Crafty Christmas...

Today has been a great start to my christmas holidays.

Last night I came out to stay at my parents place as I do every year.

My favourite part about Christmas is having the time off work and being able to spend that time with my family and friends.

This morning I had to put the finishing touches to a couple of Christmas presents.

And thanks to Mum and her craft area and supplies,

It made it possible for me to complete them.

Now I can only show you one of the presents that I finished off,

As that person as already received their present...

I have a love for stamps at the moment, love them to bits!

I have a heap of fun doing these presents,

And I have Pinterest to thank for the inspiration! 

Here is the finished product of one of my presents...

What do you think??

I promise to show you the other present, 

Just as soon as they have unwrapped it!

BTW, I love Google's interactive christmas theme that is up at the moment!

It Feels Like Christmas....

One of my favourite christmas movies is

The Muppet's The Christmas Carol.

I love the meaning behind the story.

That christmas is about love, family and giving.

Christmas has become too commercialised.

We need to refocus on what is important.

This one of my favourite song out of the movie.

Mall Santa Musical

I absolutely love Improv Everywhere.

They do some really fun stuff,

I just wish that I lived in New York so that I could join in on some of the fun things that they do.

Presents...

When I was little, 

I was the kid that would try and hunt for the christmas presents,

In our house they were never put out until after we had gone to sleep on Christmas eve,

The next morning while we waited for my parents to wait up,

I would always try and guess what was in the presents.

Still kinda do.

But not as bad.

Link

p.s... I was NEVER this bad.

No Place Like Home For The Holidays!

T-Mobile, Oh how I love their flash mobs.

If you have never seen their work,

Then I urge you to go over to YouTube and check them out!

Love this one!

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

And their 100% right...

There is no place like home for the holidays!

Christmas Wish...

I am back from my mini holiday!

Hope you all didn't miss me too much,

And that you enjoyed the range of guest bloggers that were featured over the past week and a bit.

If you haven't noticed already,

The theme on my blog for the past 9 days has been Christmas.

Christmas is my favourite time of year,

I love everything about Christmas!

But most of all, my favourite part of Christmas is family.

Every year I have one with that we can all be together,

That we can spend Christmas under the one roof,

That we could have one more Christmas like we did when we were little...

Bright and early on Christmas morning, 

Before the sun came up,

Little kids would stir,

Excitement would fill each of them,

Knowing that Santa had been,

And goodies awaited them.

Each child would jump out of bed,

Grabbing their pillows,

And dragging their quilts behind them.

Making their way out to the lounge room,

Stopping for a moment by the fire place,

Where they found stocking filled to the brim with surprises.

Moving on to the lounge room,

Each one finding a piece of couch to curl up on,

Those awake first got the best spots,

The rest got the floor,

Or if you were the lucky youngest of 6...Me,

Then you automatic got the floor.

Lounge room slowly turning into a one big bedroom,

As we all got comfortable and settled in front of the Christmas tree,

To the right the tv provides entertain through cartoons and music videos,

While on the right, behind the Christmas tree, 

The sun starts to peek over the hills,

Reminding us of a new day, Christmas day.

While the sun rises,

We enjoy each other company,

Eating goodies from our stockings,

And doing the puzzles from the books included.

7am rolls around,

Time for presents,

But mum and dad are still asleep,

So a lucky person gets to go down stair and wake them up...

Each of them, one by one looks towards the youngest,

And off I go...

Couple of moments later the parents join in the fun,

Presents are opened,

Breakfast is eaten,

Games are played.

This is the christmas I love,

Spending time with my brothers and sister,

Enjoying a simple tradition of old,

My Christmas wish is to have one more Christmas like this,

And to enjoy it with my amazing niece and nephews.

I want my Christmas to be fill with fun and laughter

And to be surrounded by family again,

To each christmas like little kids do.

Why do we have to grow up and lose these traditions?

Cause that is what Christmas is about... Family.

I want them back!

I miss my brothers and sisters.

Pinterest

Christmas Guest Post... Featuring Bri

Bri from Re-Create

Christmas is my favorite season of the year. I love that it is cold outside so I can curl up inside, I love that we focus on spending time with people, and I love the traditions that have carried on from my childhood.

For as long as I can remember, Christmas tradition was tied to one tasty thing: cookies! My mom, older sister, and I would always make a few hundred cookies, from molasses to sugar and everything in between. After the cookies were cooled, we would begin decorating.

Now, I've always enjoyed those beautifully decorated Christmas cookies… but those were not ours! We had homemade icing and piled it on each cookie, then added as much colored sugar and sprinkles as the icing would hold. By the time we finished our day-long cookie baking project, we had to take a spatula to the table and scrape the thick layer of icing off.

