O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree

I usually spend 4-5 hours decorating the tree for Christmas, but the last few years my nieces have been doing it. They make it look awesome and it takes them... wait for it, ...all of 20 minutes. I haven't bought any decoration in many year but have put together a good amount over the years.
Christmas - a special time of year with special people. Love you all.

Christmas Eve

Well, Christmas eve is over but I have only just downloaded the collage app so that I can create them on my phone.

My theme this year was Mainly White, so that it would be possible to have a white Christmas in Africa after all. I was afraid it might look too much like a wedding but it did not.

I had started to purchase all the items in July, I know, crazy. As well as the presents, I gathered things I liked and then decided who I would give them to, that way I seemed to have ended up with quite a few presents for myself, ha, ha.

The stars for the table I cut myself one evening and the twirly-wirlys took me a number of evenings to make up. The indoor tree was decorated in gold, silver, copper and bronze or as some prefer to call it, strawberry gold. I bought those white garden refuse bags and packed all the gifts inside, tied it up with a bow and so everyone's bag was placed under the tree. We baked the cookies when the girls were here so they could decorate them. My sister-in-law bakes the Stollen every year. It is absolutely delicious and I ate mine before I thought to photograph it. Oops.

I crocheted some white flowers and added paper snowflakes to make up a Christmas tree on the patio.

And so, another magical Christmas is over.
Thanks to my family for making it so very special.

Plate of stars

I am making stars as part of my Christmas table decorations. Looking at them now I think the 5-point star would look neater. If I get time I think I will recut them all.

December break 2015

A lunch with friends before the family arrives and everything is delightfully mismatched and the table sloping slightly westwards in its southern corner. Our guests arrive and love it. Love the meal too. Spicy coconut chicken, fresh baked bread (to mop up the sauce) and a salad. I am normally so diligent in the visual recording of my meals but today I forgot. Oops. Anyway, you can find the recipe on taste.co.za

Two men jog past my house at noon. When the Lindt chocolate is unable to keep its pose in the house - it can't decide whether to cling to the wrapper or try and hold on to its centre because its so very hot. Two men run past my house in the noonday sun. Insane.

Do you know how hot it really is without taking a barometer reading? Those candles that change colours when lit (heat-activated) are going through their colour phases without a flame on the wick.

Rain from the east. Wind from every direction. The trees sway this way and that faster then a row of spectators at a Wimbledon final. The rain follows a zigzag pattern from the top to the bottom taking its direction from the wind. So cool now after a hot day. In the morning we see how many branches the wind wrestled from the trees, torn off with force and now lie discarded on the garden floor.

Its 05:48. Last chance today to bake the Christmas cookies. However, my lazy body and my lazy bones seem more inclined towards lying on the bed and reading a book. And so the battle begins, since the body is already on the bed it feels this is an easy victory. But the mind always wins because it plays the guilt card. Well, it was late afternoon before I started baking. I was sweating like a Chinese child labourer, oven on and about 32 degrees. The house smells wonderfully like Christmas.

I got a bowl of homemade fudge and placed it with all the other presents in the basket under the Christmas tree. We went swimming and when we came back in the house we realised why the dogs had been so quiet, they had eaten all the fudge. We should have known, like children who are too quiet they were up to no good. BJ threw up later that evening because his body couldn't find a happy balance between how delicious the fudge was and how bad it is for his system. Lots of pacing, panting and going outside. Eventually, I had had enough and gave him a heaped teaspoon of alkaline powder and that settled everything.

Tuesday 12:36. Awaiting the arrival of our guests. Excited.

So the family arrive late afternoon. It is so frigging hot and no one can get to sleep, any of the night they were here. We had all the doors and windows open but without a breeze it remains hot. The mosquitoes seem annoyed with the hot weather and take their anger out on us day and night, it seems relentless. 

We are so grateful for the swimming pool. Spend so much time in it, it is fun. Play games or just swim backwards and forwards then float about like dead fish. We put the dogs under the shower every day to cool off.

