where the journey takes me 2

December 8, 2021

creating Christmas * day 7…the donations

Christmas is a time for giving….so the saying goes, and for me it is not just about giving presents to people I know but spreading the giving a little wider, especially giving to those who are less fortunate than myself and people I may never meet.

As a family we really do have more than we need and for us Christmas is a very pleasant indulgence. I put things on my Not so Secret Santa list that I know I might not buy for myself. They are not always useful things or things I need but I think at least at Christmas I can satisfy having something just because I would like to have it and not feel a pang of guilt.

But I know not everyone is so lucky. There are many less fortunate people, homeless and lonely. So with the Christmas spirit of giving in mind I put aside some time today to think of others and do some giving by sending out a few donations to some of my favourite charities like the Salvation Army who do amazing work at Christmas giving up their time to help people in need.

It is not all monetary donations though I do try to give back in other ways by using my time to make a few ‘crafty’ items to sell at our local Church Christmas coffee morning where all the proceeds go to support the charity Crisis. They provide homeless people with a Christmas dinner, warm clothing and hairdressing on Christmas Day.

I love making things that will help to raise some of the money – part of the fun is thinking up ideas of things to make that use very inexpensive materials. Over the years I have made rag dolls, stockings, tree decorations, writing boxes and wreaths. Below are a few of the things I have made.

These little bags below were made from left over wrapping paper and old Christmas cards – like a selection box they contained a handful of the assorted mini chocolate bars – the ones you can always find on offer in any supermarket at Halloween time.

These painted terracotta plant pots I got free from a lady in the village where our cottage is in Scotland. I bought a pack of tulip bulbs to divide up between the pots and packaged them in cellophane with a hand stamped label.

Using a variety of stamps and coloured inks I made an assortment of six little Christmas cards and packaged them in these pretty tissue parcels – all hand stamped.

Even if I am not able to do anything else it doesn’t cost me much in time or money to add a few extra Christmas groceries to our local food bank when I am shopping in Sainsbury’s or fill a shoebox with a few inexpensive items for one of the Children’s Christmas Shoebox appeals.

My attempts at giving back never feel like they amount to much, they are small gestures but I do hope the little I do to give back helps to put a smile of someone’s face this Christmas.

Other than that today I had to go to the hospital in Leeds to have the usual routine blood tests. It was rather challenging trying to get there as they have closed some of the roads that lead to our house for resurfacing and in their wisdom the ones that they closed today were different to the ones they said they would close on the website information (I suppose I could have guessed that!). Then just outside our village we were held up at a junction as three wide load escorted lorries pulled out in front of us and joined the main road, then proceeded at 20 miles an hour down the middle of the road all the way into town. It was another 3 miles before we could turn off onto an alternative route. The alternative route took us off the main road to town and onto a windy back road where we then ran into a tractor (not literally) that was hedge cutting and removing overhanging branches for the council and had to crawl along behind him!

Luckily the blood tests are done on a walk in arrangement rather than an appointment time. Afterwards we had a trip to Ikea for one of those picture ledge shelves and a wander around Home Sense. It was quite late when we arrived back home and hence the reason I am late with today’s post which you will be reading a day late no doubt.

December 6, 2021December 7, 2021

creating Christmas * day 6…the Christmas mantel

The mantelpiece is by far my favourite spot to decorate for Christmas and it will be done before any of the other decorations are put up. So they are easily to hand and because they are quite precious the selection of items for the mantel are kept separately in a box in the house and not with the rest of the decorations that reside in the loft.

It is an odd collection – a real assortment of little bits and pieces; everything that appears on my mantel (to quote a well known person) gives me joy and over time I add a few new things and remove others.

Christmas cards that I have received and loved over the years are also kept and are added to the display and as it is quite a ‘busy’ little arrangement for my normal tastes I use the cards to give it some height and balance. This must be recycling at its best! Whatever I choose to put on the mantel my lovely dad is always amongst them.

I tend to put the things I want to display out and over the coming days I will often find myself moving and adjusting until I am satisfied. I have yet to spray the little cones with snow but that will be another day. I love the effect once the main lights are dimmed and the twinkly lights and candles are switched on.

Below are a few pictures of the same mantel going back over the years.

