Cricketer's Wife

I’ve been experiencing hot Christmases since 2013. But I’m still not used to them.

What I’m used to in the run up to Christmas are short days, long nights, pulling on a big coat and trudging through the cold and rain to do the festive shopping. It may not sound appealing, but it’s what I know. These are my signals that Christmas is coming.

I just don’t get that same feeling with a hot Christmas in Australia.

One day it’s not Christmas. The next day, it is.

But one Christmas tradition I do like, and that I’ve totally bought into, is The Boxing Day Test. I’m fully on board with having test cricket to flop in front of during the festive holidays. Excusing myself to check the score is a welcome break from all of the eating, drinking, and socialising.

Not just spectating

Putting my feet up and watching the cricket was a pipe dream this year. Because this year, my kid got his own kit bag from Santa. He’s 2. And in a bid to try and stop him from going through his dad’s kit bag all of the time, we thought we’d get him one of his own.

Originally, I was just going to get him a bat. Trying to find a kit teeny-tiny enough for a toddler surely wasn’t possible.

Seems I was wrong.

Kits in XXS do exist

For the same price of a size 1 Grey Nicholls bat, we found a whole bundle at the local Whack Sports cricket store.

• Gloves
• Bat
• Pads
• Sweat band
• And a teeny-tiny box. (He’s in nappies still so no use for this yet.)

And to keep it all in, it comes with a wheely kit bag which comfortably fits all the kit, plus my kid. (It’s so big he can lie in it with his kit.)

Since Santa delivered his kit bag, he’s wanted to play cricket every day and is even more cricket mad. Which means I’ve been throwing balls down every day since Christmas, too. I’d like to say my bowling is improving. But that would be a lie.

The cutest bit (apart from seeing him walk in the pads that are still a touch too big for him) is that my kid wants to keep his kit bag right next to his dad’s. Too sweet.

I guess next year he’ll be big enough and old enough to start going to training sessions if he wants. Eep. When did you, or your kid, get kitted out?