Christmas Memories

Sometimes we just have too much on our plate.

Caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season, we let the true meaning of Christmas slip into the background until a sudden jolt brings us to our senses. The commercial aspect of this holiday has jaded us in modern times. It didn't happen this year, last year, or in the past five years. It crept in surreptitiously many, many years ago, gradually pervading society around the mid-1950's I would say.

In England, and most of Europe, the years following WWII were lean and Christmas continued to be somewhat sparse when it came to decoration and gifting. Those were the years of my childhood, and what a wonderful childhood it was!

The little tree, always a live one as there was no such thing as faux anything back then, was picked out a couple of days before the 25th. and carried home on the local bus as my parents never could afford to own a car. It stood proudly on a table decorated with our handmade ornaments and real candles which were only lit briefly under close supervision! Long, brightly colored 'paper chains' which we made by gluing strips together, hung from the hanging light fixture to each corner of the living room, and sprays of holly with brilliant red berries, picked from the nearby hedgerows, were tucked behind the oval mirror over the fireplace and pictures around the walls. And that was about it! Any extra money was spent on good food for the Christmas Day dinner, a couple of boxes of good chocolates, and a few bottles of cheer to welcome any and all who stopped by for some Christmas spirit.

Of course my Mother always made the Christmas Cake. It was baked in mid-November and 'fed' with a little brandy or rum over several weeks until it was time to roll on the thick layer of almond paste followed by the white icing forked up to set like drifts of snow. By Christmas Eve it was decorated. Tiny bottle brush fir trees, a snowman, a sled holding Father Christmas, and a sprig of holly, transformed it into a scene representing the white Winter wonderland which we all hoped for at Christmas.........but which usually didn't happen in our mild South coast climate. Yes, the English fruitcake baked by one's Mum, was always fabulous!

I hope your childhood Christmas memories, swirling like snowflakes through the mind at this special season, are happy ones, and that this year you will have fun sharing them with your family and friends.

Sometimes, perhaps always, simple things are best.

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All images taken recently at SuzAnna's Antiques, Raleigh, NC.

Christmas Pink Saturday

As I look around the house at my Christmas treasures I don't see much PINK.

However, there is a glorious old European looking Saint Nicholas who refuses to wear red Father Christmas robes....................so I'll share him with you on this Pink Saturday!

O0ops, almost missed this touch of pink. Pretty pink velvet roses adorn a garland wrapped around my cherub on the dining room table.

Same old guy.................he refuses to stay in one place very long, likes to view Christmas in the cottage from different angles.

How's your decorating going? Bet you're all done, sitting back,

and truly loving it now all the work is completed!

Enjoy Pink Saturday and be sure to visit Beverly our hostess

at How Sweet The Sound to see a lot more Christmas Pink.

Just one ornament............

This was the year I said "no more ornaments." The decision to simplify ~ remember all I learned in France in October ~ made me decide not to unpack many from other years as we are not having an indoor tree. If you are still a sweet young thing, you've no clue as to how Christmas ornaments have a tendency to multiply..........very quickly! By the time you become a grandparent your entire home can be a repository for Christmas stuff! The secret is to have a yard sale as part of your New Year celebration or, better still, donate them to a charity shop, as many of us refuse to do a yard sale on a sub-zero Saturday morning in January. Otherwise, the only remaining option is to run to Target for a pickup truck full of those green plastic 'ornament storage' boxes which then take up your entire attic or basement.

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A quick trip to the mall this past weekend had me stop in my tracks when I spied a Christmas Shop. There's probably one in a mall near you too. Inside.................yes, I just begged a minute to pop inside.............was every imaginable ornament ever made. Nice thing was they were categorized such as Disney, Birds, Fairies, Snowmen etc., making it easy to just look at what you enjoy collecting.

Of course I don't really collect chandeliers............yet! I have one in the dining room, one in the 'Paris guest room', and a little one in the Potting Shed - hanging there because the electrician refused to hang it in a bathroom............apparently it's "against code" if reachable when one stands dripping wet on the rim of the tub, and we all do that, don't we!!? I would have those beautiful glittery prisms dangling in every room if dh would agree to dump the ugly ceiling fans.

So I broke the vow of 'no new ornaments' this year. You have to agree it's really lovely. Even dh knew this mini chandelier wouldn't require taking down a ceiling fan ~ guess that's why he treated me to it, thanks dear.

I hung this miniature beauty around the cottage, loving how it brightened up each place. Near a dark wood door it glowed.......................reflected in a vintage oval mirror it sparkled.


Hanging from my old French frame and glass glitter sign in the Paris bedroom, it made me think of the Opera Garnier and a certain phantom!


Tonight it's hanging beneath the real dining room chandelier. The porch lights are on, 'snowflakes' are at the window........................and as the rain pours down the little chandelier helps light up the room.

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Did you buy new ornaments this year? If so, which one is your favorite?

Sights & Sounds of Christmas

No matter what you wish for at Christmas, nothing can beat the simple sights and sounds around one's home.

Hang your wish list in a prominent place!

Listen to traditional carols and Christmas songs, remembering the long ago learned words, and join in..............................

