Happy New Year

Just calling in to wish you all a very, very Happy New Year and to let you know I will be away from my blog for a while.  I’ve so enjoyed visiting all your blogs this year, and I thank you for visiting me here. Your comments always make me smile and sometimes laugh out loud. More often than not, they make me think and send me off to do more research! I’ve learnt so much from each of you, and I’m immensely grateful to be part of this great big blogging community. Most of all I thank you for your friendship which I value more than you can know.  I hope the new year brings you all much happiness and love.

Vintage cards from my collection.

Advent Calendar Day 24: The Night Before Christmas

(Card www.alexclarkart.co.uk)

I offer you this little poem with humble apologies to Clement C Moore whose words I’ve abused.

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the hen-house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung on the rafters with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The sheep were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of silage danced in their heads;

And cat in her basket (not on a lap),

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

The chickens sprang from their beds to see what was the matter.

Away to the door they flew like a flash,

Tore open the catches which was rather rash!

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When what to their wondering eyes should appear,

But a wily old fox who filled them with fear,

He was a little old fox, but lively and quick,

With sharp little teeth and a tongue that could flick!

More rapid than eagles he charged through the door,

Creating a clang and a clatter and such an uproar.

A quick-thinking chicken jumped on his back,

And the sheep and the cat went on the attack.

To the top of the hen house! To the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

They sprang through the door to make their escape,

Leaving the wily old fox far behind (in their wake).

But they heard him exclaim, ere he slunk out of sight,

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!!!

With thanks to our friends and neighbours Mary and John for the Christmas card which inspired this post.

The Christmas tree in the corner of the room is twinkling away, presents wrapped, shopping done and feet up!

Our grandson Tris is spending a few days with us, and tomorrow the three of us will join Terry’s parents for a slap-up meal in a pub close to where they live. 

(Vintage card from my collection)

This will be my last link to Julie's advent calendar (thank you Julie), and all that remains now is to wish you all the very happiest of happy Christmases. Thank you to everyone who visited my blog in 2017, to those who left comments and those who didn’t. 

Advent Calendar Day 23: Nativity

I’ve always loved school nativities and never more so than when our son and later his sons were in them. I don’t think our little granddaughters in Australia have taken part yet, but I’m sure it can only be a matter of time. It’s a lovely tradition and one I hope will continue long into the future.

Christmas 1996: Our grandson Kip is the little boy on the far left of the picture (third row from the front).  

I'm linking with Julie over at Julie's Scrapbook.  More from my Advent Calendar tomorrow. 

Advent Calendar Day 22: Father Christmas

This piece of sheet music brings back so many memories. I’m five years old the Christmas tree in the corner is twinkling with lights. More lights are strung along the beams. Sprigs of Holly are on top of all the pictures and in a big vase on the piano. The Christmas cake is iced, and the turkey is in the oven. The Beverly Sisters are on the radio singing about mummy kissing Santa Clause, and my own mum is joining in on the piano. As much as I loved the song, I always wondered why mummy would be kissing Santa Clause. It was some years later when I worked out Santa was actually daddy in a Santa suit, for a while there I thought mummy was up to no good. 😅

How I remember the song 

These images come from a scrapbook which belonged to a little boy by the name of Teddy. I never knew him, but from an inscription on the first page, I know that his mummy and daddy gave him the scrapbook in 1933. I shared some images from it on the 1st December, and today I would like to share a few more...

And finally, Christmas 1981 with our son Steven playing Father Christmas.

We are meeting our grandson at Bristol airport this morning so please forgive me if I’m a little slow at replying to comments or visiting your blogs. He is flying down from Edinburgh to spend Christmas with us before leaving again for an overseas posting. He joined the British Army earlier in the year and has done very well. I will visit you all as soon as I can. 

I'm linking with Julie over at Julie's Scrapbook.  More from my Advent Calendar tomorrow. 

Advent Calendar Day 21: Winter

I wander in a valley full of mist today, In cloud so low I feel its breath.

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you might well recognise the above photograph. I first shared it in January of this year, along with several other photographs taken by my husband.  If you would like to see more, please visit

I'm linking with Julie over at Julie's Scrapbook.  More from my Advent Calendar tomorrow. 

Advent Calendar Day 20: Wrapped Present(s)

Don’t you just love this image from the front cover of Our Darlings a children’s annual published in the 1920s?  It makes me smile because the presents are not so much wrapped as unwrapped. I wonder if Santa was in a hurry that year or just running out of time.

I'm linking with Julie over at Julie's Scrapbook.  More from my Advent Calendar tomorrow.