I had a pleasant time with Mum yesterday. As it was December 1st, I went up into their attic and found the nativity crib I knitted for her about two years ago. She unwrapped it all (it was packed in tissue paper) and I set it up on a table opposite where she sits so it is view. She was so pleased and kept looking at it and smiling happily which was lovely.
She also liked the Thorntons' chocolate Advent calendar I got for her and happily scoffed the first choccy!
Next time I come, we will get up the Christmas Tree and Dad picked a load of holly from their tree in the garden so I will make some arrangements with that.
And then a week after that, it will be our Christmas Day (on Sunday 23rd).
Margaret's comments yesterday were interesting and I have to be honest, cards on the table, I love all the Christmas hype. The lights, the music, the decorations. Personally, I have always left my own decorations until the Sunday before Christmas but it's not going to work out like that this year because of the weekends with Mum and Dad so they are going up next weekend, tree and all. The rest of that particular family tradition will be the same, just earlier. Beth and Alex (home from uni, I hope) will come over, we will have a buffet meal, put up the tree and then watch a Christmas DVD of some kind.
What I don't love is the rampant commercialism that goes hand in hand with the lights and glitter so I take what I enjoy and enjoy it but don't get involved in the rest!
Regarding the food, I have, in my freezer, a box of the best stock from last year's turkey, intended for this year's gravy and I will get that out the day before the first Christmas dinner and make it up. I also make and freeze cranberry sauce and roasties but maybe I won't prep the roasties this year as there's not so many to do for each meal. I had planned to do them the other day but didn't get round to it!
Basically, I get as much as I can pre-prepared. Works for me and it's all part of the enjoyment! It cuts down on the work load, always a Good Thing.
Today, I expect it will be a quiet day and I will knit, knit, knit! I'm sure my fingers ought to be the slimmest in the world with the amount of exercise I give them, but they're not!
Have a great day, whatever you plan to do!
Edited because I've now taken a photo of the crib set. So this is my Advent offering for today.
I think that, like with going on holiday, the preparation and build up to Christmas can be as exciting as the actual event. I just don't like to start my preparations too early.
ReplyDeleteI started my Christmas shopping yesterday so I'm hoping for a quiet one today. X
I think it makes perfect sense to be organised and pre-prepare as much as you can in advance - who wants to spend hours in the kitchen on the day when you could (and should) be enjoying time with family? We don't really 'do' Christmas as such, but we do always have a nice roast dinner and I get as much prep for it as I can done in advance.
ReplyDeleteI'm so pleased your Mum got so much enjoyment out of unwrapping and looking at your knitted nativity crib (sounds intriguing, any pics of it?).
It was lovely to read how much your mom enjoyed your nativity set. We put our tree up first weekend in December but last week, a dark gloomy afternoon seemed a good excuse and it cheered us both up 😊 I am a planner too. I even do a massive grocery stock up so I can have a lazy January as well as a relaxed Christmas day.
ReplyDeleteIt’s horrid here too, but gee the rain sounds good on the roof.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments. There's as many different persdpectives as there are people to hold them, I am sure, and that's OK. It would be a sad thing if we all thought the same.
ReplyDeleteI've now taken a photo of the crib set and added it to today's post. Hope you like it.
xx
How lovely that your mum was taking notice of the Nativity scene. I enjoy Christmas whether prepared or not. You just do your own thing - everyone has different expectations and plans but luckily there is no right or wrong way to tackle it.
ReplyDeleteLovely picture - I think my MIL had one of these knitted Nativity scenes.
What a beautiful blessing your nativity set is! I know your folks enjoy seeing it and know it was created with your hands. I have my decorations up early this year as I’m hosting a carry-in lunch this Tuesday for our retired teachers’ craft group. I’m planning to get my cards out sometime this week but don’t send as many anymore. Most of the gifts are wrapped and under the tree. My goal is be done with all of the busy work early and spend the rest of the month enjoying the true meaning of this beautiful season. Have a happy week!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure she did. It's a Jean Greenhowe pattern and very well know, challenging to the everyday knitter but well within reach. She made some lovely patterns, one way and another.
ReplyDeleteIt was lovely, thanks. This morning she walked into the living room and it was as if it was fresh up and she was delighted all over again. I'm so glad I made it for her.
Lady of the Manor (sorry, forget your name but I know it begins with Z), I think you have very good reason to get those decorations up early. Like you, I send very few cards now but I do send ecards using the Jacquie Lawson site. Do you know it? It's lovely.
xx
Joy, the nativity figures are wonderful, well done, you're so talented. No wonder your mum loves them.
ReplyDeleteAaahhh - bless you, Sooze. Your comment brought tears to my eyes. Thank you very much.
ReplyDeletexx
I LOVE the knitted nativity! Well done you, I could never manage anything like that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely scene Joy and you've given your Mum the gift of happiness every morning, wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Annabeth and VC.
ReplyDeletexx
I love he knitted nativity scene. My mum had one but I've no idea what happened to it. I'd love to have it now.
ReplyDeleteIt's all the commercial hype that I dislike, Joy, more than anything. I even received a sort-of Christmas card from Joules (the clothing company) today, posing obviously as a Christmas Card but offering me £10 off if I spent £50 or more. This is the sort of thing I dislike. And, of course, I'm not religious, although the Christmas story is a nice one. I love decorating the Christmas tree, arranging flowers for the house, writing and receiving cards and deciding on the presents for the family, but I don't need a month or more to do any of this and I didn't need a month either when I was working. I make a Christmas cake but I don't run myself into the ground trying to make everything perfect - you should just see the food section of Saturday's Telegraph and all the things to do before the big day, a veritable cooking countdown (and all to make us spend more on food we don't really need.) Everything from two weeks before Christmas making port-braised cabbage and even three days before we should "brine the turkey". This must be a new concept, soaking the bird in a brine solution. Maybe supermarkets will run out of salt now it's been recommended, ha ha!
ReplyDeleteI like your little knitted scene though, very pretty, and very neatly done.
Margaret P
www.margaretpowling.com
Thank you, Margaret.
ReplyDeleteI blame Nigella for the brining thing - she did it in one of her Christmas shows. Mind you, I brine chickens and it really does make them moist and tender so maybe there's something in it!
xx