Decorated for Christmas

 

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments on my recent posts. And also for understanding that it sometimes takes me a little while to respond. I think I've finally caught up now. 

The work's party, last night, was so much fun. I'm not entirely sure why it was advertised as being quite different from the typical Christmas party night, however. Because in all honesty it was every bit the same, aside from the street food option. There was food, a well stocked bar and the usual mediocre band. The only difference I can think of was that it was held in what can only be described as an outdoor, marquee style space. I think that was why I was told it might be a bit chilly. As it happened, I went well prepared, with warm leggings under my chiffon culottes, and a large warm soft scarf, should I have needed to wrap up. I even took my hand-warmers! My green velvet top was worn off the shoulder, so you can see why I was a little bit anxious. Anyway, in the end there was no need for any of it. The venue was actually quite warm, and I spent most of the evening dancing, which is probably why I feel a bit achy and tired today - It's the most exercise I've had in a while :) It felt really good to let my hair down, after what has been a rather busy and unsettled few months, and it was lovely to see my colleagues all enjoying themselves. 

Today my intention was to take things easy but instead, this morning, I found myself finishing the Christmas shopping and writing the last of my cards. I feel more relaxed about it all now, although I still need to get them all wrapped.

This afternoon, however, Lily and I took a drive over to Levens Hall, where they have the rooms all decorated for the festive season, along with musicians and choirs performing Christmas music in the main hall. It was a really lovely atmosphere and the fresh foliage decorations looked beautiful.

Outside, it  was a different foliage that provided the decoration. The topiary garden, which dates back to the 1690's, was mesmerising and I imagine it looks all the more special during the summer months. 

For now the weather has reverted to it's customary grey and damp. At least it stayed dry long enough for us to enjoy a walk around the garden.

J. X

A Lovely Evening

  

Good food, a lot of dancing and much laughter. 

J. X

Seeing Stars

 

A mince pie isn't the only new decoration on our tree this year. And no, I'm not referring to the cats - neither has attempted to climb it - so far, at least :)

We actually have twelve gold coloured, glass stars. I'd almost forgotten about them, as I'd bought them on sale at the beginning of this year. But they are really lovely, beautifully made and hung with some gorgeous, soft, green velvet ribbon. I still haven't got round to making some dried orange slices, but hopefully I will find the time at the weekend.

This evening, I've been out for an early Christmas meal with some friends. It was such a  nice and relaxed atmosphere, and the food was absolutely delicious. It's not often that I eat a three course meal, so I'm feeling rather full now. 

Tomorrow night I'm off out again! This time it will be for my work's Christmas celebrations. I'm not quite sure what to expect but I've been told it will be quite different to our usual Christmas party. And also, that I should wear something which will keep me warm!

J. X 

Mince Pie

 

When I said that I had bought this year's tree decoration from Liberty, I don't suppose anyone thought it would be a felted mince pie. Me neither, but we thought it was so cute that we couldn't leave without it. It is also far more suited to our tree than any of the glittery baubles they had there. 

It's been a tiring day. There has been so much going on at work and I've been rushed off my feet. Even so, it has all been rather lovely, but I'll definitely be glad of the rest when I finish next week. 

This afternoon I've been into town to try and finish my Christmas shopping. I'm almost there. Just one more gift to find and another one ordered, which I need to collect in the morning. Then there's the job of getting them all wrapped :) With any luck, I should have everything sorted by the weekend. 

Next week, I'm looking forward to enjoying some unhurried mornings and spending some much needed down time doing whatever I please. In this house Christmas Day itself is always quite a relaxed affair, it's these days beforehand that I find quite challenging. There's always seems to be so much to do and yet very little time in which to do it. 

J. X

The Tree is Up

 

We've spent a lovely evening decorating our tree. Now, which cat will be the first to try and climb it?. 

J. X

London Christmas Lights

Regent Street in December is not for the faint hearted. Fortunately, we were not there for the shopping experience. Instead we were there for for the festive atmosphere, but mainly to see all the wonderful Christmas lights on display. 

By the time we arrived in central London it was already heaving with shoppers and those who, like us, were there for the festive markets and Christmas lights. In fact, I couldn't even begin to imagine being able to get any shopping done, it was ever so crowded. Not that I was complaining, it was exactly as I'd expected it to be. London was always going to be busy on a weekend in December.

And it was totally worth it. Yes, it was exhausting, we must have walked miles, but the lights were absolutely beautiful. We even ventured into Fortnum and Mason, albeit briefly, as it was rammed. Then onto Liberty, which was much less frenzied, and where we managed to buy this year's Christmas tree decoration.

The evening ended with a drink of mulled wine, overlooking the Thames. The twinkling lights reflected in the water. 

The following morning we enjoyed a more leisurely stroll over Westminster Bridge, along Whitehall, down The Mall, then through St James's Park, where we stopped for coffee. Then it wasn't long after that we needed to catch the train for our journey home. 

Tired, but happy. It was a wonderful weekend, and one which I'll always remember. 

