meat and teamed it up with a selection of "jelly salads".

A combination of grated carrot and pineapple in jelly, peas in jelly, beetroot in jelly and for sweets with leftovers from lunch, cherries in jelly.

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For most families, there are always Christmas catering horror stories - the oven didn't stay alight, the meat was overcooked, cream over whipped or simply forgetting a key ingredient. This family, haven't had a major fail in the kitchen, only surprise guests announcing their attendance for lunch the next day. Julie said at 9.30pm on Christmas Eve she was running around IGA shopping for Christmas lunch.

"We had to get someone to drive us," she said. "Within 15 minutes we had enough food for a three-course lunch. We had no money with us so luckily someone else paid. We got it all home and felt relieved, but realised we had to start preparing for the next day."

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