a virtual coffee -& loving christmas...

morning everyone...& welcome to all those lovely new people who have just jumped in here...


i think it's time for a {virtual coffee}...


for those who've not had a virtual coffee round at mine before...it is pretty lovely if i may say so myself...

i always let you have my gorgeous faded old pink chair...if the fire's on...you're in front of it...

yep...you always get prime posie here...

mostly tea...sometimes coffee & on the rare night *virtual coffee* becomes a *virtual vino*...all very

civilised & lovely i assure you ;)...you get the biggest glass...

so...welcome to my home...i love having you here today because one of my gorgeous blogging

{friends} has asked me to talk about some christmas thoughts...memories...things you may not have

heard me *prattle on* about here before...

i can prattle believe me... :)

so...sit down...have a mince pie...err bakery bought i can assure you...& let's chat christmas...


before we start- how cool is that mug there!!

i know that the world has been over-run with *keep calm & ...* bits & pieces...but that mug up there

was bought for me by my gorgeous, thoughtful husband last week- because it is tin...tin folks...proper

old picnic ware tin...

and i love tin picnic ware...just as i adore french enamel ware...

i got me a pretty pile of that too i have to say...{yep prattling- just like a real catch-up}


so...getting past the tin mug & our obsession for french enamel ware...hmmmm


let's get back to christmas...

most of you that normally pop in for a virtual coffee know that we are aussies...


yep...all the way up here in the english countryside from waaaay *down under*...

so christmas for us usually consists of a morning beach visit, sand, salt air, mango cocktails

& sun frocks...

yes- pretty sweet way to recall christmas i must say...


so...in moving to the english countryside we had our very first cold & storybook christmas...

it was magical...

we cut our own tree from a forest a half hour from our house...

we had dark evening of endless log fires & we took to cooking with a crazed lovely christmas frenzy...

our kids had never even seen snow!


so for us...this move has given us endless christmas memories of a snow laden garden & what it truly

feels like to dance down your very own garden path under falling snow...

yes we have danced in falling snow- in our garden...now that is not a memory from my childhood in Oz!


so, each year, as the christmas season approaches we have loved our little rituals...


tree hunting in wellies....

open fires every night...

house decorating with as many tiny teeny fairy lights as possible...

all very english & done in the dark, warm, cosy nights of winter in the northern hemisphere...

if we were really having a virtual coffee together- 


i'd know that you'd leap in now with all your stories of christmas snow & beloved new sleds...

or of long seafood lunches on the water....watching your kids on their new boards...

whatever rocks you christmas day...


i love it both *down under* on the beaches of oz...& *up here* in the english countryside...

& i just feel so blessed that we've given our three kids a wonderful dose of both...

if we were really having a virtual coffee together- you snuggled up in the bay window looking out 


at our autumn garden from the best spot, mince pie on lap...


i would ask you to tell me a story...a memory from your childhood christmas...

i could talk about christmas and kids stories all morning long...

i know we all have a vice or two...i'm happy to have this on my list...

some people think it's too early in the year for christmas banter - not for me honey!

my parents have this fabulous old super 8 footage of me about three opening my christmas 


pressies...


they were young, lovely, pretty alternate & it was the early 70's...

i'm sure they had visions of raising an independent world traveller...

all i'd asked santa for was a *wedding doll* in her full kit- white, lacey & plastic...

bless them it came...against their grain i'm so sure...

but the brilliant moment came on the super 8 when at 3, i checked instantly for the all essential wedding

band...

ahhh the sigh of relief when i spotted the wire ring my darling father had made & attached to this

whopping big blonde plastic doll...

the memories of christmas- simple in the good old days ;)


no computer games, long lists of electronic toys & gadgets...

just a simple doll & a ring of some promise...

followed by a run on the beach & relatives...

our kids get a healthy dose of both...keeping them connected to the world indoors & out...

so...as autumn rolls on here in the english countryside...heading into the dark, early nights of 


winter...i am beginning to plan for our lead up to christmas...


the gift wrapping...

the list making...

the calender marking...

the kiddos excitement mounting...

you're more than welcome to come for virtual coffee & a christmas catch up every week...


or just the virtual coffee & the natter...


i'm feeling all inspired now...i've got some christmas wrapping thoughts to share this coming week...

so i'm going to shove you out into the autumn weather with a little box of mince pies for inspiration...

& the promise of another virtual coffee together next week...

happy holiday planning

hope the mince pies inspire some early list making

melissa

xox

~~~

for more christmas inspiration have a lookie 

{here}

{here}

&

{here}