J. X

London in December

 

I apologise if I sparked concern with my feeling so tired last night. The truth is, I was exhausted, but on this occasion it was self inflicted. We've just spent an amazing couple of days in London seeing the Christmas Lights. 

We're back home again now, still tired but very happy. It was a wonderful experience. 

Oh, and I managed to get those presents delivered :)

I'll share more photographs tomorrow, when I've had time to sort through them all. 

J. X

Spirit of Christmas

 

I'm feeling very tired this evening. Back tomorrow.  

J. X

End of the Week

 

Here's another photograph from last weekend when the weather situation looked far more festive and the temperature felt a lot cooler. 

Thank you for the comments on my previous post. I'm glad it isn't just me who finds Christmas shopping so stressful. Although I've cut back hugely on the amount of people I buy for (and that made a massive difference), I would be quite happy to forget about presents altogether. There is just so much pressure and expectation about the giving and receiving of gifts, which is why I try and prioritise experiences instead. I don't particularly remember any of last year's Christmas gifts, but I do remember our visit to the Christmas lights, drinking mulled wine at the markets in Edinburgh, and chilly walks through the woods followed by a delicious hot chocolate. Although I try not to think about the ice-skating ;)

Gosh, it's felt like a long week, especially considering I didn't go into work on Monday. Today has been particularly stressful and an incident at work, although nothing I was involved with, left me feeling a little flat. My colleagues, however were incredible, and dealt with the situation brilliantly. I realise how lucky I am to work with some amazing people. 

The Mincemeat Shortbread  was very popular. I tried some myself and I have to agree, it was delicious. The recipe never fails but it might also have had something to do with the extra brandy I always add to the mincemeat :) This was all that was left when I went into the staff room at lunchtime.

I think that next I will go and get my pyjamas on, enjoy a quiet night, and hopefully I can catch up with some blog reading. I've an early start tomorrow, as I'm going to be delivering those presents.

J. X

Presents

 

I was chatting with a friend earlier today, and I was saying how I'd forgotten just how busy work can be at this time of year. It often feels exhausting, but it's a lot of fun at the same time. Today was Christmas jumper day. Mine has a large Christmas pudding on the front, which is quite appropriate, seeing as that's how I'm feeling at the moment. 

I've hardly stopped this week and any spare moments I've had have been spent trying to source Christmas presents. This has always been something I have found rather stressful, given that I'm not a huge fan of shopping. And I tend to put far too much pressure on myself to get the perfect gift for everyone, which of course is never going to happen. Unrealistic expectations. 

It can also be incredibly time consuming. Whether shopping online or on the High Street, these things invariably take much longer than I anticipate. Is it just me? That said, I don't think I'm doing too badly this year. Most of my present shopping is now complete, with just a few more items left to buy. Then I can relax.

This evening I have been busy baking some Mincemeat Shortbread, as tomorrow it's my turn to provide the festive treats for the staffroom. The coffee table is already hidden beneath several tubs of chocolates, and these are only going to increase as we get closer to Christmas. 

J. X

Frosty Morning

It had been freezing cold during the night. This morning the garden was iced over, so I ventured out very carefully to replenish the water in the bird feeder. Snowy was still standing, complete with his hat and scarf, although he was looking much slimmer than when we'd first built him. 

After I'd dropped Lily off at school, I came home and ate breakfast - delicious hot porridge, drizzled with syrup, a ideal warmer for such a cold morning. It may have been chilly, but it was a gorgeous, sunny start to the day, so I decided to walk into work. The frosty landscape was sparkling and the ground crisp beneath my feet. It was the sort of cold that made your ears and fingers tingle, and I was very grateful for my woolly hat and gloves. 

It's been an funny sort of day. At work we've almost reached a stage of anything goes, and there's so much going on just now that I can hardly keep up. It's Christmas Jumper Day tomorrow, so I really mustn't forget that.

This evening I was able to collect two more Christmas gifts that I'd ordered. It sounds simple enough but the traffic was so busy that it took ages just to drive to the store and back. I'm glad I've got them though, as there's one, which I need to deliver this weekend and the other, well, I wasn't confident it would actually turn up. 

J. X

Tree Decorating

 

Thankfully, I woke this morning to find that most of the snow had thawed overnight, leaving the roads clear once again. The garden is still looking rather white, however, and as the temperatures are forecast to drop below freezing tonight, I expect there will be some patches of ice to contend with tomorrow. 

It has been a beautiful day. The sun shone and the sky was blue. I managed to find time to hand deliver several of my Christmas cards this morning, and I took another handful to the Post Office, feeling quite pleased with myself for being much more organised this year. 

At work this afternoon , myself and a colleague were given the wonderful task of decorating the tree. It was a lot of fun to do, especially as it is a real tree, and this year it is a respectable size. I spent a lot of time up a ladder in order to reach the higher branches, but even then I still struggled to get the star on the very top. Luckily I have fairly long arms and a blatant disregard  for my own personal safety :)

I'm looking forward to decorating our own tree, although I'm undecided as to whether it should be done before the weekend or early next week, by which time we should have a new ornament for it. The small kitchen tree is already looking lovely, decorated with bells and stars.

