Before I finally completely forget how to use my blogspace I thought that I’d better try at posting an odd photo or two just to make sure that I’m still familiar with how it works.
Wishing all my blog followers a…
and thank you for your continued support and visits.
A few of my gifts to my Family. As you will see Xmas Stockings play a great part in our Christmas Traditions.
1. My 2018 stocking for my daughter….though unfortunately taken before I have filled, be-ribboned and jingle-belled it. (Sadly I didn’t get the time to take any ‘after’ photos.)
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My Star Wars stocking for my daughter’s partner (and with grateful thanks to Anne Deitchman over in the US for helping me to buy this.) Again unfortunately photos taken before they were filled, be-ribboned and jingle-belled.
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Their two dogs stockings…filled here but again not be-ribboned and jingle belled before the final photos.
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My main presents to my daughter’s Star Wars fan partner.
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There were THREE of these filled for various members of my family (photos again taken without the additional ribbon/bell trimmings.)
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Gift bag filled with presents for my SIL and BIL’s little niece.
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Large box filled with gifts for my daughter. (Apologies for the poor background but was racing against time again!)
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10. My daughter and partners door stop gift from their two horses!
A few photos of our Christmas decorations.
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I bought these two Reindeer this year to have by the side of my front drive but then completely forgot to take a photo of them lit up in situ.
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Wooden Reindeer head hanging inside of the front door.
19. Hallway decorations.
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22. Lounge/Living room decs.
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New Decoration.
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Dick Bruna Crib on lounge window shill. (Apologies for dullness due to being taken against the light.)
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My 2018 Sasha Christmas Card. (front.)
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Father Christmas visiting my home on Christmas Eve.
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Bringing me my Christmas doll.
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My daughter’s exquisitely wrapped presents for ME!
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4w.
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A few of my Terry’s Orange table favours. (Forgot to take a photo of the third cover.)
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Potted up Hyacinths for one of my daughter’s New Year gifts.
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Bye, bye for another year…and thanks again.
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Thanks for visiting us and again a…
Kendals Sasha Brood 
Happy New Year Kendal.
I love seeing your Christmas decorations and your wrapped presents. They are always 1st class and show how much care you take with your wrapping and what a great eye you have for both.
Love also the wooden Dick Bruna crib set.
Next year I need to revisit this post, in late November, to be inspired to make more of an effort with my wrapping.
Have a great week
Dee
I was really thrilled to find this little crib to buy this year as when Chon was just a baby I gave her Dick Bruna’s delightfully illustrated Christmas book and we read it together every Christmas until she was fourteen! I love the simplicity of his Nativity characters.
I have to admit that I spend a fair amount of time looking for really attractive Christmas/birthday wrapping paper and ribbons etc. as I enjoy seeing the final wrapped outcomes. (Many years ago now, when I was a single parent between marriages, I remember offering to wrap my family’s and friends presents for a little cash which I then used to help fund Chon’s presents and our Christmas fare.) It is indeed lovely too, to see that Chon has followed suit and wraps her presents so attractively.
Thanks for dropping by and commenting as it’s hopefully encouraging me to get back to blogging again.
A very happy and healthy New Year to you and your family.
My girls had the Christmas book by Dick Bruno too, it’s around somewhere with Lauren’s added child drawings on the front and end blank pages 🙂
Snap!
Isn’t it just the perfect Christmas book for kids! Chon has the blue hard back version but I have since given the newer soft backed book with a detachable Nativity scene to my some of family’s children.
This year I treated The Brood to the hard backed 50th, white bound in gold, anniversary edition and with an attached angel on a ribbon bookmark, Very smart!
Beautifully wrapped parcels as ever Kendal, very classy! Lovely decorations, and I love the ‘tradition’ of Santa ‘bringing’ you your Christmas Sasha doll. What a great sense of fun he must have.
I think that Santa and his helpers must have a laugh at my expense BUT who cares! I so look forward to his visit each year and as we are the very last on his list, he never rushes the process.
I plan to get over to visit your blogposts now that things have settled down here a bit and before the next round of medical tests begin
BTW Have you heard how ‘Dear’ Henry’s hair transplant is getting on?
Hello Kendal
Great to see you posting. I was going to drop you a happy new year email 😊 Lovely presents. I did contact Santa and suggested a Triumph Renown would be an appropriate present. It transpires that Santa always wanted a sleigh with a column gear change and so I’m afraid the 2088cc’s have disappeared into the ether/aether (for your US viewers) with the Rudolph and the sneaky elves!
Take care and keep posting.
Very naughty me for my recent lack of postings here BUT lovely of you to drop by.
Sorry to hear that there were NO Triumph Renown cars as presents this year but luckily I still enjoy driving my, now fifteen year old, VW automatic Polo. Dread to think of how I would manage to find a parking slot/space these days for such a huge car, although having a Blue Badge would have helped me but perhaps not the car parked alongside!
A very happy New Year to you too.
