3.11.11

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 



&







16 comments:

  1. I like to drink a cup with you...what a nice mug !!!.......lovely !! enjoy a happy day...love from me...xxx..

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  2. I too love the down under/up here Christmas contrasts - however, I grew up in Australia with an English grandfather...so Christmas Day was still all about the traditional roast for lunch (no sand, surf or seafood in sight) - just a sweltering standard Sydney surburban home! But traditions stick with you - even though my grandfather passed away many years ago, Christmas Day in Australia never felt complete without all of the traditional trimmings.

    Since experiencning Christmas in the UK things have clicked into place - all of a sudden twinkly fairy-lights make sense in the cold, dark evenings; there is the novelty of chilling the white wine outside as there is no room in the fridge; carol services in beautiful old churches (followed by mulled wine and mince pies)...just lovely!

    I hope you continue to enjoy your season of contrasts!

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  3. I need some real coffee right now! Happy planning!

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  4. Great post, I do love that mug of yours :) I love christmas, the build up and decorating is always fun :)

    Bee happy x
    Have a delicious day!

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  5. I am with you that the keep calm stuff has been overdone, but I am loving that mug too! If I ever see one like it I will be snatching it up!
    Oh and what about the little ruffle wreath next to the mug? Adore it! Is it a christmas tree ornament? Did you make? I need to know the details!! :)

    Your coastal farmgal friend,
    Alima xoxo

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  6. LOve lOvE your cUp! Yep...it's a keeper. Now you've gone and got me all in the Christmassy mood. I actually am glad all the pumpkins are over with...I wasn't ready for autumn, halloween and all the orange and black. Nope and Autumn is usually my favorite season...it's funny I have been wanting to skip right past Autumn and enter the magical winter and all it's promises. Last year I wrapped white Ikea candles in twine with saint medals and now you've got me wanting to pull some out and begin wrapping them up today. It is cold and supposed to rain so I just might do that. I have missed visiting your blog...it always reminds me of what is dear to my heart...home and family. ox

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  7. I love your christmas post and enjoyed my virtual coffee with you. I am longing to get all crafty for christmas and this was a very inspiring start to my christmas thoughts. I too love enamel and tin and your cup is divine and oh so very christmasy. Have a lovely day Melissa! Leahx

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  8. love the coffee cup with the burlap and ribbon! some of your christmas memories remind me of mine. i remember wanting a "bride" doll and for me it was the 60's.
    x

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  9. Thank you for the cuppa, I feel ready to carry on with my day. Great mug, your hubby is a clever one to buy that for you. You are inspiring me to start thinking about Christmas.

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  10. Enamel ware....you're speaking my language:) How perfectly perfect to have experienced such different Christmas seasons. A dream come true! Would so love to share a cuppa in front of your fire. I think I might link up with this virtual coffee scenario...it's gorgeous! Meredy xo

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  11. I would so love to sit down and have a cup of tea with you Melissa! Prattle away...it would make my day :) I got a bride doll as a child. I was a flower girl in my cousin's wedding and she gave it to me. I thought she was so beautiful. In fact I can still remember walking in, spying her, and admiring her. My cousin told me it was for a little girl she knew, and I remarked "What a lucky little girl!", still having no idea it was for me. I remember the joy on my cousin's face when she said I was that little girl. Thank you for reminding me of that precious memory :)
    Enjoy your weekend.
    Blessings,
    Marcia

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  12. Prattle? I'm guessing I am doing that all the time then, (is it babbling? just checking...),
    yep, for me Christmas is always about being cold, rain, snow, lights, presents since I grew up in Amsterdam, we have it all, like the UK, but I would LOVE to feel the sun at Christmas (we had that when we lived in Houston, it was strange, shorts and slippers, or flip flops, while decorating the tree...).
    I think I will copy your paper bunting and perhaps if I will really go crazy make something on my sewing machine....first let me finish my ever, first scarf for Noa, and then miss Zoe wants one too....
    Enjoy the build up honey, and I love the cup too! Cheers honey!
    Maureen xx

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  13. What a lovely post, and a beautiful mug!
    I had tea instead of coffee...thank you x

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  14. Lovely memories on film, Melissa. I remember being too scared to open the kitchen door, early one xmas morning as Mum and Dad had said that if we got up too early or disturbed Father Xmas, all the presents would disappear in a puff of smoke....so me and my two sisters gingerly turned the knob, holding our breath that everything under the xmas tree wouldn't disappear in front of our eyes....Robx
    p.s. we have the same tin cup in the bathroom housing our toothbrushes. When we first arrived I bought a china one for Paul to use at work and when that broke I bought the 'Now freak out and Panic' version which after a year in the job was very appropriate!

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  15. Ah, this Christmas will be an extra special one for you, Miss Melissa - a bit bittersweet, I expect. Enjoy every tiny moment of preparation and expectation, Sweetie. J x

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  16. WOW what a wonderful long adventure you have had - so very fortunate to live across the globe.

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Thanks for taking a moment...x

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