Once the cookies were dried, we would pack boxes and give (most of) them away. I think that is my favorite part of Christmas. It's a time when we can honor the people in our lives. While I enjoyed presents growing up, I had more fun trying to figure out what to get other people. The same is true now, to a greater degree. I would rather give than to receive.

The more I think about it, the less Christmas has to do with me, the more it has to do with other people. This is what the essence of Christmas is all about. Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the one who came and taught us that the first, the greatest commandment, is to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind," (Matthew 22:37). And the second commandment is to "love your neighbor as your self, (Matthew 23:39).

So, while I love the traditions and the memories, Christmas, to me, is more about honor. Honoring Jesus for what He did for us, and honoring those in our lives. It's not about the presents or the trees or the decorations, it's all about the love.

Christmas Guest Post... Featuring Lisa

Lisa Form L!$@ Life

10 Things That Make Me Happy At Christmas Time

1. Spending good quality time with my family

2. Seeing all the beautiful lights...I get mesmerised! 

3. Having a Christmas Tree. I absolutely love taking the time to decorate it each year.

4. Taking the time to stop and think about the Saviours birth and the real reason we have Christmas.

5. Watching my niece get so excited about everything Christmas orientated.

6. Waking up on Christmas morning...there is nothing like it.

7. A nice meal for Christmas lunch that leads into grazing on leftovers later.

8. My parents still giving us stockings with treats even though some of my siblings are married, with kids :D

9. Christmas decorations - wether I'm buying them or making them.

10. The happy atmosphere that just seems to come at this time of year.

Christmas Guest Post... Featuring Maz!

Maz From The Maz Blog

Christmas Traditions

In my family we have a tradition that I love, and that is the Christmas Eve celebrations.  My mum is from Estonia and so we follow the European tradition of having the main celebration on Christmas Eve.   We have our big roast dinner with all the favourites, including the pink beetroot and potato salad (also known as 'herring' salad, if mum adds her secret ingredient).  We did something else that was always a boasting point as a child - we opened our presents on Christmas Eve!!  My brother and I would get so eager to open them, that my mum invented a rule that we had to wait until the first star appeared before we could open them.  It was probably a boasting point for mum too that she didn't have to get up super early on Christmas morning ;)  These days the Christmas Eve celebration has become a tradition with our friends and so it is usually quite late by the time that is over and we get to the presents, but no matter how tired anyone is I insist we open them before we go to bed, as per tradition!!

On Christmas Day I go to my Nan's house (on my Dad's side) for Christmas lunch, which always begins with the traditional "prawn cocktail" with my aunt's amazing home made special dressing.  I am a major prawn lover and this is always the highlight of the Christmas lunch for me!  Then we exchange presents with the extended family there.  

I would like to continue the Christmas Eve tradition in my own family one day, though I might compromise just one present opened on Christmas Eve, and the rest on Christmas morning.

Christmas Guest Post... Featuring Sara!

Sara From In Small Thoughts

Christmas and Tradition

Christmas has accumulated so many traditions by now, drawing on religious ceremonies, regional traditions, and on pagan symbols, not to mention a certain drinks company and their influence on Father Christmas. Yet some of the most important Christmas traditions are the ones that your family do, the ones that make Christmas that little bit more special. Some people have certain foods, others go to a late night mass, some play favourite games, and lots of people go for a wintry walk. The tradition in my family is all about how we decorate and always remind me of how Christmas, while being an increasingly commercialised holiday, is all about being with people you love and making a special day for them. So here's to making your own traditions and a sneak peek into the traditions (all quite untraditional) that matter to me.

Our main tradition is that Christmas is not a time for being tasteful, co-ordinated or restrained.
The first rule is that you cannot try to make the Christmas tree look understated and pretty. Instead, as many lights, tinsel strands, baubles, and Christmas tree chocolates must go on as possible (we have to use an artificial tree to support the weight and provide enough branches; it also survives being climbed by the cat better than real trees). Of course, much effort goes into ensuring no two matching baubles  are next to one and another but who doesn't do that? Our tree may not look classy, yet it is fun, individual and keeps the stress of decorating to a minimum.

We always bring out all those old decorations, you know, the ones you made in primary school and are only admired by your closest relatives. Every year this involves me untangling a box of cotton wool balls on string to hang in the window, even if there is snow outside already. Sure, shop decorations look nicer, but ours remind us of time spent with family and fond memories, which is surely one of the best parts of Christmas.

Using old decorations reminds you of Christmas's past as well as saving on buying new stuff every year. My Mum and I went to the Geffrye Museum in London, where they show rooms throughout the ages and at for December they are done up with period style Christmas decorations, as in the picture below.

Give the Geffrye Museum a quick visit if in London.

