Hello friends
Blog posts are a little sporadic at the moment, I've got quite a bit going on
at home but I am very pleased to say my Dad is on the mend.
He's begun to potter again and visiting his workshop.
I thought it was time to offer a Sunday Giveaway and how about something festive?
It is such a pretty die and here is a project using it that was recently featured on the
Spellbinders website.
Please leave a comment and because I adore Christmas - I'm always interested
to hear how others celebrate Christmas, perhaps share any special
traditions or rituals you have?
Right up until my boys were 16 we still left out carrots for the reindeer!
Take care friends and hope you are having a good weekend.
42 comments:
Hi Christine, hope everything is ok, glad your dad is up & about. Gorgeous card love the tree & banner. Love Christmas and for the last 4 years we have gone out for Christmas day dinner and best thing we ever started so that is our ritual , working in Retail you dont get much break so it really helps to be a bit stress free. Have a great day x
Hi Christine, what a lovely card ! Have been making Christmas cards since July - it is so hard to get materials here in Portugal. We have Christmas lunch outside if possible - it has been 31 degrees some years - we lay a festive table and have turkey with all the trimmings and then go for a swim - best of both worlds ! Hugs Rose xx
Hi Christine,
Good news about your Dad, I'm glad he is starting to get back to pottering around again. We still leave carrots out for Rudolph and mince pies and a Brandy for Santa. My 19 & 25 year olds think I'm mad, but it's all part of Christmas. They still also have big stockings outside of their bedroom doors on Christmas morning, which they have to come and open on our bed. I'm not sure how this will work this year as my Daughter now has her own home. We shall see.
Hope all is ok with you.
Chris xx
Hi Christine. So glad your dad is on the mend.
In Spain, Christmas is a much more laid back affair than the UK but a tradition that was started when my children were small (they're 42 and 40 now) still lives on and that is reading "Twas the night before Christmas" On Christmas Eve they'd have a bath get snuggled into their pj's and sit by the fire whilst i recited the poem to them. I can still remember the look on the their faces. Nowadays I read it out loud to Gracie my little dog and usually a cat or two. Not quite the same reaction but lovely anyway.
Have a good Sunday.
Love Val x
Morning Christine
I am so pleased your Dad is on the mend
Usually we have a busy family Christmas with everyone coming to us, it can be hectic but I love this time it is very precious
Pat x
Hi Christine, really love this die, it fits my idea of Christmas to a tee. Our Christmas tradition goes back to when my husband of 42 years was a small boy. About October he would start to ask when his Christmas tree was going up. His parents came up with the solution to his constant questioning by telling him that he could have his tree on his mother's birthday 5th December and even now we still put up the tree and lights on that day. The cards will be made and written the cake puddings and mincemeat will be ready for eating, the Christmas carols will be playing, oh boy writing this I am so excited, roll on Christmas!!!!!!
Love and hugs (and a Merry Christmas)
Linda in south shields, basking in sunshine ready for the finish off the Great North Run.
Morning Christine,
Love the Christmas tree die. Pleased to hear your Dad is on the mend and able to potter about.
We have a very quite Christmas Day now, but a family day on Boxing Day, with silly games and my granddaughter plays songs on the piano, and we try to sing.
Lydia
X
Hi Christine,
Glad everything is slowly getting back to normal for you. My daughter and I go to the cinema and watch one of the childrens christmas films. Thats nothing you might say but my daughter was 30 last birthday. I love it.
Morning Christine
So pleased to hear that your Dad is on the mend, I'm sure he feels much better being able to get back into his workshop!
Christmas Day is usually a quiet time for us, with a family get together on Boxing Day.
Thank you for the chance of winning this lovely die.
Janice x
Very glad to hear your Dad us up & about. Christmas starts just afger Hubbys birthday (30th Nov), we always get a takeaway on Christmas Eve then hubby cooks everything. Not sure whats happening this year as i'm working Boxing Day & Saturday- Hospital Pharmacy only "shut" on Christmas Day and even then theres a team on-call. On a sad note, it's not quite the same since my Mum passed away (Jan 2103) so we're still adjusting to that.
I think the 3D christmas tree die is fabulous & would love to be in with a chance to win it.
Michele.
Hi Christine
So pleased to hear your Dad is making good progress.
A lovely Christmas Die Christine thanks for giving us a chance to win, good luck to all your family bloggers { oh and me too }.
My Christmas Ritual these last few years has been to get my Adopted Philippines Children some craft goodies over there in time for Christmas .
Well just to bring you up to date your Ladies are remarkable and i just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart , you will make these children so so happy when they see the Huge stash they have to play and create with this year. I have spoken to Carol who works at the School as well as the Church and she says they will use some craft at the School too So thank you again .......
Patricia Howarth...
Lydia Jordan...
Sandra Biggs...
Susan Price...
Sarah Wills...
May God Bless you all X
We have already shipped out a huge amount of the Craft goodies as there was such a lot ,haha...along with a load of clothes , second hand phones, cups ,plates, ornaments simply everything and anything of use that we collect or would normally throw away every year { if the Pilippine's people can not use the goods for themselves then they sell by the side of the road and the money is put by for medicines , we always try to fill the box that is as large as a washing machine .
