Julie's Advent Calendar for 2016

24rd December, 2016              

                                                          

This will be my last link to Julie's Advent Calendar (thanks Julie) and I just want to share a Christmas Card that I received in 1998 whilst we were still living in South Africa from a friend here in the UK.   Somehow it really amused me and instead of disposing it with the other cards I put it in my Christmas Decorations Box and it comes out every year! 

This time tomorrow night our whole family with be gathering here to have our main Christmas meal - traditional turkey, ham and all the trimmings for the meat eaters and vegi dinner (they share the trimmings) for Hawthorn and Eldest and a gluten free choice for our IBS sufferer.  Thankfully my daughter-in-law has been here this afternoon to help prepare all the vegetables and help make a spinach and feta pie for the vegi members.  So all that is left to do is to cook the turkey and ham and roast the potatoes  and vegetables tomorrow.   We plan to go as usual to the midnight service at Trawden Church, weather permitting, as storm Barbara is threatening to blow in with gale force winds and heavy rain. 

Then on Christmas Day we take plates of cold meat and the remains of the puddings to Hawthorns' home where she will have mulled wine, and a table full of finger food and her house will smell of cooking jacket potatoes.  There we will exchange presents and all be terribly spoilt if it is like past years.

So all that is left is for me to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful craft filled 2017.

Card from the Oxfam selection. 

Julie's Advent Calendar for 2016

23rd December, 2016

I have included some of our old tree decorations in earlier posts but those pictures were taken a few years ago. Now we have put our tree up and I have taken two more pictures to show you two more special tree ornaments.

The first is of a group of decorations wired together.  The two white bells are from 1960 but the yellow bell is very much older.  It is of brittle plastic and is from 1949.  We had more and they were considered very modern, plastic, not glass!!   The three have a tiny bit of tinsel wrapped around, it has tarnished and shrivelled with age but still very special to me.

My second picture is a complete change, my snowman is only a couple of years old and I just love him.  He looks as though he is made of icing and should be edible. 

Julie's Advent Calendar for 2016

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22nd December, 2016

I am sure many of you will  have seen Father Ted on TV and will remember the late Frank Kelly who played Father Jack.  But have you heard his version of the 12  Days of Christmas, Irish style.   Do listen and have a laugh!!  12 Days of Christmas, Irish Style.  

Poor Santa....

Julie's Advent Calendar for 2016

21th December, 2016

Its only 4.05pm and already cars have their headlights on, thank goodness that as from tomorrow days will be getting longer again, even if only by a few minutes at least it feels it is heading in the right direction.

So here is a drink to the gradual (very gradual) approach of spring.  Cheers!! 

Christmas 2012 I decided that I  had to find some Babycham for the now more grownup grandchildren.  I was allowed it at their age.  What a job, but we eventually found some at Tesco Skipton.   Well, it was not as delicious as I remembered it to be, boys were not that impressed and we definitely should have watered it down for them.   They got very giggly.   

Maybe somethings should be left as happy memories, they are better that way as they don't always turn out as you remember them to be!! 

Julie's Advent Calendar for 2016

20th December, 2016

Was wandering around B&M in Skipton and saw this in the pets section - you know the part where you are supposed to buy toys and treats for your pets who most probably would rather have a juicy bone.  I could not resist taking a picture as our son's lab Jess looks very like the  dog in the picture.

 

The three 'granddogs' in our family just may wear the scarf for a short while but the beanie would be off in a trice!! 

Julie's Advent Calendar for 2016

19th December, 2016

Just heard the weather forecast for the week ahead including the Christmas weekend and there seems to be only heavy winds, cooler temperatures and no snow.  So this little cartoon I pinched of Clipart that I was saving for a suitable downfall of snow might just as well make its appearance now.  

Been browsing through old snowy pictures and after thinking how pretty the view looked outside our window..............

I then saw this..............

and remembered all the digging out and the slush.............


So instead, here is my virtual snowball!! 

Julie's Advent Calendar for 2016

18th December, 2016

Today we put up our tree.  It's not quite finished as this year we decided to move some furniture around first.  As usual that sort of thing took longer than I anticipated.  So although the lights and most of the baubles are on I still have quite a bit to do.  So I have put this picture on that I pinched off Clip art. We have not had snow yet and have not been promised a white Christmas so this snowman is just wistful thinking!

Actually, to tell the truth, I am just waffling on, the tree is not finished as everything stopped so I could watch Strictly Come Dancing** final on TV.

** It's known as  Dancing with the Stars outside the UK.  Will do better tomorrow.