Showing posts with label carols. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carols. Show all posts

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

✯Christmas love ❤



Well, I am really feeling festive now, and have been really busy in my kitchen this past week, well nothing unusual there!
Dab hand
 Last week little daughter and I made a batch of gorgeous Christmas biscuits for her school party, she is rather talented at decorating these little beauties, she cheekily  pops the little silver balls into her mouth, thinking I won't notice, ~they crunch very loudly~,  adults should stay well away, especially  if you have loose fillings...

Messy!

We made another batch yesterday to hang on the tree, and thought we would get a little more creative with the colours, they stand out on the tree, and look great, and of course are very yummy, they are vanilla flavored and are very much like shortbread, I'm keeping some back in a tin, elder sons can reach them easily , and cant stop eating them. Recipe here

We are also well stocked up with mince pies too, I love listening to the  Kings Choir carols  whilst I make them, I really am feeling excited now, and will be making my ham tomorrow, this is a  highlight of Xmas for me, I will put pics and recipe up tomorrow.

Mince pie stash

Daughter and I have also been making little bird decorations and stars, they look so pretty.

Xmas birds




Yesterday I trudged through the slush to my local park, armed with bin sack and secateurs and did a bit of tree pruning ;) so I could make some garlands, I  now have lots of holly pricks in my fingers! They make the house look so warm and inviting, its the final touch decoration wise.


All in all I am thoroughy enjoying myself, love being with the children the week leading up to the big day, watched Scrooge with eldest son last night, all cosy with fire on, with lights twinkling.  Little one is so excited , she can barley contain herself, if I have to listen to Jingle bells AGAIN! She has memorised 'Twas the night before Xmas' story too, she's struggling a bit with rememering all the reindeers names!

The only thing I wish for, is that certain members of my family had a little bit more Xmas spirit, you would think world war 3 was about to break out! Oh they can all squabble, but they won't dampen my spirits.

Oh and bring the snow back please just for Xmas eve~day!

Peace, Joy, and a very happy Christmas to all xxxxx

Thursday, 2 December 2010

❄Snowed in..eagerly awaiting Christmas❄



I haven't been out since Monday morning, apart from in the garden, to watch childrens snowfights, and snowman making, its been quite blissful, all cosy and warm, have done lots of baking, and kept busy planning for Christmas.

Little daughter has written, and posted her first letter to |Father Christmas, well with help from mummy....



Letter to St Nic


Snow star yucca

This morning the children played, or should I say  wound each up,violently pelted each other with snowballs, then elder son stuffed snow down younger sons back, nearly making him cry, resulting in me nearly banging there heads together. They did  kindly make little sister a snowman, of which she is terrified to wake in the morning, and find melted (no chance) She actually cried when she watched Raymond Brigg's Snowman animation the other day, bless her, a chip off the old block, still gets me every time...

We have put some decorations up, I favour very natural looking decorations,  I HATE tinsel with a vengance, I like to 'see' my tree, so don't smother it in decorations. The red berry wreath and garland were a bargain at half price, from Argos last year. I have lots,and I mean LOTS of fairy lights around my house, my kitchen is starting to resemble Nigella's, I love them and leave them up all year round.
Festive fireplace
All of my chidren have spent hours playing with these delightful little dolls, over the years, they always end up rolling under the couch, so am forever trying to find them.
Russian Santas and penguins
                                                                     

 Nearer to Christmas day, I will go to the local park and cut holly, and  any type of attractive foliage with berries to decorate the table. We are waiting for our 'realisic' Xmas tree to arrive, I  have aways had a real tree, but have decided to invest in one that looks real, because im fed up with it dying on me after a week, no matter how much I keep it away from heat source, and water it, it looks droopy, and feels crispy by Christmas day. The snow has held up the delivery, so probably won't arrive until next weeek now, which is dissapointing, I like to have my tree up in time for my birthday on the 6th.

 I like to listen to traditional carols sung by the Cambridge choir, 'Christmas at Kings' whilst im decorating the tree, and have glass of port, with all the candles on, this makes me soo happy, and takes me right back to being a child.  My dad used to love Christmas, sadly he died at  a very young age, 14 years ago, and this time of year is when I miss his presence the most,  we always sat and watched Scrooge together,and Its a Wonderful life, I do this every year now with my boys, we always have special food, nibbles, they really enjoy it this too, they just know its the 'done 'thing with mum.I try and  keep all the traditions going, its a  special magical  time, and I hope my children will too.Everbody else in my family hates Xmas,  namely mum and brothers,which deeply saddens me, how can anyone 'hate' it? There are such simple pleasures to be had from the holiday, its not all about commercialism,  I'm not religious, and am certainly not an athesist either. I lean more towards its Pagan origins. Oh well 'Bah humbug'! to them, they will not dampen my spirits! Thankfully my husband , my children, and my friends love it.

 I will post pics of the new tree when its up, your opinions on whether it has a 'real' look to it, will be very  welcome please;)  


To celebrate our  Christmassy mood ,we made our first batch of mince pies today, they were so buttery and yummy, and a welcome treat coming in from the cold. I followed this recipe here

* Bear in mind, too add a little liquid, milk or water to your mix, to make the mix roll easier, or it will be too dry, and crumbly*
Rolling and cutting


'I want to put the snow on them' little one say's.

I'm really looking foward to next week  and hope the snow clears a bit, as im going up to London to see Wicked, for my birthday treat.As you may have guessed from previous posts, and my ' Dorothy painting on my header I Love TheWizard of Oz, should be great!

❄Happy cosy snowtime everbody!!☃
{Although I am rather looking foward to being able to venture out now}