Home for the holidays with ELC

December 09, 2019

It’s almost that time again! Days are getting longer, it’s crazy-hot outside here at ELC HQ in Melbourne, and everyone is running like crazy getting ready for the silly season to start.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the hectic madness of my day-to-day life—running a business, being a mama, and trying to also fit in some time with friends and extended family, who are possibly still waiting on a reply to that last text… sorry!!

Our family celebrates Christmas, and it is my baby son’s first one, which has me thinking back to my own childhood and family traditions. I LOVE a good holiday tradition, and family is everything to me. My upbringing made me exactly who I am today.

Christmas at our home was always a special time, and my mum created amazing celebrations to mark this time each year, but for us, it was never about presents-- it was about people and love.

We celebrated our traditional holiday dinner on Christmas Eve with all our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, all sharing in cooking the traditional Polish food in the weeks leading up to December 24th. We would all break bread before dinner, then sit down to a home-cooked traditional feast before singing carols, watching Carols by Candlelight, and opening presents.

On Christmas Day, my four sisters and I would open our presents (mum would buy us underwear and socks every year, funny now she is gone how we miss this tradition! You can probably guess what kind of undies I still give my sisters each year.)

We would then have breakfast with her parents (my Babcia and Dziadzia – Polish for Grandma and Grandpa), then we had open house from lunch.

Mum was an incredible hostess and would have the formal dining table decked out with every type of home-made food you could imagine. She prepared it all, with my eldest sister cooking a homemade pudding every year that would be served after dinner.

Mum would keep bringing more and more food out as the day went on, and we would still have leftovers for at least a week afterward. I remember music playing all day, from the Boney M. Christmas album to Michael Buble and even my fave, the Mariah Carey Christmas album (when I could sneak it on).

But one thing that stands out the most to me was how hard my mum worked to make everyone feel included and loved at the holidays, family or not.

We always had neighbours, extended family members, and friends; even our school dance teacher and his partner were there one year. Mum would invite anyone and everyone—if they didn’t have other plans, they came to our house.

Inclusivity to her meant no one was left out. Ever. When I think about it now, I realise that her lessons have permeated every part of me— they’re even part of the driving force of inclusivity behind my business.

She always made it her mission to ensure that everyone was included and could celebrate with love and joy around them.

This was the most important holiday tradition and one of the best lessons she taught us— to value ourselves and everyone around us by practicing active self-love and compassion. Nothing was owed to us, but we did owe all people respect.

Sadly, my mum and grandmother both passed away a number of years ago, but we have carried on the Christmas tradition and celebrate with a smaller family group now.

Continuing these traditions means so much to me, since it’s up to us now to ensure my son gets to have these wonderful memories handed down to him to enjoy just as we did.

Nowadays we go out to a nice restaurant in Melbourne for Christmas Day. But the most important tradition lives on— it’s always an open invitation for anyone to come along with us.

Every year the mix of people is different, but I love knowing that I can carry on Mum’s tradition of making sure that people we know are not celebrating alone.

So this silly season, I’m sending all the ELC love and warmth from our family to yours—wishes for a happy, peaceful holiday surrounded by loved ones. It can be a lonely time for some people, so look in on your neighbour, drop off some cookies for your kid’s dance teacher (store-bought is A-OK), and let’s all take some time to look after each other.

I would love to hear about your childhood traditions and how you have adapted them for your yourself and your family now!

Get in touch on insta @everydaylingerieco!

And if, like us, your family had a tradition of giving undies for Christmas, you can’t do better than these! Check out our full range here.

SHOP THE RANGE

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Sizing

Trying to find the right underwear size can be difficult due to different companies making different sizes. To make things easier we have created a step by step guide to take the guess work out of the equation.

Below we have measuring instructions with images to assist you.

Finding your size in our Underwear Range:

All you need to do is take a couple of simple measurements; your waist, your lower waist and your hips. The best way to do this is by using a soft measuring tape and a mirror to ensure you are accurate. If possible stand in front of a mirror when taking your measurements to ensure that the measuring tape is also parallel to the floor and is flat.

Measurement 1: Your waist

Your waist is the natural in indentation above your hips or just below your rib cage (see image). Wrap the soft measuring tape around firmly without pitching your skin together – write this measurement down.

Measurement 2: Your Lower Waist

Your lower waist is approx. 12cm down from your waist. Take your measuring tape and run this down from your waist to 12cm (see image). Wrap the soft measuring tape around this area firmly without pitching your skin together – write this measurement down.

Measurement 3: Your hips

Now wrap the soft measuring tape around the fullest part of your hips, this is approximately 25cm below your waist (see image). Use the mirror to check that your measuring tape is completely straight and parallel to the floor – write this measurement down.

Finding your size in our Crop Top Bralette Range:

All you need to do is take a couple of simple measurements; your Full Bust and your Lower or under bust. The best way to do this is by using a soft measuring tape and a mirror to ensure you are accurate.

Measurement 1: Your Full Bust

Your Full Bust is the fullest part of your bust (see image). Ensure that the measuring tape is completely straight and parallel to the floor. Wrap the soft measuring tape around firmly without pitching your skin together – write this measurement down

Measurement 2: Your Lower or Under Bust

The Lower or Under bust is measured by wrapping the measuring tape around your rib cage directly under your bust (see image). Wrap the soft measuring tape around firmly without pitching your skin together – write this measurement down

ELC Size	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22
Full Bust Measurements (cm)	81-87	87-93	93-99	99-105	106-114	115-123	124-130	131-137
Lower or Under Bust Measurement (cm)	61-67	67-73	73-79	80-86	87-39	94-100	100-106	107-113
Waist Measurement (cm)	75	80	85	90	95	100	110	115
Lower Waist Measurement (cm)	90	95	100	105	110	115	120	125
Hip Measurement (cm)	95	100	105	110	115	120	125	130
USA	4 to 6	6 to 8	8 to 10	10 to 12	12 to 14	14 to 16	16 to 18	18 to 20
UK	6 to 8	8 to 10	10 to 12	12 to 14	14 to 16	16 to 18	18 to 20	20 to 22
EUROPE	34 to 36	36 to 38	38 to 40	40 to 42	42 to 44	44 to 46	46 to 48	48 to 50