a christmas recap

Welcome to 2016.

Ok we are 11 days in, but it's still all new isn't it.

We arrived back home in Portland on 1st January (at 11.57pm to be precise), returning from a fabulous busy family fun filled two weeks in the UK.  A trip long awaited and that of course went by in a flash of partying, feasting, drinking, feasting, gift opening, festivities, fireworks and did I mention feasting!

London looked fab, of course.  Street lights, Christmas trees, wonderfully decorated store windows.  My only regret was that we didn't have time to see more.

I really loved taking the kids to a Christmas Eve carol service gathering outside the local church.  With my mulled wine in hand and singing all carols (very) loud and clear!  My son, now 13 and full of runaway hormones, had a look caught somewhere between embrarrassment and amusement looking on at us.  My kids hadn't ever attended a carol service, so this was a totally new and wonderful experience for them.  I shall be seeking out more in their future.

Days rolled into one another.  Family, friends, cousins meeting cousins for the first time, seeing aunts and uncles that we hadn't seen for more than 4 years in some cases.  Sadly not seeing everyone we'd hoped to.  Feeling we are missing being closer to everyone.  Holding on extra long for goodbye hugs.  Tears or laughter, joy and sadness.

Lots of champagne, gin and tonics, sausage rolls, mince pies and chocolates!

It was a Christmas well spent.

Wishing you a wonderful year ahead filled with good things.

X X X

have a jolly holly christmas

Wishing you all good things for Christmas.  

May you receive something delightful in your Christmas stocking.

And your days be merry and bright.

E A T   D R I N K 

&

B E   M E R R Y

H A P P Y   C H R I S T M A S

all i want for christmas

I'm sure I nearly broke the internet this pastnweek with all my online shopping!  As most of our gifts go to family and friends over in the UK, internet shopping is the only way to go to avoid crazy shipping costs from the US to 5000+ miles away!

So now everybody else is taken care of (including doing all Santa's work for him too!), my thoughts turn to a few things that caught my eye during my shopping marathon.  Maybe a certain someone will read this post!

 

Nails Inc London 'Snowflake' Limited Edition

Jo Malone 154 Cologne

(I smelt this on my best friend and itwas wonderful)

Cityblock turtleneck sweater from Madewell

A tall beautiful Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree in a big white pot.






Dwell Shiny Urchin Sculpture decoration


H A P P Y   M O N D A Y

merry christmas

Wishing you

Love + Laughter

Health + Happiness

and

A few nice things in your Christmas stocking.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

X X X

getting festive around here

We've got our Christmas sparkle on around here. 

Lights are twinkling.

Reindeer is sparkling.

Bells are jingling.

A weekend of fun social events is planned (only one of which is hosted by us!)

Christmas gift shopping done

(just waiting on the mailman to deliver a couple, before Christmas hopefully).

Now I'm looking forward to the wrapping

with some festive music playing

(I just downloaded the Holidays Rule album, to update our usual Christmas tunes a little)

together with a glass of mulled wine.

Turkey ordered in our British 'Turkey at Christmas' tradition

(although we did already eat turkey for Thanksgiving, now our American tradition!).

H A P P Y   P R E - C H R I S T M A S   W E E K E N D

santa - a non-believer in the house

The Santa bubble for my son has burst!  At 11 he no longer believes.  He has questioned and doubted for a couple of years, maybe longer, but possibly didn't want to disbelieve incase the gifts stopped coming!  In the past he has asked "Is Santa real?".  We've responded with "What do you think?".

But now we've had the chat.  Us honestly answering his rhetorical question "It's you, isn't it?"

"So it is you that eats the cookies and carrots and drinks the milk!"   Surprise!!!

We talked about how much we loved building the magic and fantasy of Santa flying the world over  delivering presents to children from his enormous sack on his magnificent sleigh.  How he had loved to hear the stories of Christmas elves and reindeers with red noses, of Santa's belly that shook like a bowl full of jelly!  The letters he had sent to the North Pole.  The sleigh bells he was so sure he could hear on Christmas Eve.  How we all loved the excitement and imagination that goes with believing in Santa. Putting your hopes and wishes in someone you want to believe in.

I could feel a little tear in my eyes as we talked to each other about the magic and delight of the past years at Christmas for him.  How he too would do the same for his children one day, just like our parents had done for us.  My father had climbed up in to our attic one Christmas and jingled the bells gently so that we would quickly snuggle in bed and not be awake when Santa arrived - he was obviously close by!  That we would continue will all the traditions we have built as a family around Christmas time. Nothing would change.

He wasn't upset.  He didn't ask why we had 'lied' to him or tricked him.  He had come to his own conclusion over time and possibly feels quite 'grown up' being in on the secret of Santa now.  It's a good time to 'come clean' as I didn't want him to get in an embarrasing situation with friends who may also be in the know.

