Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas.................

A few days ago I went to the decorating cupboard searching for something Christmassy to put on the cabinet outside the front door. While I was looking I found these - two packets of them. They are rattan lights(never been used one is still in plastic!).....they are perfect for a Christmas at the beach.....so I pulled them out of the cupboard and went upstairs and checked on the table runner fabric I had bought...it had pink in it too.....so yesterday we didn't go to Main Street shopping we went back to Chermside - becasue I realised I had to go to an ABC shop to get yet another obscure "new found artist" cd that daisydad wanted. We got there early and finished the last minute shopping in 15 minutes then we spent the next four hours wandering through the shops and picking up a pair of new shoes here, a beach towel there, things we did need but hadn't been a priority this close to Christmas. I am so please we got them though because now all the back to school shopping is done as well except for a few bits of stationery for daisyson12(and the shoes!)

In keeping with the pink theme we found this paper we will put the pink ribbon on the white background paper and the silver ribbon on the pink paper.

Then we found these........................................

I will add some of that pink ribbon to them and hey presto a pink white and silver Christmas at the beach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas Trivia: Now that the present shopping is done and everything is in order it is time to talk about the big guy.....................yup Santa Claus............

The origin of Santa Claus begins in the 4th century with Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, an area in present day Turkey. By all accounts St. Nicholas was a generous man, particularly devoted to children. After his death around 340 A.D. he was buried in Myra, but in 1087 Italian sailors purportedly stole his remains and removed them to Bari, Italy, greatly increasing St. Nicholas' popularity throughout Europe.

His kindness and reputation for generosity gave rise to claims he that he could perform miracles and devotion to him increased. St. Nicholas became the patron saint of Russia, where he was known by his red cape, flowing white beard, and bishop's mitre.

In Greece, he is the patron saint of sailors, in France he was the patron of lawyers, and in Belgium the patron of children and travellers. Thousands of churches across Europe were dedicated to him and some time around the 12th century an official church holiday was created in his honor. The Feast of St. Nicholas was celebrated December 6 and the day was marked by gift-giving and charity. After the Reformation, European followers of St. Nicholas dwindled, but the legend was kept alive in Holland where the Dutch spelling of his name Sint Nikolaas was eventually transformed to Sinterklaas. Dutch children would leave their wooden shoes by the fireplace, and Sinterklaas would reward good children by placing treats in their shoes. Dutch colonists brought brought this tradition with them to America in the 17th century and here the Anglican name of Santa Claus emerged.In 1822 Clement C. Moore composed the poem A Visit From Saint Nicholas, published as The Night Before Christmas as a gift for his children. In it, he portrays Santa Claus:

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly,

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

Other countries feature different gift-bearers for the Christmas or Advent season: La Befana in Italy ~ The Three Kings in Spain, Puerto Rico, and Mexico ~ Christkindl or the Christ Child in Switzerland and Austria ~ Father Christmas in England ~ and Pere Noël, Father Christmas or the Christ Child in France. Still, the figure of Santa Claus as a jolly, benevolent, plump man in a red suit described in Moore's poem remains with us today and is recognized by children and adults alike around the world.

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So is the jolly old elf inside us all out and about and spreading good cheer this week....? I hope so this is such a lovely time of year if you can forget the stress and just live in the moment - take the time to enjoy the little things and let go of stuff that takes your time away from those you love.

For example: When my niece had her son three weeks after our daisyboy4 was born I made the two boys a Santa sack, not wanting to seem like I was playing favourites I have done the same for daisydads nieces and nephews. I rather like the idea of all the great nieces and nephews having a santa sack made by me. Well daisydad is one of 7, so last year I made nine of them, this year I kind of lost count and when I checked the other day (2 days ago) I realised I had 6 to make for this year.....so yesterdaay as we wandered around the shops with the kids looking at things and laughing and having a great time...I thought if I don't get them made for Christmas will the world fall in half??? No - so they will get them - just not before this Christmas and that is okay. That is a choice I made for my family - otherwise I would have rushed the kids home and locked myself in the sewing room for the afternoon.... what a shame it would have been to have missed out on our day.

Have a wonderful day

daisymum

A quick PS: Take a trip over to Simply Joolz to hear "I'll be home with bells on" guaranteed to get you into the Christmas spirit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!