Well this went last weekend so they will get it probably a week or two before Christmas .
Anymore craft goods will go via my son and Ricardo on the way back to the Philippines on Dec 19th .
On Christmas Evening { Philippines Christmas Morning }
We usually meet up by my sons { skype i think its called and have a chat } however this year i don't know if this will happen ??? because my son will be over there LOL i have only just thought of that .
Anyhow enough of my chatter
Have a lovely Sunday Christine
Elaine H X
Good to hear you had is doing well and back in the workshop, which is always a good sign. Lovely die. We stopped at 16 too with the carrots and mince pie my boys are now 18 and 21 xx hazel
Good to hear you had is doing well and back in the workshop, which is always a good sign. Lovely die. We stopped at 16 too with the carrots and mince pie my boys are now 18 and 21 xx hazel
Look at me bright and early!! I'm usually last. Sooo pleased to hear your dad is making steady progress and beginning to feel better. Well, we still put the Santa Stop Here sign and my children have been left home ages !!!!!! Thanks for the chance to win this pretty die xx
Pretty card - love the three D effect which will still go in the post.
Good morning Christine
So glad to hear your dad is on the mend and is feeling much better.
My children are 19, 15, 13 and nearly 10 and we still put out carrots for Rudolph and milk and a mince pie for Santa. They also have to have a gift from Santa (who has to write the tag too). I love these traditions and hope they never grow out of them as it keeps the magic of Christmas alive. I am lucky to work with young children too and I love to see their faces when they meet Santa. Brilliant.
As for my I just love to have my family around me and lots of good food and drink - Fantastic.
Enjoy your Sunday, a mountain of ironing keeps calling me but I am trying my best to ignore it.
Lesley
Morning Christine - fab card and that tree is lovely and delicate. I have recently begun my Christmas cards and changing between batch and one off. Christmas is a family affair and I travel down to older family members in London where I do the cooking and make the table decorations. This is just following on from what my dad, now sadly passed away, always did at xmas.
x
Gorgeous card Christine, lovely idea for tree too. Glad Dad i getting better.
We are going to Benidorm for Christmas and taking Mum and MIL too. xxxx
Hi Christine,
Thank you for the chance to win this lovely die. Good luck everyone,
I love Christmas too,having all the family together is all I need and love.
I hope you have a good Sunday. Take care. x.
Hi Christine. The 3D Christmas Tree is lovely, thank you for giving us the chance to win it. It will make wonderful cards and decorations. Good luck everyone : )
I love Christmas too and we have quite a few traditions even though our children are 27, 25 and 19.(We now have 2 grand daughters of 5 and 3 so they join in too.) Here are a couple.
In October my Mum makes the Christmas puddings with help from at least one of the children, the grand daughters helped last year, and everyone gives the pudding a stir and makes a wish. My Mum's Gran did the same with her family so it's a tradition that has come down.
On Christmas Eve, just before the youngest person goes to bed, we all sit on our (thankfully large) sofa with just the Christmas tree lights and candles for light and I read "Twas the night before Christmas". (It is the only time it is read which makes it all the more special)It always brings tears to us older ones eyes. Even during their teenage years our children insisted this carry on.
With our growing family there were 10 squeezed all over our sofa last year! It is a very special time : )
Glad to hear that your Dad is on the mend, you must all be delighted to see him in his shed again.
Have a good day. Take care.
Hi Christine, glad to hear your Dad is better.
Love the Tree die. We have a traditional Christmas at my Daughters each year in Cornwall, but since my kids were very little I have always done a treasure hunt for them after Christmas dinner where they get an extra present and I still do this now even though they are 32 & 26!!! Every year i write my own rhymes for them to follow, never repeated one yet lol!They love it and look forward to it each year I now also add in my hubby and Daughters partner lol!
Love & Hugs
Jacquie J xxx
http://jewelscardcraft.blogspot.co.uk
Pretty card and great to hear that your Dad is feeling better.
Take care
Claire
Hi Christine, Glad your Dad is getting better ,love the tree card .love Jean Z xx
Hi Christine, A really lovely card and die-cuts.
So glad your Dad is on the mend, starting to potter about is a good sign.
Going out for Christmas Dinner is a definite 'must', I used to stress out so much trying to combine everything I had to do and get it all to come together at the same time, now we go out and it is 'stress free' - fabulous !!
I would give anything to be 'Breezes' (Rose) above, having Christmas lunch in 31 degrees in Portugal, that would be 'heaven' to me.
Lots of love from Patricia xx
Hi Christine,I am so happy to hear that your Dad is on the mend.
I love your card to day ,that tree Die is super,I would love to win it.
Christmas in our house changes,from year to year,as my son who is A ships Captain,is only home every second year.My Daughter lives in Wales,her hubby works for Royal Mail,so only has 2 days off.
He is home this year.
Christmas never happened here last year,as I was so ill
We as a Family will be in the same place,at the same time,in Nov.,for our Grand Daughter's Christning,in Nov., so I think we will have Christmas early.
Ita..
Hi Christine, I'm liking your card and the die very much.
