Wednesday, November 17, 2010

In search of the spirit of Christmas - could it be a hedgehog amongst the driftwood?

You know how you hear people muttering in supermarket cues about Christmas starting earlier and earlier each year and how stressful it is and all that...


Well I don't subscribe to any of that! I just LOVE it! the whole thing, from the first appearance of the Christmas Ezibuy catalogue to the disposal of the very last piece of Christmas paper. I love all the adds for Farmers with cute kids under a massive Christmas tree, (hate the ones banging on about wide screen TVs and laptops!!!), all the shop window displays, planning what to make and buy, finding the PERFECT book for your Dad on the day that Paper Plus has a book sale, that moment of eureka when you think of something cool but conservative to give Grandad!
I start thinking and planning and scheming sometime in about ... August i think!





A few of the shops in our town have begun to decorate their windows for the season.






This is the window at Wishing Well Flowers. "She"and I had our Sunday walk to check it out in all it's close up magnificence yesterday afternoon. We get very excited about every new detail.
The owls were eerily beautiful and real looking, perched amongst the more antipodean aspects of her decorating.




The aforementioned hedgehog amongst the driftwood. Is he the embodiment of the spirit of Christmas do you think? As good as any I reckon.


Peta M's Gift shop is going for a more traditional take on things.






Today I had a serendipitous day off because one of the Docs took the day off and consequently there was an abundance of nurses. So I wandered up town at lunch time and who should I bump into but, "she" who was wondering up town at lunch time. Well actually she snuck up on me while I was taking a photo of the huge Christmas tree they've put up in the middle of town.
She was overcome with love for the little white reindeer in the window at Peta M's and had to buy him and take him home to live at her place.







Bah humbug to Christmas whingers! But I know we are lucky to have a tradition based around happy memories.

For us it's six weeks or so of unadulterated anticipation and planning. We start talking about the menu as soon as the Christmas Issue of NZ House and garden arrives in the letter box.


There are sad moments when we remember the people we miss, but we also remember those Christmases we had with them and feel lucky that we had that magic and those traditions to share, and so we have the memories too.


Just enjoy it I say. The tinsillier the better! Add in the odd hedgehog for good measure!






5 comments:

  1. the festive seasons brings us all together...sharing , giving and recieving ;0)
    enjoying the festive magic....my parents always made it a big event and dec' the halls in holly!
    we'd have a real woodland christmas tree that reached the high cielings in our old family home...the smell was magical...as a family we'd all decorate the tree about 10 days b4 christmas.
    As a child back then it was sooooo wonderful, i try and recreate what i sooo enjoyed...i love having all the family around...i dont understand those that complain- what is there to complain about?...i love your photos...especially shops in villages where they make there own up and not staged like this big well known stores.
    i worked in a hard ware shop in a small village in suffolk and i used to use my dolly in the nativity scene in the shop window ;0)
    its my daughters first nativity play in the pre school church this dec' im sooo excited...
    best wishes and enjoy all the festivities xxxx

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  2. If you can't beat em, join em. Not much you can do about it so might as well get in the spirit.

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  3. Lovely window displays the more tradition the better i think. I love the build up once i get in December, its still lovely for me as my little son still believes but he goes up to high school next year and it breaks my heart to think that this may be his last year that he believes in father christmas. But i will keep the magic going in other ways i always book for us to go to the theatre a few days before and we have a paper lantern on xmas eve that we release and rememeber our loved ones past. Its a lovely time for sharing and playing and being together. Enjoy your count down. dee x

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  4. Totally with you on the Christmas thing - I love it too. I spent many happy Christmas's in the UK and that is really magic!

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  5. I'm with you, Jacqui, Christmas is a wonderful time of year. I love the cooking, decorating, parties, smiles, laughter, colors, sparkles--well, just everything about it!

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