Dressing the dresser…the first Christmas in our new home..and feeling whacked! 🥱

 The highlight of my Christmas planning has always been dressing the dresser! Year in, year out, ever since I first owned a dresser in around 1996, I have loved to ring the changes…especially at this time of the year. My ‘Christmas Village’ china has always taken pride of place on my dresser. I love it! 

This china was designed by husband and wife Valentin Mandrajji and Barbara Marsten, in around 1983, for Mason’s Ironstone (a member of The Wedgwood Group). It is simply charming! 

I collected mine over the years and I remember finding my first mug in a small shop in Totnes!

My mum and dad also gave me some for a present and after that it set me on the road to collecting it!

Almost 40 years later, I have a lovely selection of ‘Christmas Village’, which I treasure.

‘Christmas Village’

I had to buy a new dresser this year as the old, trusty dresser wouldn’t fit into the new house. So sad! I gave away my old one; it went to a good home! However, I’m really pleased with the slightly smaller new one and it has taken to its new surroundings like a duck to water!

Meanwhile…

Whilst I was faffing/pottering about in the kitchen, yesterday,I started to dress the table in the Christmas flavour! Like one does! The table mats are a William Morris design, ‘Berry Thief’…and very festive they are too! Many of my Christmas bits and pieces are fairly old but I do have a bit of a passion for Yankee Candles! I’m ringing the changes at the moment and this one burning as I type, is ‘ Christmas Cookie’.

The others in my Christmas collection, are ‘Christmas Eve’, Christmas Magic, ‘All is Bright’,’Tree Farm Festival’, ‘Citrus Gingerbread’

It’s hard work moving house! But things are taking shape quite nicely and it’s beginning to feel really homely here. Putting our own stamp on things, whilst tradesmen have been in and out almost daily, has meant a hectic three months. We both feel worn out! But come Christmas, we will be able to sit back and

take stock. Most of the major work will be completed and then it’s just the decorating!