We have had a difficult year and this Christmas is going to be a hard one for everyone close to us. For that reason we have decided to do something different on Christmas Day to try and help the situation. We are going out for Christmas lunch and it's the first time that we have done this so hopefully all will be ok. Boxing Day will be a family day too I'm sure and then we're going away for a few days over New Year.
All in all, everything will be different.
Take care
Toni xx
Hi Christine,
So glad your Dad is on the mend.
Love the card.
Since there are just the 2 of us we don't have any christmas rituals. Every year we do something different, so sometimes with family, sometimes in USA or Canada. Occasionally just a cosy chill out day together with long dog walks.
Cheers
Janice
Like everyone else I am glad your dad is getting better. We only have a quiet Christmas, the four of us, we lost our darling German Shepherd, Sam, in January, so it will be strange without him. We have an almost rescue dog now, Molly, she is a Sprollie and has helped us enormously in our grief. My eldest son spent a few Christmases in Finland, it's so different there, as the main event is Christmas Eve, like so many European countries.
If they don't have snow, they call it Black Christmas. Would love to be in with a chance of winning the die, love Carolyn x
Pleased to know that your dad is on the mend. All the best to him.
Your card is lovely and the tree die is such a clever design. I have started on my Christmas cards (that's a first for me in September, but it makes obvious sense). I used to make 'stockings' for my sons right up to the time they left home at 26 and 24! These days we do something different every year sometimes home sometimes away. I think I'd love a Christmas Cruise one day with all the family. Dream on Susan.
Hello Christine. This is a great die and makes a lovely card. We don't do any unusual activities at Xmas time and I think that's what makes it so special - we cook together, open presents together, clean up together (well sometimes) and then play games together in the evening. With our busy lives often going in different directions it's that being together that is wonderful. xxMargaretxx
great project,glad to hear your dad is on the mend ,Christmas is the time for kids and for making little traditions .Laura O
Hi Christine
That is a lovely die, so pretty. Thanks for the chance to win it. I love being with my family for Christmas and watching my small granddaughter's face as she opens her gifts. AnnieS. x
Hi Christine. So pleased your dad is on the mend.
We have our family Christmas dinner on the Sunday before Christmas, when all the family, children and grandchildren, get together and celebrate.
When our children were younger we used to get up at four in the morning to milk the cows so we could be back in bed, 'asleep', before they woke up to open their presents. I found that they were so excited that they didn't want to eat Christmas dinner, so we opted to have the dinner on the Sunday and this has been the tradition ever since. Tea time on Christmas Day would be high tea with lots of trifle and Christmas cake.
Mince pies and sherry would be left for Santa, and hay and cattle nuts for the reindeer who would leave a pile of droppings as proof of their visit, (sheep droppings from the neighbouring farm)! Lovely memories. Anne x
HI Christine, yet again on catch up! This is a lovely die isn't it? A super card as well! Glad your dad is on the mend, hugs Carole Z X
Morning Christine, it's Monday and I've just received the blog post. What a lovely die, I like the 3d aspect of it. Pleased to hear your Dad is feeling better. My sons are 29 and 27 and I still put together a stocking for them (my mum made the stockings when they were babies and is no longer with us). They say they still enjoy opening them So I carry on! They have both left home but always come on Christmas day, one stays a few days and the other has dinner every other year. Have to share with partners families too. After a huge dinner we play a board game, go for a walk to see everybody's Christmas lights and then chat the night away. I love it!
Have a good week
Eileen
Hi Christine
Glad to hear your Dad is on the road to recovery. I love the card, and hey, what's this ?? not leaving a carrot out for Rudolph
anymore, I am sure he misses it LOL!!
Take care
Sue
Christine, even my grandchildren are older than your boys, so it's a very long time since any carrots and mince pies were left out in this house. Love the tree and the card though. LOL.
Hi Christine, I would have loved to have been in with a chance to win the wonderful Spellbinders die, unfortunately though, Bloglovin decided to send out all the Sunday updates for the blogs I follow today!!!
I'm going to have to think of a better way to keep up with them all. Anyway, I hope the winner loves the die as it looks wonderful. x
So Pleased that Dad is on the mend. It must have been a worry for you and your Mum. If he is heading for the shed it must mean he is on the mend. Love the 3D tree it looks so elegant. Valerie
Hi Christine, good to hear your Dad is making progress :)
We really do not have any set Christmas traditions here, now that my sons are grown it's all change from years ago. One son lives in California and the other lives here with us, it's hard to celebrate properly when the older one is on his own 6000 miles away :( Still, we now have a grandchild so things are changing, she's 4 years old and it looks like she'll be spending Boxing Days with us so we're moving our celebrations to that day.
Hi Christina
Another stunning card as usual. The tree is absolutely stunning from Spellbinders. Thanks fir sharing your gift of inspiration with us.
hi Christine
Glad to hear your Dad is improving and hope things are OK with you.
I love Christmas Eve when all the shops have closed and you can settle down to setting the table for dinner all decorated with pretty things I make little boxes and put little surprises in this year will be easier as I got the beautiful box die from you so the boxes will all be lovely.
Luv n hugs Annxx
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