Christmas is nearly here! And all that glitters....

Hello to all! Since last week I am pleased to say,  I have managed to very nearly get up to scratch again for Christmas, hence my lack of commenting on all your blogs!  Sorry, I will make a real effort to catch up! In fact I almost missed these lovely awards, the first is from Tracey at Tracey's crafty scraps! http://tracey-craftyscraps.blogspot.com/ .

The second one is from Teresa at Faerie Moon Creations. Thank you so much Teresa!  These are the rules:

• Copy the Kreativ Blogger picture and post it on your page
• Thank the person who gave it to you and link back to their blog
• Write seven things about you that we don’t know
• Choose seven other bloggers that you would like to give the award to
• Link to the bloggers that you choose
• Let the winners know that they have the lovely award.

I would be mortified if people thought that I was ignoring them!  Thank you so much Tracey and Teresa!!! It was really lovely of you to think of me!  For Tracey's award,  am to give it to 5 people and tell you all 5 things that I love doing, but I will post the awards again the next time I post as I just can't seem to think at the moment with my arm the way it is! ( I have just added this since I posted before, if that makes any sense!)


My cards are written and my sewing nearly done, and have just posted off some hearts which I hope will make it there on time!

Little pixie!

Little fairy

The back of one heart.

My presents are still unwrapped (but at least I have bought them!) and the house is so definitely not decorated yet and in need of a clean.  Still though, I feel more in control, and what the hell Hey?! At some point we all have to just stop and let it all happen regardless don't we?  One worry though is that as I sit here writing this, I am achey all over and feel like I am about to come down with something. The real worry being that my arm that I have Lymphodoema in (swelling of the arm due to the lymph nodes being removed during my breast cancer operation ... hence no drainage!), has gone bright red and hurts all the way up to the armpit , like a chinese burn and painful to the touch. I only hope that I am not getting another infection in it.  Last time I got an infection in said elephants trunk, I could not stay awake, and anyone who knows me will tell you that I do not nap, ever! Also, if I have, it will mean two weeks on penicillin, and then I will spend the whole of Christmas on the wagon!!! Oh NO!! Not now!!!

One of our christmas dinners in Canada. Look at my Mum, all dressed up and sparkling too!

I love Christmas, I really do. Maybe because it evokes memories of chilhood festivities.

A childhood Christmas, and me sporting the gift of a new dressing gown!

Christmas for me as a child was all about the giving, we were taught to be kind and grateful for all of the goodness in our lives.
 What is your definition or memories of Christmas?  Of course, it is many things ...  tinsel, sparkling lights, good food laid on a welcoming table, sat beside a roaring fire with a warming glass of mulled wine. Being with loved ones, family and friends and the joy of seeing someone's face as they open the gift you have wrapped for them.  It really does conjure up so many lovely images doesn't it? Snow ball fights, Doris day! And all those wonderful oldie Chiristmas films - Cary Grant in the bishop's wife and its a wonderful life for instance. How I love those films!  I have to admit that I am unashamedly soppy and starry eyed about Christmas!



The one thing about it all I don't like, however, is that, for my liking there is a little too much emphasise on the glitter and sparkle. Oh, no-one loves sparkling lights and the whole Christmas magical package  more than me! My eyes just go wide at all the gorgeous Christmasy goodies!  No,my bug-bear is the over commercialism and materialism. Too much emphasise is put on the price tag, instead of the love that goes into a gift from the heart.  Simple giving is almost laughed at by some, but Kirsty Allsopp has been doing a homemade Christmas program, so maybe....! Although, her idea of homemade is rather ridiculously expensive! I don't think the rest of us will be making that sort of homemade! Take a look at Mummy mad's wonderful post on Kirsty's program, I have to agree with her, Kirsty has left the planet!

One of my precious childhood memories is of my brother and I going up into the forest to get our own Christmas tree. We would take the sleigh and a saw, and off we would go. Grahame would pull me along on the way there and the tree would be pulled on the way back!

Me with my brother... brrrrrrr!

I am reminded of a story I used to like although it is very sad! It was about a little tree growing in the forest, and every year it watched as the other trees were sent off to faraway places, to live in houses to be dressed up with pride of place. The little tree had heard many a story of the sparkling lights, candy canes and colourful baubles that were festooned on its many pals from the forest. "And! said one, apparently you will be the focal point and every one will love you, they will sing and dance at the delight of you! No more will you stand out in the cold, you will be warm...and special!"
How tree wished to be picked!!!  Little tree did not have to wait too long and one day he was uprooted and sent on his journey.

Little tree found that it was just as he had heard... his family were so pleased to welcome him into their home, they ooohed and awhhed over him and made such a fuss dressing him. He looked the perfect picture!
He had never, ever had such a splendid time!

After only a short time though, his needles started to drop off and he felt a bit droopy, so droopy that the beautiful decorations began to drop to the floor. Oh no, whats happening thought little tree, even the children don't seem to be interested in me anymore. Tree felt very sad indeed, but suddenly his world became even worse, a big person came in and took all his decorations off, even his lights and the pretty fairy on his head, lifted him up and threw him out with all the rubbish in the wind and the sleet. Poor little tree was so sad and felt rather foolish that he had let all the glitter blind him to what really matters in life,  and he missed the big  forest, where the only sparkle there was was the twinkle of ice and snow! He felt ashamed that he had been so vain, and for thinking that all the finery had made him a more superior tree. No, he was just a tree, and he had found out too late that just being him was enough! 

So, I will be enjoying the sparkle and magic for what it is, ( I will be rolling in it and eating it for breakfast!!!) but I will enjoy most what I feel is important about Christmas even more ....friends, family, health, love, giving, because we all need those so much more than something expensive that eventually wears out or tarnishes! I shall also be giving thoughts to all the people in the world for whom christmas feels more like the little tree's Christmas, and I will remind myself to be so grateful that my lovely Christmas is a blessing, not a right.

Who else feels that Christmas has become a time when people feel pressured to spend money that they can ill afford! I can't help but feel aware that for some people it is not a happy time at all, but one filled with loneliness and worry!

Still I can't help enjoying Christmas and all I associate with it too! I love it!!!   Hopefully I shall start getting my decorations out next week!

Until next week, love and Christmas cheer to you all!  Ho Ho Ho!

Suzie. xxx