Just spectacular Kendal, I love how you and your family do Christmas! Thank you for inviting us into your home to celebrate with you and I feel a little part of me was there with ‘our girl’. Thanks to Little Bea I hunted down a Dick Bruna Nativity and it finally arrived on the 4th Jan. xx
Rather the same OLD though I fear BUT I still love my decs, and never like taking them down each year.
Just ADORE ‘our’ girl! She is so photogenic too and is looking good in some of the Broods older outfits… although she has been given a new one of her own by Petrana which you will hopefully soon see her in.
Chon loved the Dick Bruna Nativity set too. So wish that it had been around in her younger days!
A very happy New Year to you and yours and of course Edith.
Sasha love from Me, Gertie Clarisse and Jennine!xxx
Thank you, Kendal, for such a delightful “show”! My only seasonal decoration is a doll’s tree, decorated with appropriate tiny items…even a tiny doll which Sasha holds in her hand while standing next to the tree in her lovely St. Lucia’s outfit (courtesy of Evalyn Stiles!). I love your skeletal tree…minimalist and quite a contrast. What are those white berries on the wreath outside?And your festive TABLE…Wow, I expect the meal would be fit for a Royal, what with four knives and as many forks and spoons! So impressive, indeed. And the wrappings are so nice, they enhance the idea that the THOUGHT behind a gift is what counts…the effort put into the choice and execution of those wrappers…both yours and Chon’s…super! Happy New Year to you, and tell us more about the new doll who arrived in that stocking! SusanLK
What a super and most encouraging comment which is just what I need to spur me on to get back to blogging on a regular basis once again. So pleased that you liked so many parts of our Christmas here.
My Xmas Sasha doll is a Trendon 1973/4? brunette falling haired doll that was customised and wigged by Janet Myhill Dabbs and was going to be put up for sale at the Chat n’ Snap in October but I luckily spotted her and asked if I could buy her as I love the OOAK dolls.
I always used to have a real Nordic Pine tree until about five years ago it all became a bit too much for me finding a suitable one and bringing it home in my car and then setting it all up so my daughter saw this one and gave it to me one Christmas thinking that it would make my life much easier at this busy time. Originally it was just brown branches with incorporated led lights but since I’ve added some very fine gold tinsel to the twigs to make it look more festive and attractive.
Until about fifteen years ago I’ve usually cooked the Christmas turkey dinner but then it all became too much so we started to go out for the main Xmas meals as a family at local good food restaurants leaving me to do the full English breakfasts and fresh lobster/prawn salad suppers and roast beef or fillet steak dinners/luncheons on the couple of days that we don’t go out followed by my homemade Sherry trifle and fresh pineapple, bananas, cream and topped with Cadburys milk flake deserts. Hence the need for all the different cutlery.
As a family we have always tried to make our presents however small or insignificant look as attractive as we can.
Wishing you a very happy New Year.
Gosh Kendal, thanks for that detail of your holiday! I’m impressed at the extent of your holiday meals….what you STILL are doing at home, after celebrating as a family at restaurants! I can’t imagine how anyone, young OR old, could manage that amazing variety of seasonal treats! I’ve made the “trifle” in the past and it’s really delicious, especially with its “satirical” name (hardly a trifle, that dish!!) Did you serve the fresh fruit combo along with the trifle, or on a separate occasion? I am enjoying your blogs enormously, as they keep me in touch with Sasha Enthusiasm, having been unable to attend festivals recently. Thanks and Happy New Year to you ! SusanLK
As a family we have always eaten well remembering that old and so true saying ‘You are what you eat’… plus we all sit down at the table together and talk, plan, discuss, make decisions etc. which aides the digestion and provides such pleasure,
I can count on my fingers and toes just how many non cooked breakfasts I’ve not had over the 77 years and that would only be on account of being ill. Breakfasts to us is THE most important meal of the day and always includes a fresh free range egg in some shape, form or description.
I make my trifles using a home made sponge base (or in these days on account of the hands, a pkt. of Trifle sponges.
I soak these with Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry with a tablespoon full of seedless Raspberry jam mixed with a tiny drop of hot water to help melt the jam with the Sherry. Then I add a good layer of thick custard and let it all cool in the fridge.
Just before serving I top it with thick Double Cream and finally sprinkle a few grated Almonds.
The Fresh fruit salads are not served with the trifle as that is rich and filling enough on it’s own.
I make my own chicken and vegetable soups using chicken thighs, still with the bones attached (but peel off the greasy skins) lentils, pearl barley, spices, celery, carrots, parsnips, potato, onion, green and yellow spilt peas, a desert spoonful of Thyme and Parsley stuffing and chicken stock cubes dissolved in boiling water. When all has been bought to the boil it is then simmered for an hour. I remove the bones from the chicken pieces, and cut up the meat into tiny pieces. Before returning these to the stock I lightly mash the vegetables with a potato masher.
Will descibe the Pineapple/banana.cream deserts another time if you want.