It was really interesting to see where some of the traditions began and my Mum got nostalgic looking back on the style of decorations from when she was a child. Funnily enough I also recognised these decorations, as they are the kind my Mum insists on always using for our Christmases, even if they are a bit out of fashion now. We have multicoloured paper chains, Chinese lanterns, foil stars a-plenty, and oddly enough, balloons. I've never met anyone else who puts up balloons for Christmas but its great fun even if everyone who visits thinks you're weird. It's not what it means to others, it's what it means to you.


This year I'm going to be bringing in some holly, fircones and maybe even a touch of ivy to get a very traditional feel to the decorations. I may have to do it all myself if no one else likes the idea. All good traditions get added to and tweaked, with care and a good sense of humour. Another change coming this year is that I am hiding our usual Christmas CD and making a new one of my own; having heard the same songs for several years I think it is time for a breath of fresh air, for everyone's sanity. Our traditions might be slightly unusual but what matters is that they are special traditions that come with a great deal of meaning and not to much effort at a stressful time of the year. And our decorating can be done best after a little mulled wine!

What are your Christmas traditions, the ones that no-one else really understands but mean so much to you? Did you come by them by a funny chance or were they handed down through the family? Anyone else put up balloons?

Christmas Guest Post... Featuring Lauren!

Lauren from The Merry Mrs. Mobley

I absolutely love this time of year. I mean, who doesn't?? I created a list of ten of my favorite things about Fall and I figured I should do the same for the Christmas season. I may actually have trouble narrowing it down to ten, but I'll do my best!

1. the music-from the classics ("Chesnuts roasting on an open fire. . .") to the more recent faves ("Last Christmas" by Wham!), Christmas music has always been a favorite of mine. While I do adore Christmas music, I am one of thosepeople that waits until after Thanksgiving to crank it up.
2. the food-an excuse to pig out almost non-stop for a month? Where do I sign-up?!?
3. the movies-I can't even list all my favorites, but I'll share a few: Elf, The Santa Clause (all three), Rudolph, etc, etc.
4. family-this is the only time of the year where we get to see almost all of or spread out family, and for that I am so grateful. I wish we could see them more than we do, but I'll take a visit whenever I can get it!
5. days off-one of the wonderful perks of being a teacher:-)
6. Christmas spirit-it is so incredible to see people's hearts pour out love for others. I wish we could see this year around, but this is a good place to start.
7. celebrations-from Christmas parties to cookie swaps, this seems to be the time of year to get together. I can't wait to fill our calender with get-togethers will all our loved ones.
8. gift-giving-I love giving gifts and this time of year gives me the perfect excuse to spoil all those that I love!
9. decorating-this is the one time of year I can go absolutely crazy with colorful, kooky decorations and my beloved can't say anything about it. Gotta love it!
10. everything peppermint flavored-if there is a flavor that rivals my love of pumpkin, it would have to be peppermint. Peppermint with chocolate to be specific. I'm on the hunt for more recipes, but any are appreciated!

What is your favorite part of the Christmas season??

Christmas Guest Post... Featuring AmberDawn!

AmberDawn here from A Happy Wife with a Happy Life!

Jess had such a sweet idea of sharing her blog for the holidays! And immediately I knew I wanted to share with you what makes me happy during this season... really though, these things always make me happy!
There is SO much to be thankful for! And Christmas is such a wonderful time to praise God for what we have!

My Husband is the greatest man alive! {maybe I'm a little biased, but still, he's pretty darn wonderful!}
At the end of April, we will have the privilege of welcoming a little baby into our family! This brings us both much happiness!!!

All that I need to know about life is wrapped up in these pages! Thankfulness flows from my heart for what God has given me and I will live each and every moment striving to live up to greatness! His wisdom fuels my life.

Letting go of age and all burdens, playing freely, as a child and embracing the little things in life!
This is magic!

True friends bring me some of the greatest joy! The holidays are a perfect time to show your love and appreciation to them. {just don't forget to tell them how much you care on all the other days of the year!}

Lastly, family! I could spend hours with them and never tire of their company! My family has been there by my side through thick and thin and I know that they will be there for whatever else may come with time. We share our joys and our sorrows, and we share a purpose to live and to love out of the abundance that God has supplied.

And "these are a few of my favorite things"... What makes you happy?! Don't forget to be thankful! And most importantly, spread the love!

Thanks for reading a little about what makes me happy!
There are a thousand other things that fill my heart with joy! But for now I will leave you with these!
Happy Holidays!
xoxo
AmberDawn

Christmas Guest Post... Featuring Ashley!

Ashley from "Your The Charlie Browniest"

10 Christmas Things That Make Me Happy

1. A Charlie Brown Christmas. This isn't a surprise (my blog is named You're the Charlie Browniest, after all), but getting to watch this program is one of the highlights of the Season. There's something so heartwarming and uplifting, and you can't help but sing along to the 'ooooo's at the end of the show.

