Plans for Christmas 2025 in the Making - New, Secondhand, Homemade and Vintage items Part One

This is one of the main things split into  a couple of projects I am focusing on this year. Let me explain my plan of why I am sort of going into over-drive where Christmas is concerned this year.  Christmas 2024 decorating for me did not happen last year mainly because I had a very bad fall and secondly because I could not access some of the decorations I needed to. No decorations were therefore put up.  Big disappointment as I had been planning a few things here and there throughout the year. Next year (this year now) is going to be different though.  I have a lot of Christmas decorations and I am not quite sure where some of them are but I am going to attempt to get them all in one space and packaged properly so that I can access them easily for next Christmas and be able to display them properly.  

There will therefore be operation Christmas going on in the wings.  Oh no you say, Christmas but it has only just happened.  From my perspective yes too true but I am not as quick as doing things as I used to be. I am talking about a Christmas of gathered things, heirlooms, modern day heirlooms, vintage family pieces.  Home created pieces and a few more bought in pieces either new or new to me to curate my home that bit further.  In reality I need the freedom of time in which to action my plans. 

As usual I have plenty of other projects going on. I plan on buying in a few items to go with items I already have.  I like to match things up although I do not always like things matchy-matchy as it were.  I will also be organising all the Christmas decorations/Items I do have.  I have bought in some special bags for storing baubles in, and arranging for other containers for other pieces. I have bought in 12 large 100 litre storage boxes to start with and may add more if needed. I have quite an extensive Christmas collection and the ornaments I am looking to add are more of the handmade "heirloom" variety of decorations to my collection.  I have never been one to do things half-hearted.  The collector in me I think and I like to have pretty and beautiful things surrounding me. Why bother you ask, potentially you have no one to pass on some of your skills or indeed items to?  Because it pleases me and gives me great pleasure.  It helps you be in the moment and create a bit of magic for others which helps lift their spirits.  Crafting things gives me focus, relaxation and inner peace.  A time to just simply be like being out in the garden and sinking your hands into Terra-Firma and growing and nurturing things from scratch.

Christmas is therefore going to be in the making in this household going forward from January 2025. I am determined to have my Christmas decorations  up for this Christmas. 

Decorations

Homemade Decorations

I intend to make a few decorations  - some are already ongoing, some should have been started by now but that has not happened yet.  It is still in the offing though, and once I get my momentum back under control I shall certainly be handcrafting.  I am going to try and make things where I can.  I have a Christmas Quilt to complete.  It is worked in Cross Stitch, and then has to have the batting added and be bound, and finished off.  A lot of work has gone into that already and I want to get that finished and in use.  I would also like to get a couple of Christmas crochet rugs made as well.  All aesthetic stuff, that will keep you warm and cosy.  I am going to be trying to work out a housework programme so that I can do some crafting each day.  However before I can do that, I have to sit down and work out a programme that will work, within the parameters I have; I really want to make this work.

I also bought in two sets/kits of Christmas tree decorations to hand embroider.  One is a set of about six to eight hearts embroidered with Christmas images like a Star, Mistletoe, Skiing scenes, Cardinal and tree images  to name but a few but not all of them.  The other are little embroidered discs for hanging on to the Christmas tree with various images.  

I also have some other ideas for Christmas decorations including hand-beading baubles.  I have a few kits somewhere which I would like to drag out and get sorted.  Including some Redwork designs by Mandy Shaw.  I have bought in a couple of books with the patterns in which I intend to work.  I have also bought the pattern for The Hare sachet as well.

I also have lots of cross stitch and embroidery charts here at home. Over 40 plus years, I was subscribed to a lot of crafting magazines and cross stitch magazines and so there is a wealth of charts lurking including well known American Cross stitch publications and specific bought charts.

I have also bought a lot of fabrics, items to turn into decorations, ribbons, etc.  There is a lot of embroidery planned and a lot of crafting for this year all with Christmas in mind.

One of the things that I would like to get done is some Christmas cake bands for putting around the Christmas cake next year.  Just something a little bit different.  Now to locate the chart.  It is a smaller project, with white Christmas Roses/Lenten Roses on and as I have mentioned that I am going to try and build-in  designated crafting time daily going forward each day, I am therefore hopeful that I can get a lot accomplished.  I also have the Christmas Cross stitch Quilt to finish working and then make up.  Now that I have my new ring magnifying lamp I am hopeful that this will make working things a lot easier.

I have also bought in a light box for tracing patterns and also working some darker coloured material in cross stitch which can be a little difficult to stitch; I am hoping that this will prove eminently useful in the days to come, it magnifies things as well and as my eyesight is not what it was.  I have been assembling items which I hope will be useful to me in the making of these items.