What a fabulous Christmas Sasha! Santa obviously knows you very well!
I’m so pleased that you like her too. I’m over the moon with her.
All those gifts look like a work of art – almost a shame to unwrap them! Dmd and I were so pleased to receive your lovely Christmas crib card – thank you (I didn’t manage to send any cards because I was unexpectedly overseas for 2 weeks in November for family reasons. I’m pleased you had a Christmas Sasha again.
We all enjoy present wrapping though it is getting much harder for me now to deal with the Cellotape and tie the ribbons etc.
Pleased that you liked the card although I should have taken more time doing it but wasn’t planning on doing one this year but then relented at the last minute as couldn’t find any other cards that would fit the bill for my Sasha friends.
I really missed NOT having a Christmas Sasha last year so was so pleased when I spotted this one of Janet’s that was up for grabs. Very ME!
A very happy New Year to you and yours!
I love, love, love your Christmas posts! I’m so glad you were up for it this year. I laid back in my bed, in near darkness, and lingered over all those beautiful pictures. Your lovely packages put my simple ones to shame, but that doesn’t stop me enjoying them. I covet Chon’s beaded stocking, I loved the front-door plantings, I enjoyed the house decorations. I’m especially glad you got a Christmas Sasha! What vicarious fun I’m having!
Thank you, dear Kendal, for taking the trouble. It can’t have been easy. I’m hoping for a healthy, happy new year for you, for us all!
NOW this is REAL ENCOURAGEMENT. Thanks for spurring me on although I’m not sure just where those delightful snowflakes that used to be falling here at this time of year have gone.
So pleased that this blogpost gave you such pleasure…I now, after reading this, intend to try to view it in the dark tonight too!
A very happy and healthy 2019 to you and yours and many thanks again for this most encouraging comment,
Does your new Sasha doll have a wig or is she a re-root ?? She’s absolutely goegeous xoxo
She has a Monique Gold wig (although I don’t know the finer details but could find out if necessary!) that hasn’t actually been glued on permanently so that it can be changed/swapped if needed.
Luckily I think that she is rather gorgeous too. I extra love the customised ‘one of a kind dolls.’ They have such individual personalities.
What a wonderful Christmas post Kendal. I love seeing your beautiful Christmas wrappings and decorations. A delight to the eye! Chon has inherited you talent for wrapping beautiful packages. Her beaded Christmas stocking is outstanding!
My favorite part is always the arrival of Father Christmas bringing your beautiful Christmas Sasha doll. This girl is so very lovely and what a perfect companion for Clarise. I hope you have a very healthy and happy New Year! 😊 xxx
Thanks Ginger. Pleased that you enjoyed it although the decorations, apart from the grey twig wall tree, are unfortunately the ‘same old’ from many years ago.
Chon was really thrilled with her new stocking this year. It was quite heavy with all that beading!
I too love the annual arrival of Father Christmas on his sleigh bringing me my Xmas Sasha Doll. Goodness only knows what he and his helpers and my neighbours think of it all!
Thanks for popping by and we all here wishi you and your Sasha Doll collection a very happy 2019.
Such beautiful decorations and packages. I’m particularly taken with the wreath in photo number 21. Do you know what it is made of?
Thanks. Yes that wreath is a real woven twig base decorated with artificial pale green mistletoe leaves and white berries. It is my favourite too. Just adore the colouring.
I once used this with a Trendon baby Sasha dressed in a white knitted pram-suit sitting in the centre as my Christmas card. (Not sure how I can add a photo of this here.)
I didn’t see this post until today Kendal, and what a lovely post I’d ALMOST missed. I love the decorations, the twiggy trees and the simplicity of it all, so attractive. Your presents from Chon are so beautifully wrapped that it would have been almost a crime to open them! I hope you found some wonderful goodies inside.
I love the gift bags in photo number 6, simple but very attractive.
And it’s great that Santa personally visited your neck of the woods and on Christmas Eve too, when he must be so incredibly busy making his amazing journey around the world! 😉
Thank you so much for your Christmas card which was a pleasure to receive as always…..I love the cards that feature our dolls and have quite a collection of them safely stored away now!!!7
Happy New Year, I hope 2019 is a good one for you.
Big hugs xx
Afraid that apart from one or two photos my Christmas Decs are much the same as they have been for many years…. but I was particularly pleased with the new grey/silver belled 2D wall hanging twig tree.
I rather rushed doing my Sasha Christmas card this year…(having decided not to do one this year) and unfortunately I felt that it showed!
Father Christmas’ visit here is greatly looked forward too…especially when a Sasha Doll is involved!
The Christmas Gift bags were really fabulous this year. I was literally spoilt for choice especially with this Glick company’s bags with their matching wrapping and tissue papers though was rather cross with myself for leaving everything so late that i didn’t get the time to photograph them with their final ribbons, bells and curling ribbon decorations.
PS. Loved my gifts from Chon when I finally dared to open them!
A very happy 2019 to you and yours.