Oh, and I promised an updated photograph of the wreath with the holly added. I definitely prefer it with the red berries.

J. X

Snow Day

 

It came as a huge relief when we heard that school would be closed today. I didn't relish the thought of trying to get the car off the snow covered drive first thing this morning, and even though the main roads are mostly passable now, the untreated side roads are going to take a lot longer to thaw out completely.

 

Instead, I spent an unexpectedly relaxed morning at home, using my time to write some Christmas cards, compile various lists and place several online orders for gifts. It feels good to have finally made a start, especially with the cards, as I always forget how time consuming it can be just to write them.

 

This afternoon, I set about making my door wreath, using the greenery I'd gathered at the weekend. I had thought about using some pink coloured velvet ribbon, which was why I hadn't added any red berries at this point. I later changed my mind - I do love a traditional red - so I might upload the photograph tomorrow. By the time I'd decided to add the holly, it was early in the evening and had already gone dark.

This afternoon Lily and I went into town. The pavements were treacherous, as the compacted snow, which had begun to melt, left them like an ice rink. It was all we could do just to stay upright. We wouldn't have ventured out at all, but we had a dental appointment, which had already been rescheduled twice previously. I'm pleased to say that we both received good reports, with no need to be seen again for another six months.

J. X

Snowballs and Sledging

I can't tell you how relieved I am that I made the decision to return home early yesterday. Heavy snowfall and un-gritted roads are not a good combination and many people were stuck in their cars for hours. Some managed to secure hotel rooms, while others less fortunate sought refuge in community buildings, opened specifically to provide overnight accommodation for those who were stranded. Not ideal, but at least they would have been safe and warm. The warning, which advised against all but essential travel, came much too late for some, as an unprecedented amount of snow fell on this part of the country.

My plans for today had originally included a festive visit to a nearby property and gardens. However, with the road conditions being what they were, I had no intention of driving anywhere. And in any case, like many other businesses, early this morning they announced that they would be staying closed. This was for the safety of all their staff, as well as any visitors. With nowhere to go, instead, Lily and I spent some of this morning building 'Snowy' the snowman. The snow was just right for it, not too dry and it held together well. We had a lot of fun, and I think he looks rather good. The cats were far less impressed with the white stuff and have spent much of the day fast asleep on my bed.

This afternoon we went sledging in the fields at the back of our house. There is a small hill right in the middle, which is just the right size for sledging and not too steep. It is also is a safe distance away from any fences or walls. That said, I'm sure Lily spent more time lying on the snow than she did sledging on it, but we had a great time, and I lost count of the amount of snowballs that were thrown. 

While we were out, I got a message to say that the school will be staying closed tomorrow. This came as no surprise, as many roads are still impassable and temperatures are, once again, set to drop below freezing overnight. 

J. X

Snow!

This morning I had planned to go foraging for some greenery, so that I could make a start on creating my door wreath. I missed having a wreath last year and I do love how they make a house look so welcoming and festive. 

Wrapped up warmly, we set out nice and early, before there was anyone else around. Everywhere was so quiet and still. It felt as though the whole world was ours and ours alone. Well, this small corner of it, at least. The sky which had been a gorgeous pink colour when we first set out, now appeared full and heavy. A few light snow flurries fell through the the air, but the forecast hadn't shown anything to be too concerned about. I know better than to get too excited at the first signs of any snow, as it usually turns out to be rather disappointing. 

We walked through the village and up the lane before heading back across the fields and along by the river, which is where I usually find the best branches. As well as some greenery, I also managed to gather some fir cones, although they were a little tricky to spot beneath the ever increasing amount of snow, which by this time was beginning to settle over the path.

It was not my original intention and I'm not certain what made me realise we should head back home at this time, but I am so relieved that we did. The snow continued to fall thick and fast. 

This afternoon we played some Christmas music and set about decorating the house. Many of the local roads are now impassable and we have been advised against all but essential travel. Tomorrow, I think I will be staying home. I might even make my wreath. 

J. X

December

Well, it would seem I previously spoke a little too soon about turning corner but I think I am now finally on the mend. All aches and pains have all but disappeared and I'm even feeling grateful that my overwhelming fatigue has once again been replaced by feeling tired for an actual reason. It is a busy time of year at work and excitement is slowly building. I arrived this morning to one of my colleagues playing 'All I want for Christmas is you' at full blast, which got everyone feeling festive, and was quite a rousing start to the day. I just hope we don't all peak too soon. 

As many of you know, I like to post a little something each day on the run up to Christmas. Over the years I've gotten to enjoy these chatty little posts, reminders of familiar Christmas traditions and creating new ones. 

As in previous years the advent stockings have been hung above the fireplace. It's been a long time since I needed to lift Lily up so that she could reach inside for her chocolate each morning. As she gets older no doubt our traditions will change slightly,  but I hope we can always capture the magic of the festive season. After all you should never be too old to search the skies on Christmas Eve.

J. X