festivities

Yet another ‘better-late-than-never’ style post from me – weeks and weeks after most bloggers have written lengthy details of their Christmas preparations, I sit down on New Years Eve to write two posts: reflections and thoughts on 2011, and aims for 2012, and the token festive post. This is the latter, and is basically going to be a massive picture-fest – I was so busy making and baking, crafting with the Boy, seeing friends and family and shopping up a storm, that there just didn’t even seem to be time to upload the photographs from the camera, let alone edit and add them to a blog post. (This links nicely to my other post that will come a little later in the evening – more doing, less procrastinating!)

Christmas also happened to fall in my 27th week of pregnancy – token bump picture coming up…..

I still refuse to even entertain buying maternity clothes – I rarely buy anything new anyway, and the thought of spending such an obscene amount of money on (let’s face it, pretty hideous) clothes that I would only wear for a short time is enough to give me a nervous twitch. I’ve bought a few stretchy dresses and long vest tops, but so far nothing that can’t be worn after Madam makes an appearance. As you can see, the third trimester has completely taken its toll on my ability to shoehorn myself into any remaining vintage – and throbbing, swollen feet mean that nice shoes are pretty much off the agenda. Sigh. Roll on Spring, and little sandals, that’s what I say.

The run up to Christmas in our house was a flurry of baking (assisted greatly by The Boy – although I strongly suspect more decorations made it into his mouth than onto the baked goods)….

….and making, both of handmade gifts and decorations….

This garland never actually got finished….

I was ever so chuffed with the handmade gift tags – despite getting the stamp from Hobbycraft, and the tags from WHSmiths. Ahem.

I had the grand idea of making teacup candles…. never again.

We had most of our decorations from last year – the only thing that was new was the felted heart garland along our makeshift ‘fireplace’ (a radiator cover in the hallway, ahem), and seeing them again was a little like revisiting old friends, punctuated with cries of, “oh, I’d forgotten about those!”

The Boy is three now, and this is the first year he’s actually understood what happens at Christmas. As you can tell, it pleased him greatly.

I was lucky enough to receive some really lovely gifts from friends and family this year – books that I’ve lusted after, candles, scarves… I felt incredibly chuffed with my lot this year.

The Boy was thoroughly spoiled by all my lovely friends as well. Lucky little man!

As much as I enjoy the festive season, I’m now itching to take the decorations down and get my teeth well and truly stuck into the new year. We had a truly lovely Christmas, and now I’m ready to follow it up with more of the same in 2012.