Posy

Our day

As I have mentioned before, I absolutely love Christmas Eve and for me there is nothing more perfect than family gathering together around the fire and the wonderful anticipation of what is to come. Our Christmas Eve started slightly differently with a trip to the emergency vet as poor little Alfie had been scratching his tummy a lot and now he was unable to sit still for very long. The vet found out that he had something to do with his skin (a big long word!) and gave him an injection to help until he could be treated in 2 weeks. Poor little chap. Anyway, we were ready for the family to arrive and when the Carols from Kings College, Cambridge started at 3pm I knew that Christmas had finally started. I even shed a small tear or two with the loveliness of it all as it is a moment that I wait for all year, but that is only between us!

These are the children's stockings, well they're actually pillowcases. My friend has one of those very, very expensive sewing machines that embroiders and she did the names for me and the flowery bits. The children leave these by the fireplace ready for Father Christmas to come and fill them.

The next morning, nobody is allowed into the sittingroom until everybody is up and can share the wondrous moment.

He's been!

Even Posy and Alfie were given a toy. We had a lovely day and everyone did their own bit to contribute to the day in some way. I particularly loved Alice's place name 'cards' for the lunch table.

The day went by in a blur and at one point in the evening after the marathon of present opening I sat back and actually wondered if all the planning, organisation and stress it produces was ever worth it as it was over in a few hours. I then remembered that Tom had given me a card to open that had been under the tree and in the quiet of the room I opened it...

...it was a lovely card with a gorgeous robin on it and inside he had put a £5 note and written.."Dear Mum, I thought you would like this card! Just to say I couldn't find you a present so I got you this instead. I love you very much and appreciate you organising Christmas, Love Tom   P.S Sorry about my bad handwriting I have cold hands."

In an instant I knew that it had been worth every last stressful moment and that I would do it all over again next year....only this time I'm starting in August!

Anticipation

It's nearly upon us now and the house is looking more calm and festive. We are expecting Mum, Robin and Matthew tomorrow and just in case they wonder if they have come to the right house I have tied my bay wreath (well, it's hardly a wreath but a bunch of bay leaves from our ginormous bay tree) with Cath Kidston ribbon!

I have even found time to go on a 'charity run' (no..not actual running! Me, run! More a case of doing every charity shop in the town!) and I found this wonderful crochet blanket for Tom's room. Though he is not too happy about it, it hasn't been removed yet so here's hoping he secretly loves it.

It is just so vintage as I explained to him but he says it is just sooo sad... Even our bed has had a festive makeover.

Tomorrow, is my most favourite day of the year. Isn't the anticipation so much better than the actual event. Well, that's what I find. There is something so magical about Christmas Eve. I hope you enjoy yours.

Let it snow, Let it snow..please!

The scene is almost set (can I ever be 'ready'?) Apologies for the blurry photo. My camera and I are falling out of love as it keeps misbehaving (or more like I don't know how to use it properly!) anyhow you can get the fuzzy picture!

The tree was put up, (finally..) yesterday afternoon. The children made it to Lapland but I must be the worst mother in the world or perhaps the only mother in the world that sends her children off to Lapland without a coat! I hardly slept with worry on Friday night but all was well and they had a magical time. I will ask them to blog about it themselves.

I love bringing out all my favourite decorations each year. About 3 years ago I fell in love with vintage baubles, and started collecting them.

I scour everywhere for them and now our tree has nothing but vintage. Well almost, I do have these..

These were from Aztec.

In the dining room at the front of the house I have hung white stars (some crochet ones) with white lace, ribbon or ric rac.

 

I just really, really  wish that I lived in a snowy climate. I read people's blogs who are almost waist high in snow (well sometimes!) and I ache with longing as that is how I feel Christmas should be. So spare a thought for me when some of you are looking out over your winter wonderland...and if you listen hard enough you will hear me singing (pleading) from mild, wet Devon..'Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

..all is calm, all is bright.

A view of our sittingroom, 5 minutes ago. No tree, half decorated mantlepiece, no cards done, nothing posted...I could go on and on! I would like to tell you that this is the only room with work in progress but no, you can hardly walk down our hall or even enter the un-wreathed front door!

