VIC: Kinglake family opt for "normal" Christmas

AAP General News (Australia)
12-25-2009
VIC: Kinglake family opt for "normal" Christmas

By Michelle Draper

MELBOURNE, Dec 25 AAP - Kinglake residents Denise and Travis Griffith wanted to make
Christmas as normal as possible for their three young children, after a turbulent year
in their bushfire-stricken town.

Mr Griffith, a paid firefighter, defended a local water catchment on February 7 while
his wife battled to ultimately save their home during the worst bushfires in Australia's
history.

Their children - Callum, 9, Mitchell, 7, and Alanah, 5 - were sent down the mountain
to stay with Ms Griffith's mother on Melbourne's outskirts and therefore did not witness
the inferno which killed 42 people in Kinglake.

But three of their school mates from Middle Kinglake Primary School died.

"From the onset, we've tried to get everything back to normal really quickly," said
Mr Griffith, who took two-and-a-half months off work after February 7 to repair the home
and its blackened gardens.

"If the kids were going to be here (for Christmas) we wanted everything to look like
(it was) - apart from the trees, I can't paint them white, they'll always be black."

The family were set to enjoy Christmas dinner on Friday with Mr Griffith's parents,
who live a few doors away and also successfully defended their home on Black Saturday,
and his sister's family visiting from Adelaide.

The children, still dressed in their pajamas, were visibly excited on Christmas morning,
ripping open their presents beneath the resplendent Christmas tree - which stopped just
short of the ceiling - in the family's loungeroom.

"Mum, I got Strawberry Shortcake!", Alanah squealed.

Callum, meanwhile, sat proudly on his brand new blue mountain bike while Mitchell was
completely engrossed in his Star Wars paraphernalia.

Even the family's five-month-old rhodesian ridgeback, Tori, caught on to the excitement,
tearing around the back garden at break-neck speed.

Mr Griffith said while their children were coping well, he was aware some of their
friends' kids suffered from nightmares over the events of Black Saturday.

"There is a big diversity in how people are coping," he said.

"Some are coping quite well with things and then others just aren't."

Ms Griffith said it would be tough day for those who lost family and friends.

"For those who have lost family - immediate family or neighbours - I think they are
quite emotional ... and today (Friday) obviously for them isn't going to be such a good
day," she said.

With so many lives lost in the town, Ms Griffith said she felt more emotional about
her own family.

"I'm just glad they're all here," she said.

Jean Evans, who works at Kinglake's Bakehouse in the main street, said the community
was just trying to get on with life.

"Most people are doing their normal Christmas thing, as best they can," she told AAP.

"Those that are remaining are able to do the normal Christmas routine.

"I'd say that those that haven't got their homes would be going to their family that
do have homes.

"Most people just want to get on with it.

"It's going to be very hard for a lot of people."

A staff worker at the local Foodworks, Anna Johnston, agreed.

She served a steady stream of about 40 people on Christmas morning as locals dropped
in to buy batteries for toy gifts.

"I think it will be tough for a lot of people," she said, adding her home was still in tact.

"I'm one of the lucky ones."

AAP md/dep

KEYWORD: XMAS BLACK (WITH PIX)

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