Category: Uncategorized

Having written this blog for 5 years and written many Christmas posts I thought I would share some rules and quirkinesses of our Christmas. Every family has their own way to create their holiday and here are our special customs.

1. Tree wars. Me S and the children want the tree to go up on the first of December, I argue for a later date. This year it went up on December 7th, the first full weekend of the month which was a good compromise for us all.

2. My tableaux. Whilst the children and Mr S like to decorate the tree, I love creating different themed displays throughout the house. In the kitchen we have the gingerbread window with the driftwood tree. We also have a polar window, the nativity mantle piece and our bay window tree display. Lights and bunting feature prominently in all displays.

3. Decorations. I’m a lot keener on decorations than Mr S and am always looking for something special. Sometimes I may pop them straight into the decorations box so at Christmas time, I can sweetly reply oh this old thing! I also do try to purchase a decoration on holiday every year as a memory of family times. I also think you can never have too many twinkling lights.

4. I love my Christmas themed homeware. I feel that in December you should only be eating a mince pie from a Christmas plate! Likewise you should only dry your hands on a Christmas towel. Unusually I haven’t Christmas bedding (yet)

5. Sparkling house. This is one from my childhood, on Christmas Eve the house must be clean and tidy, fresh linen on every bed and empty washing and ironing baskets.

6. Tommy the elf. Tommy is the best Christmas tradition and the nightly notes are a wonderful diary of our month.

7. Christmas food is for Christmas, at the earliest Christmas Eve, don’t ask for it before!

8. Whilst my family think they’re humouring me, I know that secretly they love their Christmas jumpers!

9. For at least the past 25 years, I’ve always had lychees at Christmas. It’s a bit random. but I’m as happy tucking into my lychees as a posh box of chocolates!

10. I love cooking and I start planning my menu as soon as the Good Food Vegetarian is published. On Christmas Day cooking in the kitchen listening to the carols on Classic FM is my time. The Christmas Eve menu is always simple pie, mash and pies so I can create a special dessert. This year it was Baked Alaska which definitely has the wow factor.

11 My simple pleasure is to sit down and watch a 30 minute animated story with the children. This year it’s The Tiger who Came to Tea. The cuddles, laughter and warmth make it one of those special moments.

I love reading about others’ traditions, the simplest actions can make the fondest memories.

Last year we went to the illuminated Christmas tree festival with my parents and enjoyed it so much we returned this year and decided to make it a festive day out. We started by meeting for a Mexican lunch complete with Santa hats , then pottering around the Christmas markets before dusk fell and finally exploring the Winter Wonderland. The trees are beautiful and really give you the festive feels.

This year we added something different to our trip and after exploring the trees we went on the Ferris wheel to see the display from up high. I love a Ferris wheel as does my dad and it added a little something special to our day, the lights twinkling below us.

Day 15 : Hiding in a glass

Day 16 : Elphabet blackboard

Day 17 : Packed lunch Tommy

Day 18 : 7 days ’til Christmas

Day 19 : Collecting the coppers

Day 20 : Listening to the Elf soundtrack

Day 21 : Munching the gingerbread

Day 8 : A pot of tea

Day 9 : Making paper snowflakes

Day 10: Captured in the Lego city

Day 11 : Trapped in the Printer/ Copier

Day 12 : A new family game

Day 13 : New Christmas jumpers for Jumper day

Day 14 : Plane spotting

Early on Sunday morning I did my Christmas shop window run (it’s a thing for me!) I run through town and appreciate every Christmas window. It’s a slow but a special run. Our high street is full of independent traders and their windows help create the festive atmosphere in town. There is a little bit of magic as you look into every window.

Sometimes it’s the little things which make the memories. I remember when the children were little, waiting for the dark, wrapping up warm and walking into town with a push chair and a toddler, peering into windows and delighting in the lights and decorations.

Since I have started this blog, I have written a post on election evening with a little prediction. It’s been a strange old election, there’s not so much weariness with politics but anger and I feel as a society we’re divided. There is an edge and nastiness to campaigning. We live in a very safe conservative seat in a small rural town but even here we experienced some political hate. One afternoon on the school run, a parent thought it was acceptable to shout Labour scum to canvassers politely handing out leaflets by the school and in front of children. Politics should be respectful and we should all accept that whilst we may have different opinions we are all united in many ways.

