O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree...

I thought I could show you some of my 

Christmas tree decorations. Not many, 

just some very old special ones and a couple of fun ones.

You will see there is no rhyme or reason to my tree, 

I just put an eclectic mix of ornaments on it, 

because that's the way we like it.

The tree in all it's Christmas glory, both taken at night, 

one with the flash on and the other with the flash turned off.

This old plastic Santa is so old and I don't know where he came from but I rather think he once belonged to my sister who 

moved to Australia what seems like a lifetime ago.

She also owned the little gauze fairy on the right. 

Very olden pieces, not that she is mind you :)

Both pieces precious to me.

These ones are more recent buys and are just for fun.

On the left is All Black Santa, dressed in our national football team's colours of, you've guessed it, all black!

He is accompanied by fishing Santa 

in honour of my GKB who loves fishing.

This angel was sent to us one year by the one of the children we sponsored for several years. I always put her in a prominent place on the tree, somewhere in the front, so we can think of her at this time of the year even though her sponsorship is finished.

Our tree topper is a silver star with a dove just beneath, 

not a good photo of them I'm afraid but you get the idea.

And this is a little glimpse of my glitter church 

and an ice house I have on my kitchen table.

I'm wanting to make a little village 

but as yet only have four houses - but four is 

more than none and something to start with :)

Jimmy and Santa - a story for kids

               

Jimmy wasn't very happy. He'd been off school for a couple of days with a bit of a bug and today he still wasn't quite right so Mum said he could stay home one more day. Mum was going into town to finish the Christmas shopping and said he could go too. He didn't mind doing  that, he might be allowed to go and see Santa at the mall. The trouble was it was all girls going - his Aunty Jay, Gran, his big sister Beth and his even bigger cousin Rose. Not much fun with that lot, he thought. But he trudged along with them anyway, looking in girly sort of shops that didn't interest him at all. But then Rose said to him, "Look what I've found Jimmy." There was a toy shop next door to where Mum and the others were, so in they went. Jimmy found lots of cool stuff he'd really like Santa to bring and couldn't wait until he could tell him all about it. Outside the toy shop he saw a big poster telling him to follow the reindeer tracks and they would take him down to Santa's cave

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"Let's go and see if Santa is here," he said to Gran. So they all followed the reindeer tracks, over to the escalator and down two more floors to the basement. They followed the tracks right down to the other end of the basement and there in front of them was Santa's cave - in total darkness. Santa had gone out for lunch. Jimmy was so disappointed it was all he could do not to cry. He had been so looking forward to seeing Santa all day, the only reason he was putting up with all these girls, and he wasn't there. "Never mind," said Aunty Jay "lets go and get pizza for lunch, maybe he'll come back before we leave."

                                                                                                 

After lunch Jimmy wasn't feeling too good. He was too tired to go to any more shops, he just wanted to sit down somewhere and wait for everyone to finish shopping. He and Gran found a seat not too far away from the escalators and sat down to wait. "Look Jimmy, who's that?" said Gran. "I don't know and I don't care," said Jimmy. "No, look Jimmy, up on the escalator, up there," said Gran excitedly, pointing. Reluctantly Jimmy looked up and who do you think he saw? Santa! Santa was on the escalator, with all the other people. He was dressed all in red with shiny black boots and a white satin sack tied with a gold rope was thrown over his shoulder. He had a little gold tinkly bell in his hand and every now and then he shook it. Jimmy couldn't believe his eyes, Santa must have been looking around the shops, otherwise why would he have his sack with him. And he was coming down the escalator, all the food places were downstairs, so he hadn't been having his lunch. As he walked past Jimmy, Santa gave him a big smile and a wink - and made Jimmy's day. He couldn't wait for the others to come back so he could tell them all about it. It was even better than going into the cave to see him, although he got to do that before they went home as well. 

                              

Happy Advent Season,     
Diana

All names have been changed in this 
story to protect the identity of teenagers 
who are easily embarrassed.  ;)


Linking with Natasha at her:
 Say G'day party

It surely is the silly season

This is a lazy post really. I was playing with some of the editing effects on one of the computer programmes and thinking about Christmas so decided to post one or two of the photos. Or four or five of them. 

home nativity

I seem to be very busy at the moment trying to get ready for Christmas, which is coming all too quickly, but I'm sure I'll be ready on time.

Hand crafted nativity set

Tonight I've been back to my old work place, the rest home, to watch my youngest grandson take part in putting on a few Christmas items with his scout troop. He was surprised to see me but also pleased when they were told to go and talk to some of the residents. He made a beeline for me, haha, so I took him in hand and went with him while he spoke with a couple of the old ladies. He's 8 and found it just a little daunting I think.

Christmas tree in hotel foyer

I've also been helping make props for our church Christmas outreach, Wednesday mornings spent painting and cutting and fitting and everything else that goes with putting displays together. A lot of fun really with people just turning up randomly to help. I have some sheep at home now waiting to be cut out and have legs attached, the Sunday School kids drew and painted them. Cute.

Santa in the city

This week my daughter and I spent the morning in town, mostly window shopping while we waited for my GKB who was at an appointment. We found some shops we never knew about and had a good old time poking around - and I got some great ideas for Christmas presents. My mind had been blank up till then. When we had finished we had to have coffee of course. I love going into town with my girls, I always enjoy it.

Missy climbing the Christmas tree

I'm looking at my diary, *retired and needing a diary*, and next week is filling up fast. But I love Christmas so I don't mind really

It surely is the silly season. 

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All of the photo's have been cropped and sharpened apart from the top one and the bottom one. The one at the top has been localised. Photos all taken using a Canon PowerShot A540.

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Christmas is a-comin'

I hate to say it but Christmas is fast approaching. It is just around the corner now, I can't believe we are half way through October already.

My GKB and I were in town today, we decided we would go into the Warehouse for a coffee and something to eat and the Christmas decorations and Christmas goodies were all being put out on display.

So pretty. The tinsel and the lights and everything else always make me feel very nostalgic, like a big kid and I couldn't help but stop and admire and handle a lot of the pretty baubles.

Christmas cards, wrapping paper, nativity sets, silly Santa's, tree lights, tinsel trees, glass balls, reindeer, tinsel, curling ribbon, advent calendars.

Chocolate santa's, candy canes, and hampers along with silly seasonal mugs and that was just the beginning of it all.
I can't wait to go back in a week or two and have another poke around, there must be something I need want.

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

After a while I  thought perhaps I should go and find my GKB who, for some strange reason, had wandered down to the outdoor living section of the store.

Oh, and I was very good, I didn't buy a thing.