Christmas Decorations are starting to go up

In town one by one the Christmas trees are starting to go up and the lights being switched on.  One of the perks of the dark nights is seeing people pop up their trees in their front windows of some of the larger houses where I live and they look stunning to the passerby on a dark cold evening and cheer the soul. Some of the houses are rather large and old and their windows oh so suit their trees and show them off to perfection.  It is hard to beat displays like that, but for me every tree has a special meaning in the winter months leading into Christmas whether it be a living tree or an artificial one.  Each tree is special and decorated with love by their owners and brings the light into the dark. 

Trees these days tend to go up from the beginning of December whereas when I was a child the tree used to go up a couple of days before Christmas.  We would come home from school chilled to the bone, there would be a roaring fire in the grate and the boxes with the Christmas tree and decorations were down from the attic and stood in the corner.  Waiting for us and the annual ritual with Mum; always with Mum.  It was a special time. There would be great excitement from my brother and I.  We were allowed to hand the decorations from the boxes to my Mum and she would put the hooks on and place them on the tree. Most of them were glass; beautiful baubles they twinkled like stars in the light and by firelight looked magical. All were wrapped carefully in tissue paper and treasured from one year to the next.  So many memories ensconced within those decorations so few from so many that survive now from my mums and those that do are well loved by both my brother and I.

When it comes to decorating your tree It does not matter where things come from or how much they cost as long as you love them then that is all that matters and besides "new to you items" are usually better quality than things you can buy new today.  Even home made items add that unique touch and make things individual to you.  Simple strands of popcorn draped round the tree or ribbon ruched or tinsel garland - I always use something like this to hide the wires from the lights.

I have a bag of large fir cones picked up when walking and I have also picked up some very small fir cones (I think they are larch but not sure).  I was hoping to make another garland and some tree decorations but they will have to wait until the New Year when I shall start making things for next Christmas.  As much as I can next year is to be a home made Christmas. I shall start collecting together items as soon as this Christmas is over to allow me time to make things and or collect items together  I want to get back to ornaments being treasured and packed away safely and brought out year on year.  I want to make some more beaded baubles for my tree from seed beads tomorrows heirlooms. I also have quite a lot of Christmas orientated kits in cross stitch and in felt which I would quite like to get worked up as well.  Then there is the patchwork and quilting that I so want to start playing with.  I have collated quite a bit of fabric together from men's shirts for the first attempts.  I am hoping to play on the Christmas break a little.  I have a lot of pink coloured fabrics including a couple of nighties that my mum had which will go into a quilt I have  big tub of fabric including Laura Ashley fabric for this purpose.  And of course I always have some crochet on the go.  I have a couple of throws for myself to get finished and made up and then I hope to start working through some of the UFOs and once my sewing machine area is sorted I really should be able to get a wriggle on.

 I have run out of time for this year mores the pity with what I wanted to do.  Too much to do too little time to do it.  One of my trees will probably go up next weekend.  I have three artificial trees in all but I might actually buy a real one for  a change.  I have only ever had one real tree and that was the first year OH and I were together.  The tree lost its needles but it smelt wonderful.

But decorating the tree whether you be an adult letting out the inner child or a child mesmerised by the colour the lights the glitz and traditions is pretty special.  Children enjoy things for what they are and it is worth making it special for them and make it as magical as possible.  Our Christmas's were made truly magical by our parents for us and for that I am forever grateful.

Enjoy

Pattypan

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