But watch this space, the children are off to Lapland today (Alice is better but has no voice) so I may get a chance to put the tree up before our visit to Cambourne (near Lands End) tomorrow!

It's all go in the Goble house..or not!

Warmest Wishes

Here is our family Christmas card to all my blog friends wherever you may be. I wish I were able to send you all one personally but this will have to do! For 15 years, Anth & I have always photocopied a picture that one of the children have drawn, and this year it was Alice's turn. (It cut off the bottom of the card but I told her that no-one would notice!)

Here are some more..

..these are some of the earlier ones (circa 1990's) though there are a few missing. The very first one Tom did was a circle with legs, eyes and mouth who was meant to be baby Jesus! I've searched high and low but can't find it.

The pink 'Mary' card was last year's, drawn by Lucy, inspired by a vintage tag she found. We sent it with ribbon to hang and I think it is my favourite (sshh, you didn't read that!)

I am always surprised when we hear that people keep them year after year and one or two people have been inspired to start their own card making tradition. I like that!

So, please accept our Christmas greetings from our home to yours.x

Radio Ga Ga

Here it is..my Birthday/Christmas present - and it is sending me 'ga ga' I love it so. It is a Pure Evoke 3  digital radio, and I have wanted one for about 18 months after reading an article about it months before it was released. I had hoped the price would drop a bit but I have to say it is worth every penny. It pauses, rewinds and records, and the screen tells you what song is playing etc. I have used constantly since my birthday - recording all my favourites and then listening to them whilst sewing. I can even plug in my i-pod.

Now, I have spent a huge amount of time sewing this past week as poor Alice has been quite ill since Saturday and has not been able to go to school. So that has meant I have been stuck at home all week. I've put the time to good use and finished my Christmas sewing and even finished the bed cover in the above picture...a work-in-progress for the last 6 months! Poor Alice, she is getting quite distressed incase she doesn't get better in time for next Saturday when she and all the other grandchildren, are off to Lapland with Granny and Poppa.

We are getting out the decorations this weekend. I'm hoping that will make me feel more Christmassy, as I keep forgetting it is already the 8th. I'm still in November in my mind. Hopefully my next post will show a calm, serene, decorated home...

..yeah right!

Advent

The season of Advent is finally upon us and I am glad, though I have waves of rising panic washing over me already as I had hoped that I would have learned from previous years and not have left things to the last 2 weeks. I always start to hyperventilate and my voice raises an octave or two as I desperately try and remember all the 'How To Keep The Stress Out Of Christmas' articles that I have read in my numerous magazines in the unlikely case that I might hit on some magic formula that will transform me into the all singing and dancing Mummy I would like to be and not the one that I seem to become. Do I really want my children's Christmas memories to be of a mother running around in a vile mood because I decided to make everything myself? Umm... Though I keep saying, 'I'll be OK when I have just finished such & such' but I don't seem able to finish such & such!

The photo is of the children's advent calender - well we use it as a Advent calender. I saw one like it a few years ago in a magazine (where else!) and copied it. I have yet to fill it with sweets (see how unorganised I am).

Granny always sends us Advent calenders - not the vile chocolate cartoon type but the lovely old fashioned type. We also have the Snowman. We also have a Advent candle but that usually gets forgotten to be blown out and we suddenly realise we are at the 19th of December so it just sits for days waiting for the 19th and then I forget to light it!

How do you start your countdown?

Thanks a million!

I don't think I've yet recovered from such warmth and love from my birthday wishes - and I don't want to either! I keep going back and re-reading the post and all your comments over and over again. Thank you so much family and blog friends for making my day so special. I was particularly touched that my sweet mother had left a comment. This was truly a major thing as she can't even switch Rob's laptop on by herself. I had taken 5 minutes at school, during the lunch hour, to check my blog and couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her comment. I had a few tears I have to say! My family had done so well and it was so funny to see what they had decided to write about me and even my beautiful (& extremely clever!)niece Susannah had commented from NZ. I need to apologise to Matthew as they hadn't used the facts he sent but I will sometime - they made me laugh though and besides you already know that I stand my ground over the Christmas Radio Times! Only afew days wait for that now...!

Finally, thank you to all the people who don't usually comment, that did - I tend to forget that other people may visit my blog. I appreciate it all.