He was reassured that he would still receive his stash of goodies but that he'd now know that mum and dad are really those elves doing the hours of browsing, shopping, spending and wrapping and we loved to do it for him and his sister.

And then we also gave a stern "Do not tell your 5 year old sister" warning!

H A P P Y   H O L I D A Y S

the good, the bad and the ugly holiday sweater

Festive holidays are here and the arrival of the seasonal sweater seems to come with it!   I've already been to one Ugly Holiday Sweater party (so hilarious) and we've had the Ugly Sweater Run here in Portland recently too.  The 'Holiday Sweater' seems to be much more of a US thing than the other countries I've lived.  And there sure are some frightful sights to behold!  It's sometimes hard to know whether someone is wearing their sweater as a dare or out of choice, so be careful with any comments!

If you can't resist adding a festive sweater to your wardrobe, here are some designs which give enough nod to the season, but aren't all covered in Santa, snowmen, reindeers, jingle bells and flashing lights and won't win you first prize at an Ugly Sweater party.

Asos

Asos

JCrew

French Connection

D O   N O T   W E A R   T H I S

hosting a drinks party

We are planning a festive party at our home for a whole bunch of neighbours and their kids.  It has grown from about 20 last year, to 30+ this year.   And now my head is filled with a whole lot of planning.  Food. Drinks. Decorating. What to Wear?????

A signature drink is always a good start to welcome people.  Last year we had glasses of Prosecco to hand. This year I'm thinking of this Cider Bourbon Cocktail which sounds so festive, warming and will definitely have a kick!

We will make homemade Blinis topped with Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream and Chives.

christmas gift wrapping - keeping it simple

This year I'm particulary drawn to gifts wrapped in brown parcel paper, tied with simple ribbons, sprigs of follage, a festive stamp printed on, or a little personal touch.  So instead of a multitiude of colours, I'm determined this year to wrap my gifts simply and stylishly.  I'll leave the mis-matched snowmen, trees, snowflake and reindeer printed wrappings to Santa!

These are some of my favourite styles

here


here

(images via Pinterest unless otherwise linked to).


H A P P Y   W R A P P I N G!

(I'll post photographs of my own wrapped gifts when they are finally ready.)

the alternative christmas tree

Are you starting to plan your Christmas holidays yet?  Apologies if you aren't quite ready to take that step, but after another Pinterest session, and seeing Fall and Halloween Pins now being gazumped by all things festive, I hope you'll forgive an early(ish) Christmas post!

We are hosting a drinks party in early December for lots of neighbours.  I want the house feeling festive and Christmassy, and so our tree will be up about a week earlier than usual.  I love getting our Christmas tree.   What a fabulous selection we have here in Oregon (this State is the largest grower and supplier of Christmas trees).  My favorites are Blue Spruce or Nordic Pine.  I love decorating it and then having a wonderful tree twinkling at us for a few weeks.  The day it finally has to come down due to an avalanche of pine needles when someone gets within a few feet of it, is a sad day indeed.

I would never not have a real Christmas tree, but I'm finding the alternative tree might be fun addition to have around the house (inside or outside) too.  Creative.  Design conscious.  Modern.  Fun.  Absolutely not to everyone's liking.  A conversation starter!  Whatever you may call it, they are growing on me.

Here's a few fun alternatives to the traditional Christmas tree …

Would you ever swtich from a traditional style Christmas tree to a tree that 

was little more abstract, modern and unusual?

winter cocktails I'd like to make

Cosy evenings

Fires

Candles

Winter cocktails to keep you warm.

These are on my list to try out this winter.

Spiced Amaretto Apple Cider

Cider Bourbon Cocktail

(I made this cider bourbon drinks soooo many times over the festive season - a huge hit and perfect for the winter months)

Sage & Citrus Sipper

Blood Orange Champagne Cocktail

C H E E R S !!

sparkles and lights

That's how our house has felt this Christmas.  Our first Christmas in our new US home.  Lights all around outside, 2 trees sparkling, candles, sparkling twigs with tiny little lights on, fairy lights in the kiddos bedrooms.  I don't think I'll ever want to take all the decorations down come the new year.

A sprinkling of snow just before Christmas.

 Candy canes - a Christmas necessity in our house!

And a beautiful display at a local deli.

My very favourite Christmas decoration. 

A big sparkling reindeer head on canvas over our fireplace.

(Made by the Huzz)

Sparkles and lights.

Boxing Day table setting for lunch with friends.

Annual trip to the Zoo Lights at Oregon Zoo. 

Love this tree at the entrance.

A little holiday crafting.  So many cardboard boxes in the house

we decided to make some little sparkly roof houses for Ruby to play with.

New hat taking a trip to the Zoo Ligths.

Gingerbread house and lollipops in lights.

Our Christmas wreath.  An oldie but I still love it.

Hope you've been enjoying the Christmas holidays and relaxing as much as we have.