Just a small reminder if anyone is wanting to read the previous years posts attached to the little photos on Day 1 you need to click on the wording on the thumbnail pictures. If you just click anywhere else on the picture you will just link through to a larger picture not the actual post. I can see in my admin page that some people are having difficulty so I hope this helps.

You can also find all the previous posts for past years by clicking on the Creating Christmas picture in my sidebar.

December 5, 2021

creating Christmas * day 5…the Christmas cake

There is nothing like the smell of a Christmas cake baking in the oven. I love the whole procedure of weighing out the fruit and soaking it in brandy and orange juice a few days before adding it to the cake mixture.

My mum always made our Christmas cake along with one for my brother and sister, then when dad became less able and she had to provide a lot of care for him she was struggling to carry on the tradition so I took over and made my own. I have used the same recipe for years now and it has served us well. Neither of us like candied peel too much and the recipe I use has dried apricots cut into small pieces instead, which we much prefer.

I normally make the cake near to the end of November and then drizzle a little more brandy into the top until I am ready to decorate it – not that I always decorate it – if I have the time it gets done, otherwise it is just as good without.

Last year I had lots of help from little L who arranged these Christmas figures I found reduced in Home Bargains.

This year, like last, I plan to put marzipan and roll out icing just on the top again and dress the sides with one of those lovely old fashioned paper frills. What decorations go on the top will be anyone’s guess at the moment but I will take a picture when it is finished.

Here in Yorkshire you can expect to be given a slice of Christmas cake with a good chunk of cheese – and Wensleydale is usually the preferred variety as this is a cheese that matures well for the winter season and has a crumbly texture, though Blue Stilton is becomming quite popular.

The tradition can be traced back to Victorian times in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire when it is mentioned in a book by Joseph Lucas in 1871 called Studies in Nidderdale and reads:

“On Christmas Eve one Yule cake is given to each member of the family, along with a piece of Christmas cheese. As a rule, part of it is left for Christmas morning, and eaten at the breakfast.”

Along with the Christmas cake I have been baking three Victoria sponge cakes for my younger daughter’s 40th birthday in a few days time. They have now cooled and been popped in the freezer ready for when I have to assemble the layers and decorate it. I thought I would have another go at drizzling a chocolate ganache over the sides – fingers crossed it will be a better outcome to the one I made for little Sweetie as I won’t be able to hide the mistakes quite so well without the million and one little sprinkles I put on hers.

Tomorrow our plans have already changed, or been changed for us! Instead of a day out in Derbyshire to see the lovely Christmas decorations in all the villages and perhaps calling in at Chatsworth Farm shop we are now looking after Master Freddie for the day. Having just put out a few more Christmas Decorations in the lounge I will have to run around and move some to a higher level….he is just at that enquiring age and some items might be a bit fragile.

Hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend. x

December 4, 2021

creating Christmas * day 4…the Christmas film

Everyone has their favourite one don’t they?

Years ago on Christmas Eve when the children were about 8 and nine we would attend our Church crib service at 4 o’clock and then go into town to the local cinema to watch a Christmas film – for some reason it was never very busy. Afterwards, we would have a Pizza at one of the Pizza chains and both events were a great treat for the girls and after days of rushing around a lovely way for us all to wind down together and begin Christmas.

This was eventually superceded by the purchase of our first DVD player one year just before Christmas and the first DVD we watched was the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. It is this film that has become our family Christmas film; in fact Christmas would not be Christmas without it. We watch it at some point every year – though often we each watch it separately now our girls have their own homes and children. Over the years as you can imagine we have become word perfect but their partners like DH are still mystified as to why we still howl with laughter at the moment the Griswald lights are switched on and Aunt Bethany wraps up the cat for a present! (It must be a girl thing).

Holiday Flicks - The New York Times — Picture from Google

Now we have a whole Christmas channel on the TV so we can watch as many Christmas films as we want to at any time of day in the run up to Christmas. I find they are great to watch when ironing or baking, but my favourites are always films like Little Women, in any of the versions, and more recently The Christmas Candle has been added to my list.

So when I woke up to the grayest of days with lashing rain I knew today was the day to snuggle down on the sofa, light the candles and switch on the twinkly lights and watch my Christmas film – not forgetting to make the moment a little more special with a mug of hot chocolate and indulge in one of the recently bought Ecclefechan tarts.

Have a lovely weekend x