The 12 Days of Christmas present

Today I want to share the present idea I have come up with this year for our friends R and S. They are (loosely) based around the 12 Days of Christmas carol.

1. A partridge in a pear tree. 
Well it just had to be a copy of I, Partridge for R and for the pear tree side of things there is a bottle of pink pear cider for S.
2. Turtle doves.
This one is for S, a bottle of Dove body lotion, quite an easy option.
3. Calling birds.
From doing some research into this song I found out that the song once contained the words 'colly birds' which means 'blackbird' and as R is a very keen cook we thought it would be fitting to buy him a blackbird pie funnel.
4. French Hens.
This one was a bit tricky to be honest. That is until I was wandering around TK Maxx looking for a birthday present when I spotted this mug with a Nice biscuit on it. Now this is a bit of a stretch, but if you read French hen as French 'en, then Nice fits as it's a French place beginning with 'N'! Hopefully S will enjoy a cuppa out of the mug at least.

5. Gold rings.
A small pack of golden wrapped Ferrero Rocher chocolates for R. Which just happens to contain 5 of them.
6. Geese a laying.
I was originally thinking maybe a Ryan Gosling film on DVD, gosling being a baby goose, but we went for a jar of goose fat for R given his culinary interests.
7. Swans a swimming. 
A female swan is called a pen so we bought S a pen and notebook, she is a list person. It was either that or a box of Swan Vesta matches!
8. Maids a milking.
Another present for S, a handbag size packet of tissues for her decorated with cows.
9. Ladies dancing.
Some alcohol for R here. We were thinking maybe a jar of spicy salsa, or a can of Tango, but in the end we chose a bottle of Pineapple Twist, rum with pineapple juice.
10. Lords a leaping.
R really likes cricket so something to do with Lord's cricket ground was one option, but as R already had a book we also got one for S. A book about Lord Lucan's disappearance. One Lord who leapt away from the law!
11. Piper's piping.
My initial thought on this was buying R a liquorice pipe, but this proved very tricky. Last Christmas S was very taken on Christmas eve with the gingerbread house we had decorated so along similar lines we have bought a decorate your own shortbread Christmas tree kit which contains a small tube of icing which you pipe on. Get it?!
12. Drummer's drumming.
Finally a bottle of shower gel for R. Very weirdly this fragrance is named 'Drums', weird but fortuitous for us.

Well done if you read to the end of all that.

I've wrapped it all today and now I just need to make up some numbered tags so presents are opened in order.
I really hope they like their little collection of oddities.

A Christmas shopping trip to New Milton was planned for Saturday. Ages ago I had stumbled across information for their Christmas festival and we thought it would make a good family day what with the fairground rides, a French market, craft stalls and a Christmas parade. But you know what happens when you make plans, they get changed.

I still went to New Milton and had a fab day out, but it was with my mum because G stayed home, not feeling 100% himself and looking after a poorly S and T.

Mum and I watched the short Christmas parade (the dogs were our favourite)

and then meandered our way along the high street, checking out the stalls in between checking out the charity shops. One of them came up trumps for me. I now have a lovely new Irish tweed pure new wool coat, purchased for just £5.00 and it looks like it has hardly ever been worn.

So pleased was I with it I couldn't wait to wear it out today when we went to Manor Farm. When G saw me in it he first said it would look good on a scarecrow and then said I looked like I had gone out dressed as someone's nan. But it is so warm, it was like wearing a duvet.

The geese and chickens were pleased to see us at the farm as we had a bag of seed with us which we shared out between them as fairly as we could.

There were new born lambs in one of the barns and new born piglets in the sty which were an unexpected highlight

but the main reason for our visit was this

Father Christmas was popping into the farmhouse this afternoon and S took along her (and T's, yes I asked T to write one although he wasn't impressed!) letter. 

S has asked Father Christmas to put in her stocking a bubble gum dispenser and a Minnie Mouse cup, T has asked for chocolate and a keyring to add to his collection.