For the first election in years, I was unable to attend our local hustings which is always an interesting and entertaining evening. It never has any bearing on the way I vote but I like the discussion. I voted after school today as I think it’s important to take the children and for them to understand the importance of voting. Little Man posted my ballot paper and was delighted to get a sweet from the teller too. Sadly there were no #dogsatpollingstations for us.

I’m finding it hard to predict the result, this morning in conversation with a friend I predicted it could go either way, a big conservative majority or a hung parliament. I think we’re approaching a period of change in our political systems, it appears the young have voted in significant numbers today and there is desire for change.

I normally stay up all night but have a pretty full on 10 days and think the all nighter could wipe me out when I need to be on top form. I’ll watch the exit polls at 10, try to sleep until around 2am and then listen on headphones in bed drifting in and out of sleep depending how exciting it is. There are rumours of big names being ousted in this election, even the PM’s seat is not safe!

I’ll edit this post tomorrow to see how accurate my predictions were.

This weekend is one of my favourite of the year. There are a lot of local events which take place over the weekend, the Christmas tree festival which we visited on Thursday after school, the Christmas market and then the Scouting and Guiding candlelit carol service on Sunday evening. It’s a weekend focusing on community and leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling.

Little Miss and I were up early on Saturday morning to help set up my school’s market stall. We were selling our eco themed goods which the students have been busy making in our enterprise hub. We are a special needs school but every single student contributes in some way to the product and we are really proud of their work. The public agreed and we had a very successful day. It was fun being a market trader, to be honest our goods sold themselves but many people were interested in our project and it was nice to talk about our school. The market is great for meeting up with friends and neighbours and lots visited our stall. The Christmas market is one of those community events where everyone does make a real effort to pop down and with it being a mild day there were lots at the market. With delicious festive food and drinks, live music throughout the day and lovely craft stalls the Christmas market really is a highlight of the season.

Whilst I stayed on the school stall, for the first time Little Miss was allowed to go off on her own with two friends to do their Christmas shopping. They were so happy and came back with their top secret shopping bags and feeling very grown up! Mr S and Little Man explored the market too and Little Man spent his pocket money after much consideration on fudge!

Another highlight this weekend was the candle lit carol service for the town’s guiding and scouting groups. It’s set in a beautiful church and with so many candles lighting the service, no other lights are needed. There’s a good mix of well loved carols played by musicians and appropriate readings and fun for the children. I was very proud that Little Man was the flag bearer for the cubs. The service is very well attended and again is a time for the community to come together and celebrate. After the service the children serve tea and warm mince pies to the congregation, providing another opportunity to relax and chat to friends and acquaintances. This is what this weekend is all about, community events for us all to meet and celebrate Christmas in a relaxed and warm atmosphere.

Day 1 : Parachuting home.

Day 2 : Flight of the dragons.

Day 3 : Wrapping up warm.

Day 4 : T is for Tommy.

Day 5 : Hiding in Little Miss’ blazer.

Day 6 : Rainbow Tommy.

Day 7 : Minecraft Tommy.

One of my favourite Christmas activities is to go and visit the annual Christmas tree festival at a local church. This year there are 45 trees to view and be inspired.

Our school is exhibiting again and we’ve gone for an eco theme, there is no plastic on our tree, except for the lights and our decorations are made from cones picked in the local forest, paper from the recycling basket, wooden discs crafted from old branches and holly from our school gardens.

The trees in the festival are all amazing and so creative. There are knitted characters from the knitting group, gingerbread baked by school children, glass decorations by a local artist, shuttlecock characters from the badminton club etc .. Every tree has something special and unique.

The trees create a special atmosphere in the church and it is a time to be inspired and simply reflect on the coming season.

This evening the children and I attended the annual Christmas tree festival where trees are decorated and displayed by local schools, groups, businesses and individuals. Whilst I will post a few pictures in a different post, this beautiful rainbow tree really touched me tonight.

This brightly coloured tree is to celebrate the life of Will a local lad who tragically died at the age of 14. The family have launched a charity to support other young people who might be finding life a bit tough, it’s brief is so positive and life affirming and I’m sure it will have a huge effect on our town’s youth. It’s the tree which made me hug my children and say a silent prayer for Will his family and friends, may their Christmas be peaceful and full of happy memories.