A different sort of Christmas -starting a new tradition?

Let's start with last night - when I actually finished the embroidered outside of my sewing box - yay!!  Onto the two lids no then eh?






Ever since 1991, Christmas has meant a 7 hour trip down to Devon and being greeted with twinkling lights on low beams with a fire roaring in the grate.  I come from a large family and, at times, there have been up to 25 of us all gathered together under the one roof.  In fact I cannot recall ever (apart from one year when the weather was too bad to travel on Christmas Day so I deferred it until Boxing Day) that I have woken up in my own home and had family coming over to me!  However new traditions have to start somewhere!

Today started early (not with children waking me up but the dogs) and so, with my back still "delicate" I started to get ready for the visitors.  I have to say that I have it easy  - Dad wanted Shepherds Pie (family are coming up on Wednesday so our "Christmas Day" is on Thursday) and Mum volunteered to make it.  I just had to find a pudding (Lemon Drizzle Trifle sine you ask) and supply the mince pies and sausage rolls that we traditionally have for lunch whilst we open the presents.  So, I had time to make a start on the Christmas day sewing project that I prepared a couple of days ago.  As part of the process you have to cut off some 3" squares from the corners - so I made a small bag with them - thread catcher maybe?

After the last minute request for the Lynette Anderson wall hanging, I can now revel that the original present intended for mum and Dad was a free machine appliqued lampshade with a see through lamp base from Laura Ashley - the bottom opens up and Mum can put any seasonal display that she wants to in it (she currently has a stash of conkers!).  I also made her a little hanging for the dining room,






whilst Dad had a couple of scrapbooks from the war / 1950's  - well, it will help with his research!










Me?  Well, I was spoilt rotten.  Sewingbuddy gave me a lovely handmade stitch ripper / stilletto, some needle threaders and a china heart,







Wendy put together a lovely kit for a redwork reindeer bunting set (that will keep me going for next year!), a book, a lovely embroidered panel and a bauble of treats for the dog (no surprise that it's empty now is it?).

Meanwhile Jean gave me this lovely sign and trinket box - plus some treats for the dogs, some cheeses and some chocolates - that will help the diet eh?  I should also mention that Carine gave me some hot chocolate. marshmallows and a miniature bottle of amaretto!  All Christmas Days should end with a milky drink - right?

All in all I have been very spoiled!

Mum and Dad ware planning to go  home after tea (and after Dad has stopped enjying Cinderella - I can hear him laughing out loud!) - so that they can watch "Call the midwife" and sleep in their own bed.  Meanwhile I plan to soak some fruit for a SW Christmas cake that I am going to make tomorrow - along with my chocolate brownies.  My SW plan is to ignore Christmas eve / Christmas day and Boxing day - then to get back on the horse from Wednesday -well, as best as I can!