Currently we are still talking about the Christmas Drinks party we went to Saturday night & for the first time in years of attending this annual party, we weren't the first to leave! This year their inside the house Christmas tree was 12 feet high & 6 feet across. It was a Balsam Fir which has the most wonderful scent about it. It took her 4 days to decorate. We are also still talking about the Guelph Symphony Christmas concert we attended Sunday afternoon; lots of sing along Christmas carols & pretty set decorations.
Currently in the shopping cart was a new to me CD, one of the King's College (Cambridge) Choir's Christmas carols. It's beautiful, traditional & rich of sound memory for me. It is the music of my Grandmother's Christmas.
Currently we have been watching & enjoying Dr Lucy Wavey's history of the Christmas Carol, TV specials, along with old & new shows of The Great British Bake Off Christmas specials.
Currently reading, two scrapbook, card making magazines; one online, Scrapbook & Cards Today & in the hand paper copy of Creative Scrapbooker (which I get from the library). Lots of ideas.
Currently the book reading is The Christmas Cookie Club, an annual read for me, it's a nice story plus it gives some interesting facts about cookie ingredients along with recipes. In fact did you know that the vanilla flowers are hermaphroditic, in that the flower carries both the male & female organ but to avoid self pollination, there's a membrane that separates those organs. And along with that tidbit, that vanilla plants were in a long time monogamous relationship with a species of local Veracruz Mexico bee for pollinating, hence why vanilla was so expensive because it wouldn't be grown anywhere else. Now Madagascar is the biggest producer of vanilla because a few hundred years ago, a 12 year slave boy figured out how to hand pollinate the flower. Fascinating!
Now on to the week of being more of a Christmas social elf - there's at least two lunches with friends!
"It matters not what's under the tree, but who is around it with you"
It sounds like you are well and truly into the Christmas spirit with lots of festive events and happy memories! That quote is so very true!
ReplyDeleteI embrace the season with open arms, I cannot think of anything I do not like about Christmas ... well the snow, yeah the snow is OK Christmas Eve to Boxing Day.
DeleteI've never read the Christmas Cookie Club but it sounds like the sort of book I'd like so will see if I can get hold of a copy.
ReplyDeleteKings College choir have that 'special' sound don't they?
The book is an easy read, a light sweet story but the author says it is all based around her real life cookie club. I just got King's College 9 Lessons & Carols double CD - OMG - it's the most gorgeous music.
DeleteA 12' indoor Christmas tree? I can't imagine a tree that size ever fitting into a standard British home!
ReplyDeleteTheir living room is built so that the ceiling is open to the second floor level & there's nothing but windows at the front of the house - I just groan thinking about cleaning those windows. When our friends built this house, it was done with a lot of thought to Christmas - they have storage built in just for the Christmas decorations!
DeleteYour December festivities seem to be rolling along nicely! I love vanilla, so that was a fascinating read ...
ReplyDeleteI few years ago I decided to go with real vanilla in my baking & wow what a difference to the extract vanilla. I like the smell of vanilla in candles.
DeleteWhat a huge tree! I can imagine it made a wonderful highlight at a Christmas party. The King's College Choir's Christmas albums are always a delight. Their music is perfect for the season, isn't it! I've never heard of The Christmas Cookie Club book but will keep an eye out for it. It's nice to have some old favorites as well as some new books for the holidays :) That quote is so true!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to two PBS specials coming up later this month (PBS-Boston is the one we get) Dr Lucy Worsley's 12 Days of Tudor Christmas & her history of Christmas Carols. The 12' tree was certainly 60% of the conversation Saturday night & whispered between guests of what it cost!! (col).
DeleteGlad to hear you had a good concert, and that the party was worth staying for! Enjoy that CD too!
ReplyDeleteWondering what's happening to St. Nick in that last photo ... bracing himself for an attack?
Yes my poor cloth Santa(s) are often picked on, Smokey is not the aggressor in most assaults, Sooty is the one that takes great exception to Santa (no gifts for her!). I am really enjoying my CD - such beautiful music. I believe you had Dr Lucy Worsley's History of Christmas Carols begin - so far I've only found when her 12 Days of Tudor Christmas are on.
DeleteYou are off to a wonderful start in celebrating the holiday! Nothing so exciting here, although the seasonal lunches with friends do begin tomorrow and extend off and on for the next two weeks.
ReplyDeleteI know for me as I get older, it's those quieter celebrations with friends that are more important than the all out noisy parties. I am looking forward to a quieter time beginning the week of the 22nd - everyone will have been seen ... I'll need some major downtime.
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