Manna from Santa

I know I'm a bit slow at getting round to posting this, and I know that it all seems a long way off now, but I hope you all (that's all three of you who read this blog...) had a lovely Christmas. And a Happy New Year to you "all" too! Here's hoping 2012 is all that you wish it to be.

Family W had a very cosy, quiet Christmas - the first in our new house. Just four of us for the entire holiday period - me, hubby, DC and Granny; although with the amount of food and drink we had, you'd think we were expecting an army to call round for their tea. Look at these delicious treats, all handmade by hubby (with a little help from DC).


We discovered that DC is still too young to 'get' Christmas and had to be co-erced into opening his presents - in fact after he'd opened those containing a toy tool set and a new guitarhe wasn't interested in the others (except for the trampoline, which he'd had a couple of days earlier as it kept getting in the way out in the garage once all the 'extra' Christmas food needed a home!) and it was New Year's Eve before the final gifts were unwrapped. I'm sure next Christmas will be a different matter entirely. Having said that, my favourite part of Christmas day was overhearing hubby going into DC's room first thing in the morning and saying 'Oooh, look, Father Christmas has been and he's brought you some presents' while holding up DC's stocking. And DC's reply 'Has it got chocolate in it?' He is his mother's son.



We also did something we've never done before - we went to church on Christmas morning. None of us are religious, but since we can actually see the church from our house and it's all of a one minute walk away up the path opposite, we thought it might be a nice tradition to start now that we are part of a new village. I don't want us to seem like hypocrites for attending church on Christmas Day and declaring in the same sentence that we're not religious, but for us it wasn't about the religious aspects, it was more about being part of the community and saying hello and 'Merry Christmas' to our neighbours.

Father Christmas was very good to me this year; he brought gifts in all shapes and sizes; there were edible/drinkable gifts: there were gifts that could be worn: such as this great scarf from my Mum and some upside-down pyjamas and socksgifts to be read (with head tilted to one side): I'm looking forward to baking something from 'Baked in America' and making something inspired by Kirstiecrafty gifts: 'treat' gifts: including a voucher for a beauty treatment or massage at a local establishmentand tickets to the Coronation Street musical!practical gifts:

as a 'tradition' from my student days, my Mum always supplies us with a very large bag of toiletries!and the much-coveted and hard to come by (can you guess what it is yet?!)Cath Kidston iPad cover!deliciously smelly gifts:including this fabulous Avoca candle from hubby - such good taste! The box is so pretty I think it may have to stay out on display.
decorative gifts, such as these Gemma Wightman tealight holders from my dear friends (and owners of Lazyhill Gallery) R & G, to match the gorgeous bowl they gave us as a housewarming present:

and this fab milk bottle from Vermont, USA by way of Bridport vintage market and hubby:

and some 'you know me so well' gifts from my lovely friends L &B: Cath Kidston and Hotel Chocolat - what more could I ask for?

and the contents of my Christmas stocking - again full of 'you know me so well' gifts, from hubby - US chocolate and crisps, coffee, peppermint bark and some lovely vintage knivesAs you can see I was thoroughly spoilt and I'll have a lovely time wearing, reading, devouring, admiring and enjoying all of the gifts while thinking of the kind souls who gave them to me.