The run up to Christmas! 🌲

I love the run up to Christmas as much as the day itself! There’s always plenty to do…and yet I never get stressed at Christmas!

I think if you give yourself plenty of time to plan and organise, with a good amount of time before Christmas Day, to chill, then all is good. 

Having said that, how I ever managed with a full time teaching job plus a family, goodness knows!  But I do know that Christmas in a primary school classroom was wonderful… and I really do miss those days, especially the old days, when, come December 1st, although we still had to get the basics done each day… (and I was a stickler for making sure that the children kept on top of their reading), we somehow managed to create the most festive, colourful and exciting environment! 

Christmas cards ; Christmas hats for the Christmas Party; Calendars for mum and dad; learning new songs for the Christmas concert and a whole load of walls and frieze boards to cover with creations of all things Christmas. Lovely! 

And so, when I found the little map tree, above, I immediately put on my teacher’s hat… what a fab idea yet so simple! I chose that one as it has Torcross and the South Hams on it… we enjoy venturing that way…and we did so today…

We went to The Avon Mill Garden Centre, in the South Hams and it was such a lovely visit! The displays are always so inviting!

And this little unit was full of locally made crafts..and the prices were so reasonable too!

I spotted these vintage clay pots with moss, candle, fir cones, tiny catkins…and again, I thought t’was so simple for last minute presents! Obviously, I brought one home with me! 

We aren’t going mad with presents this year, having agreed between us that we will give each other a small, ‘token’ gift but we’ll spend a bit more on the grandchildren. What’s important is the company!

Meanwhile, give me a packet of paper napkins and I’m happy! I picked these even though my husband keeps telling me that ‘Baubles are out this year!’

Oooo errrrr Missus! 😂

I also bought this jar of ‘Christmas shaped’ cutters, with a view to putting it away for a present, but for the moment it looks good on the dresser! Talking of which, I do love to ‘dress’ my dresser at Christmas but I realised last week that I’ve lost a napkin ring in our house move…I’ve had these for over 25 years and so I’m pretty vexed even though they were only cheap from a shop in Totnes! 

So in spite of searching high and low, I couldn’t find it and so I went on the hunt for a set of 4 napkin rings, not wishing to splash out too much money! And I found these:

Meanwhile…

Do you ever get the urge to take a snoop in other peoples’ houses at Christmas time?!

I do! 😂 😱

If you do, then here are a few more snippets from my house!

Most of my Christmas ‘bits and pieces’ have a history and have been with me for years. These cake decorations above, for instance! I know exactly where I bought them…it was a cook shop, called Lawsons, in Plymouth. And I’m going back 40 years! I guess they’d now be classed as ‘vintage’!

Above, you can spy the Santa candle….but I should say Julenisse…this candle came from Norway and was given to me in the 1970s! I’ve never had the heart to light it.

My sister gave me this little angel bag, above, some years ago. I think it came from Accessorize. And just below, she also gave me this delightful bag with a present in it; this is from Betty’s of York. Designed by Emily Sutton, I’ve treasured it! I love her designs. I also bought the  Christmas tins, which she designed for Betty’s.

                             

                            So much detail!

This little wooden postcard, below, was a present a few years ago. 

And these felt Santas came from M&S, many years ago..with sweets included. I  reckon these would be easy to make too!

 

My daughter made these ‘light up’  box frames, a few years ago…

That’s it for now…and I haven’t even mentioned the smells and aromas wafting around the house!

Pot Pourri and Yankee Candles are truly making their presence felt right now!

 

That will have to wait until another time! I hope that you are enjoying the days before Christmas!