It was so hot and busy in the farmhouse I waited outside whilst G stayed with S and took a couple of photos. Father Christmas gave S a bell, asked her to close her eyes and make a wish as she rang it. She was then able to pick out a chocolate from a tin the elf helper was holding.

Here's hoping he can deliver their wishes on Christmas eve!

I hereby give you.....

fair warning that from today this little old blog of mine will contain the word Christmas on a daily basis and that there will be many photos along this theme too.That is as long as the internet connection behaves itself a bit more than it's been doing so far this week.

To kick off the festivities I thought I would show you the man in the red suit whose impending visit we are all getting just a tad excited about.
I bought this t-shirt in Primark during the week and I intend on wearing it as much as I possibly can over the coming weeks.

Santa Claus is coming to town..................

Crafty Cards

An indoor day today meant S spent some time this afternoon on a spot of Christmas card making. She was busy with the paper, glue and sequins and I was busy reading the December edition of the Sainsbury's magazine.
Amongst the recipes which made my mouth water is the brown sugar brandy butter (although I'm not sure I even like brandy butter, but this does look so inviting) and a simple cinnamon cake which I hope to give a go soon as it sounds like perfect accompaniment to hot chocolate.

I enjoyed reading the column 'My Life' written by Fiona Gibson as it really struck a chord with me.
She has written about her views on how see feels towards buying Christmas presents for (and receiving them from) her husband. 

.....while this might sound horribly needy, there's nothing like having something chosen for me that makes me feel loved. If the search for said gift has involved many hours web surfing, plus several arduous journeys to town, then so much the better.......... Who would go to all that trouble for someone they regarded with indifference? ..........A hand-drawn picture in a charity shop frame is worth far more than all of the dismal boxes of chocolates in the newsagents............
This is our big chance to choose something delightful for the one we love the most.

I love Christmas.
I love everything about it.
I really, really love thinking up gift ideas for my family and friends.
I want to put some effort into it because if I care enough to want to give someone a gift then I want it to show I care.

Snippets

This post is a little selection of things S has been up to over the past couple of weeks.

First day after half term was an inset day for S and as it was such a sunny one we wandered over the local park.  The reason for choosing this park is because of the zip wire which S had to herself for part of the time we were there.

Gingerbread men have been baked, there were plans to ice and decorate them but they were eaten before we got to that stage!

On our walk to school one morning we liked the way these leaves were silhouetted against a neighbour's the metal fence

Yesterday the two of us went to another park and took a sneaky box of Maltesers with us! S saw a couple of school friends and played happily for half an hour whilst I read a magazine. Happy half hour for us both.

Back home again we baked some mincemeat cakes from a recipe in the latest Co-operative free magazine. All were eaten with custard after our tea.

A new certificate for the wall, S has achieved her 10 metre swimming badge.

Lucky Winner

You may remember that I recently announced I am now amongst the ranks of those people who on reaching their early 40's discover they need to start wearing glasses, for computer use only you understand, which basically means whilst blogging and tootling around on Pinterest.

Anyway this very happily coincided with a give away which I entered and then was extremely lucky enough to win.

The prize is just the most gorgeous glasses case made by the very talented Gina at rosiebull designs and embroidered on the front is the four word phrase I can be heard saying on a very regular basis 'Have you seen my glasses?'

Thank you Gina, my new case makes me smile every time I see it.

Presents for Friends

I found the initial inspiration for Christmas gifts to my friend and her two boys via, yes you've guessed it, Pinterest.

First up is the one for my friend T and this pin showing the nail varnish and tag 'for your mistletoes' was my starting point, such a simple and sweet idea.

 To go with it I bought a tube of foot butter and a pair of woolly stripy tights. 

I was really pleased with this little trio and even more so when I found a little picture of a piece of mistletoe in my stash of cut up old cards to stick on the gift tag.

For her two boys I ordered each of them a Christmas DVD, Grounded for the older one, Deck the Halls for the younger. These have gone into a gift box with a big bag of popcorn 

and a cola bottle reindeer!

I hope they like them.