Christmas Eve I lay the table. We eat an early dinner, just something light, salads. My sister-in-law made a delicious watermelon, grape and feta salad. She cut the watermelon into shapes, very pretty. Play the Christmas music as our mom and dad used too. The girls sing us a Christmas carol, the candles are lit and everyone is quiet for a moment. Then we open the presents. Awesome. I'll show you all the gifts I got later. Out onto the patio for dessert, delicious.

We all had a good time together. On Sunday before they left I make a big lunch despite the hot weather. More swimming. Teaching the girls dominoes etc. Before you can say: hot as hell we were back at the airport and it was all over.

I promised Trish I would bring a cake to her dinner and while I knew the baking pan was the wrong format for the type of cake I was making I wanted a wreath-shaped cake.  Well my hummingbird cake stuck to the pan in one spot when I tried to turn it out and so it was in broken pieces and crumbs. Trish suggested I turn it into a trifle. Good idea. A generous sprinkling of kirschwasser, some drunken pineapple (soaked in kirschwasser), smashed nuts, Woolies chocolate mousse and some whipped cream and we had a trifle. My first trifle, I think it's a very English thing, and I have never thought they look very appetising. Anyway, it saved me and tasted good but I will probably never make another.

Jill had loaned me 4 books and I have managed to read 3 of them. I enjoyed Me before you and City of Dark Magic.

Too hot to get to all the things that need to be done around the house so we took ourselves off to the movies twice. Lady in the Van. Maggie Smith was so natural and made it seem like everyone else was acting. I don't know how to explain it. And we saw Sisters. I am a big fan of Tina Fey but this is the first of her movies I have enjoyed, entertaining, a good laugh.

One whole day we spent watching Homeland 4 - I know you have all seen it already but we don't have any of the mod cons (yet) so we are a little behind with our favourite series. Thoroughly enjoyed it. it was a great day. small pleasures.

Back to work tomorrow.

Thanks everyone for all my wonderful gifts!

Hanging baubles

Bayleaf wreath

Snowflakes

Snowflake decorations for Christmas.
Hung them next to last year's decorations which are still up ;-)

Forest of Christmas trees

I created a forest of trees using bits from the sisal plant, for a Christmas display.

Christmas tablecloth

I can only assemble it on the day, but this is my idea for my Christmas tablecloth. White and cream doilies stuck onto newsprint. Pretty.

Christmas decorations

I am drying these as part of my Christmas decorations. Once they're dry I am going to spray them this very same colour. I can picture it all already. Awesome. Ha ha.

Christmas was so long ago

Christmas was so long ago and the Valentine's merchandise is already on display but I thought I'd just share it with you anyway. It was a lovely time spent with family.

This is my dining room table on Christmas eve.

My Christmas lights. The paper bags were outside and the table of candles was next to my Christmas tree.

My sister-in-law baked the best biscuits. They were so yummy. I think they were finished my Boxing Day. Boo hoo.

I made an upside down Christmas tree for the patio.

Christmas decorations

Cutting it a bit fine this year, but at last I have started making up my Christmas table decorations. Remember, I am using things I picked up in the garden or in the park.

So these are 2 large egg trays filled with things. They will be on the dining table and will be removed when the food is served. Once the table is cleared they will be placed back.

These are 6 egg egg trays filled with things which are the 'room-drops' ;-) Placed in the bedrooms in keeping with our 'Au Naturale' theme. Can be taken home by my guests, hmm, would they want to?

This is the table centre piece which will remain on the dining table at all times, even during the meal.

Adding some sparkle to the garden

I added some decorations to a tree that has died. We chopped it down and I took a branch, 'planted' in a pot and added some bling. I have placed it at the front door. Welcome everyone!

Christmas table decoration kit box

I am sending a box of Christmas decoration to my brother because they won't be joining us this year. My theme this year is au naturel, using mostly things I have picked up in my garden or at the park.

35 days to go

Only 35 days to Christmas so it's time to think about the decorations. Made these twirly, whirly, dangly things last night.

Christmas preparations 6

Saw something similar on the internet last night. Make up with envelops. On the wall outside – I'm sure the rain will take it down :)

Table setting

Planning how my Christmas table layout will look.

christmas preparations 5

Hanging up the stars

I made up the paperchains for Christmas. Oh my word, what a lot of work.

Christmas preparations 4