Bought Decorations

I did invest in two wooden Christmas Pyramids last year though.  These are smaller models than two I already have, but I have a vision of a table scape for next Christmas probably for Christmas tea of them displayed and lit on the centre of the table.  I have an 8 seater very large pine dining table which does need stripping and re-finishing.  That might be on the list too.

Glassware, Serverware, China, Accessories, Cake Stands etc.

This is the bulky stuff and most of it is stored in boxes in the back bedroom.  I have a lot of lovely things packed away and they need to be used.  I have had a vision for a long time of the type of home that I would like, my dream home, and I have been collecting for this for an awful long time.  Lots of beautiful items cake stands, server-ware, fruit dishes, vases, cutlery, table-scape items, candlesticks, etc. I have also inherited a lot of lovely pieces as well. Some of these items are well older than my 65 year old self!

In the latter days of 2024, I found for £3 each, two crystal decanters.  Something that are not in common usage these days.  However I grew up with them being part and parcel of the traditions my family followed and I still think they have their place, especially on a drink's trolley for Christmas.  It was the done thing to have a Decanter and possibly Sherry or Port in a Decanter on the sideboard displayed on a silver tray with the glasses also easily available.  A social custom in order to offer the visitor a cheery Christmas drink.  The tradition then, but in practice a lot of customs have changed over the years.  However, I still think that they have their place.  There are lots of traditions that we have lost over the years because it is no longer considered socially acceptable and with the innovation of drinking and driving laws this curbed celebrations somewhat and in a lot of homes the custom died out.  I think one of the reasons that I centre on this is that on one of my earlier Christmas's I think it was the first Christmas that my uncle did not live with us, his present to my Mum and Dad was a Decanter set with a glass tray and port glasses on. It is funny what sticks in the mind. I think I still have this set in one of the boxes.

I intend to look for selected items to add to my collections or add up to a standard number of settings. I currently collect for 12 place settings.  As I go on my travels, using Charity shops, markets, Antique markets, Ebay, Facebook Marketplace etc.  They will be selected purchases as I do have a lot of stuff, but I want to make sure that there are enough place settings (some pieces have been bought individually for next to nothing and more settings have been added in this fashion).  I do not intend to buy in just for the sake of things, but selected pieces to finish off/complete the collections I do have.  As mentioned, I do have quite a lot of glass and server ware.

Getting the House Back in Order

There is also the ongoing project of getting this house back into order as well.  It is the project that consumed me most in 2024 (as well as the Pantry) and I will continue moving forward with that.  However my main storage area in the house is the back bedroom and I really need to sort this room out to get the items I have elsewhere into there, but in an order where they can be easily accessed.

Other Crafting

I have also projects to complete that are not finished, new projects to have a go at, and I want to get into the routine of making cards as well.  I do not do things by halves and if I get involved in a hobby or a project I tend to have a choice of equipment in crafting, sewing, embroidery, cooking, preserving, etc.  As a result I have a lot of equipment to use and it is time to use it and make it pay for itself.  I will need to stock up on card and paper though as what little card stock I do have, my choice is a little limited and there are some decorations to make as well.  

In 2024 I bought a lot of new cutting dies for paper and card crafting. I already have quite a few in any event. I also bought in some new cross stitch kits to keep myself busy for the foreseeable.  Not that I have not got a lot of cross stitch and embroidery and needlepoint kits in any event, however I took the opportunity of buying in some kits that I particularly like. I also bought a lot of cross stitch kits, including some embroidered Christmas decorations.  I have in mind to make these two specific kits that I have bought in readiness for next Christmas and will probably start them over Christmas this year. Sadly have not been able to settle this but they are waiting there staring at me I will get started soon.

It is therefore going to be a busy year on many fronts.  I am aiming to look after myself this year as well.  I am looking at my diet to see whether I can make any improvements and adjustment to this to help combat some of the fatigue that I frequently experience.  I am also looking at keeping myself moving and also regular exercises (mostly Pilates based) to help with the problems I have with my back, hips, core, shoulders and arms.  I am hoping that by addressing this and getting this back under control, that I will have the energy to get more done in the longer term.  

We have been sensible with food over Christmas and have not "pigged out".  We have had a few goodies but in reality neither of us have wanted very much.  We have enjoyed what we have had and have not wasted anything either.

I therefore plan to do a little bit of everything to get things back on track and to actually achieve what I want in the longer term rather than being disappointed in not quite getting there for another year of my life.  Life is for living and I intend to become more involved in that within my own parameters.

So big plans again, another mountain to move and get over. Perhaps I am being overly ambitious as usual and in reality it might fall flat on my face, but I have got to have a go.  However during these quieter months I intend to get stuck in, as I will have the garden to deal with shortly and I want to maximise my time all around on all the projects so upwards and onwards it is.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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