Wednesday 2 December 2009

A Sense of Christmas

For most of the past few days I've been having a good old think about what all this festiveness means to me and my little family. I'm very lucky that Christmases past have been filled with fun and warmth and lots of love.
When I find my mind having a wander (usually in July!!) about what I'm looking forward to at Christmas, these are some of the things I treasure.
Christmas Looks Like:
~ two happy, smiling, wide-eyed boys
~ twinkling fairy lights
~ snowy fields (hopefully), stark hedges and bare skeleton trees
~ festive shop windows
~ paper chains
~ special story books
~ shiny glass baubles
~ my darling dad in his bow tie

Christmas sounds like:
~ Carols from King's College Cambridge on Christmas Eve
~ "He's Been!"
~ Nat, Bing & Frank
~ sleigh bells
~ laughing friends on our Christmas curry night
~ the bustling market
~ chatter and laughter in the choir house after the carol service
Christmas smells like:
~ satsumas and tangerines
~ frosty air
~ sausage rolls baking in the oven
~ Norway spruce
~ turkey giblet gravy
Christmas tastes of:
~ chocolate
~ bread sauce and cranberry jelly
~ all sorts of cheese
~ mincemeat
~ jam tarts
Christmas feels like:
~ warm and cosy
~ relaxed
~ precious family time and fun with special friends
~ fresh, sharp & raw on a Boxing Day walk
~ clean sheets and new pyjamas on Christmas Eve
~ smooth and crumpled wrapping paper
~ Peace & Joy & Love
What does Christmas mean to you, I'd love to know...

22 comments:

Serenata said...

What a lovely way to think about Christmas. You've reminded me I need to get our Christmas books down from the loft!

bellaboo said...

A lovely post!You just captured the feel of Christmas with those 5
'senses'.
Christmas to me means all those things,and of course the most important...being with the ones we love.

MelMel said...

I have to say that is Christmas all sewn up in a blog post...fantastic...wonderfully put!
xxxx

LissyLou said...

what a lovely lovely christmas post, that has really put a smile on my fave and set me up for the coming month xxx

Garden Girl said...

Oh Steph, what a lovely post! I read it smiling all the way through.
x

...Nina Nixon... said...

I love your Christmassy post Steph, I can hear, visualise and smell all of your wonderful 'thinks'

Mines Christmas pine and carols - plus loads more, but those are the two things that get me all gooey!

take care and have a lovely evening,

Nina xxx

Willow said...

I wasn't really feeling festive this year ..... *until I read your post!* .... thanks for cheering me up - I'm off to get the decs down from the loft!!

Willow xx

Sarah said...

I think you've completely summed Christmas up for me!
x

The Curious Cat said...

What a lovely post! I used to have that Rupert book too!!! :)

I like how you have a Christmas curry night - what fun! Is that an annual tradition? I usually have the girls from school round for some nibbles and cup of tea/mulled wine which is always lovely - the one time of the year we all get together. Osccasionally I've toyed with the idea of being a chalet girl but when I think of what will be sacrificed - precious time with the family - I always realise it isn't worth it. I know people say there will always be another christmas but will there? You shouldn't assume things - you should live in the now!

I'd add to your list the suculent taste of cooked ham and prunes wrapped in bacon...hmmm and mulled wine...I'd also add Eastenders/Corrie/Dr Who Christmas Special (I have never seen the Queen's speech -isn't that awful!?). ooooh!!! Getting so excited!!!! xxx

Pipany said...

Such a gorgeous post Steph. Thank you for sharing it with us. We're all so excited here! x

Dawn said...

I have a strong urge to make some mince pies, right now, just for the smell!

Rubyred said...

This is such a lovely post! Christmas is all those things to ,plus seeing old friends I don't see as much as I like,Baileys coffee, the only day of the year when we all eat chocolate for breakfast and family games and cheesy films, love it!
Rachel x

ginny said...

hello popped over from Pipany's...a lovely festive post... you have summed up some wonderful Christmas feelings... for me it's the warmth and laughter of family games and frivolity which i love ... also my girls excited sleepy faces when i tuck them in on Christmas eve... i love twinkling lights in windows, the smell oranges and crisp icy mornings, jumpers, cold noses and toes... i could go on... i am feeling very festive now and am enjoying the start of our family traditions both old and new.
warm winter wishes
ginny x

Dylana Suarez said...

This is wonderful!

Lovely blog!

colormenana.blogspot.com

Bertie Meadows said...

All of the above Steph. I think you've captured the essence of Christmas in a nut shell. A very heart warming post.
Have a lovely Christmassy weekend,
Bertie x

Sandy said...

I just found your blog and this is a lovely post. But I have to ask "Did you make the crocheted tea cosy shown in your blog header?" That is so cute! If you did - would you share the pattern?

Teacup Lane (Sandy)

prettyshabby said...

oh what a lovely,lovely post Steph..I want my stinky boys to be little again!
I wont be a grump and say what Christmas means to me at the moment..as you can well imagine, but I do love what is known here as 'satsuma and eiderdown season!!' xx

Helen said...

Great words, makes me feel . . . . . Christmassy!!

French Knots said...

Oh yes, all of those things! Do you remember Neopolitans? The little chocolates we used to have when we were little? They came in different colours and flavours, I think mint was a green wrapper, milk choc was blue and plain was red. My Grandma always had a big box of them at Christmas and we saved the wrappers for some reason, perhaps because of the different colours. Roll on Christmas!

Emma Herian said...

I think you have said it all, perfect!
Emx

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

Hello.. I just found your blog on sue's Our new life in the Country blog.... I love your blog and I love your home...especially the dresser..I would love one of those... :-)

GardenOfDaisies said...

I love your list of the sights and sounds and smells of Christmas!