..................or blow loud horns and trumpets of joy.

Pull Christmas crackers, jumping when they snap! Traditionally enjoyed by British revelers before digging in to Christmas dinner so they can wear the silly paper hats inside.......how we love them and are glad they are now available in the USA.

Burn candles brightly. They light up the evening as it draws in early, casting shadows around the rooms. The romance of gentle candlelight.

Perfume your home with Nature's scents. Long lasting rosemary is perfect and can be trained into simple topiaries.

Unwrap your Christmas treasures to hang from a tree, dangle from a hook, rest on a pretty china plate.

Stand by your window, looking out into the crisp world. Wait for the first big flakes......wish for them to stick and turn the dreary Winter garden into a holiday wonderland.


.......Wish upon a star.......

Garden Magic

Yesterday, the morning warmed slowly and slightly under the Winter sun. We unravelled the tangles of fairy lights to twist around the porch posts, stuck the new floodlights in the earth now invisible under the fallen leaves, then stood back in a biting wind and said, "that's it, all done". Later, at dusk, when woodsmoke perfumed the air, and the smell of Christmas wafted on the night breeze, we threw the switch. The cottage, bathed in light, sparkled in the night. The untwisting, untangling, winding with cold fingers, bantering and even arguing a little, suddenly forgotten as we felt the joy of this season.

Christmas tree in the gazebo ~ now an annual part of garden magic.

At night the view is lovely from the house.

Ornaments are simple but special ~ a garden theme.

As these days leading up to Christmas rush by, stop to enjoy

the simple pleasures, and always BELIEVE.

Bed and Breakfast

Are you planning a visit to Southwest France? Spring would be the perfect time.

If you decide to go, while driving from picturesque village to village you will often see long straight country roads lined with beautiful Plane trees like this. It is said that Napoleon planted them to shade his marching soldiers from the hot sun. Passing under the colorful Autumn canopy of leaves, with vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see, the peacefulness of a gentle countryside envelopes you...........and you realize that the journey IS the reward.

The road to Lagrasse - October 2008

And if you do go there's another reason for showing you my family's lovely home in the village of Caunes-Minervois near Carcassonne.
You've left the nicest comments about the beautiful garden with inviting pool. You know the food is scrumptious. Sleeping soundly behind the heavy blue wood shutters, in a comfy bed, is the perfect night's rest after a busy day of sightseeing, market browsing, vineyard hiking, wine tasting.........and treasure hunting at the many brocantes and vide-grenier sales.

So, why don't you take a trip to the South of France and stay in this lovely place?

John and Alison will open their home to you for Bed & Breakfast and, if you want a wonderful dinner, they will prepare an evening meal you will never forget!

The above images were taken during my stay in October 2008.

In the kitchen with John and Alison.

October color in the vineyards of the Languedoc, Southwest France.

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Contact Alison or John at caunesminervois@gmail.com for more details if you are interested in staying here.
I guarantee your visit will be memorable.

If you require a spacious rental house in Caunes-Minervois I know of just the place and can share details.

Wet Pink Saturday

Vanessa of Vanilla Lavender and I spent a quick visit to SuzAnna's Antiques on Wednesday. Why quick you wonder knowing how we love that place? Well, while our backs were turned for a few minutes, looking at the latest treasures, her adorable daughter Luna decided to test the water ~ very cold water ~ of the courtyard fountain! She required a complete emergency wardrobe change!

What some gals will do to get a new outfit!!

As luck would have it, and because a handsome little boy named Kyle allowed Luna to climb in the fountain first (such a gentleman at 4 years of age), friend Jenny, Kyle's mommy, came to the rescue with a pair of the cutest Christmas jammies which she just happened to have in a bag headed for the charity shop.

You know what they say, "charity begins at home", or in this case in a friend's car trunk!

Don't ask where the pics are ~ we were so concerned that Luna would get a chill, and she, poor angel, was rather embarrassed when we started stripping off her clothes in the courtyard surrounded by antique Santas, vintage wagons and towering Christmas trees................I forgot to take any!

While browsing through SuzAnna's, before Luna's desire to be a water baby had us scurrying for towels and such, I spotted a few pink things to share today.

Pink painted furniture and lovely plates with roses and patterned edges.

If you read my November 28 post you will know about Jeannie - owner of the fun cottage shop Uniquitiques in Hillsboro, NC. Her space at SuzAnna's is always fabulous and French! Here's her famous pink Tour Eiffel tag.

Although the English smocking doesn't show up well in this picture, it is a sweet little girl's frock of the softest baby pink.

Perhaps Luna would have preferred it to Kyle's outgrown jammies, however it wouldn't have been as warm after that chilly swim!

Rhinestone trimmed pink perfume bottles ~ very pink chippy paint shelves.

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Remember to stop over to visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound where she will have many more blog friends posting in PINK.
Hey Beverly, any chance we can add "pinkish red and reddish pink" now the holiday season is here?
Thanks for a week of great comments. If I haven't had time to leave you one please know I've probably stopped by to take a peek at what you've been up to at this busy time of year, and the visit was most enjoyable.