2. Homemade ornaments. My family saves all our school projects, and it's the best trip down memory lane when we're decorating the tree and reminiscing about the popsicle stick reindeer ornament my brother made when he was 6, or the angel cutout ornament I made in kindergarten.

3. Advent Calendars. Growing up, my teachers always had advent calendars; each student was assigned a day, and when it came to that date, you got the chocolate! Now it can be adapted into anything (check Pinterest for some amazing ideas!), but it's the best of the season: anticipation and small gifts or activities counting down to the pinnacle day.

4. Christmas Cards. There's something about receiving a small bit of mail from friends and family, with a cheery message and well wishes for the holidays - it makes you feel so loved.

5. Christmas movies. How could anyone not love a good Christmas movie?!  Elf, Love Actually, The Grinch, This Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, It's A Wonderful Life…all of them create that warm 'n fuzzy feeling that craves curling up on the couch with a mug of hot cocoa.

6. Christmas Eve. I argue that it's almost better than Christmas Day (I know, I know: no presents vs. presents, it's a tough argument!) because it's the crescendo to the Holiday season: all the decorations, crowds, work, baking, cooking and stress lead up to the one day where you're filled with anticipation and surrounded by family and friends you love. Christmas Eve embodies the entire Holiday Season into one day.

7. Baking. When I was in college, I was on a college budget; so I bought a ton of ingredients and made every cookie I could find a recipe for: mint chocolate chip, sugar cookies, snicker doodles, pumpkin, nutella, even a few brownies and cupcakes --and I gave plates away to all my friends as their gifts. Since then, I can hardly go a few days during the Holiday season without baking something up; the sweet and sugars are delectable and add an amazing smell to the house.

8. My mom's tree. My house has one main tree and several smaller ones - one of which we've designated as my mom's because it's specially for her M&M collection! She used to get my brother and I the M&M stocking stuffers that come with an ornament as the cover, and she's saved a lot of them over the last 20 years. When we found garland made of M&Ms, we knew it had to come together as a tree. It's quirky and fun and I've never seen anyone else with one. I love it!

9. Windows. Kind of weird, right? Living in the suburbs, you drive past hundreds of houses in a day, and I absolutely love seeing Christmas trees and decorations in front windows. Whether it's glittering trees, shimmering tinsel, blinking lights, sparkling wreaths…it's just gorgeous!

10. *NSYNC's Home For Christmas album. I love any and all Christmas music, but I am one of the millions that adored *NSYNC (I still do.) and their holiday album is close to perfection for me. Nothing makes me happier, more nostalgic, more Holiday-y than hearing the opening notes of that album.

It's near impossible to pick only 10 things about this Season that make me happy (I'm already thinking of things I've omitted!) because Christmas is my absolute favourite holiday - but I hope your season brings as many smiles as these things do to me. Happy Holidays!

Christmas Guest Post... Featuring Sierra!

10 Things About Christmas…

Hey ya'll! My name is Sierra Shaneá and I am most definitely a girl with curls keeping a blog of my own over here at The Yellow Glove. (Click on the "Why the Glove?" tab to discover the meaning behind the odd title.)

Anyway, Jess is super awesome for letting me guest post on her blog! Here’s my list of 10 things that make me happy around Christmas time. (Besides, of course, the true meaning of Christmas. That one’s a given.) Believe me, this list was hard to come up with. Why? Because I love Christmas way too much to narrow it down to 10 things. I mean I really love Christmas. You know that super annoying person who is always singing Christmas music? That person that, when December finally rolls around, has an overwhelming amount of energy due to their excitement because “Omygosh only 24 more days”? Yeah. That’s me.

So here we go, the top 10.

Drum roll please.

1) The music. I mean really, does this even need to be explained? Christmas music just makes my heart smile and immediately puts me in a good mood. Most of my favorites are the same ones that I've been listening to since I was a little girl. There's something about hearing those old familiar tunes once a year that grabs at the ol' heartstrings. (Which actually sounds kind of disgusting. Heartstrings? What the heck are those anyway? As far as I know my cardiovascular system in free of yarn.) Since we're using the number 10, here are 10 of my favorite Christmas songs:

1.  Jingle Bell Rock

2. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

3. Last Christmas

4. White Christmas

5. Most Wonderful Time of the Year

6. Baby It's Cold Outside

7. Carol of the Bells

8. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Seriously, wasn't little MJ just the cutest thing?)

9. Mary Did You Know

10. It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas

11. Anything by Michael Buble'

Okay, okay. So I couldn’t keep it to a meager 10 songs. There are just too many good ones to choose from!

2) Brand new, clean, fresh, white snow. It just sparkles in the light and makes everything look more romantic. It's such a beautiful thing! (Plus it allows me to sled and go 4-wheeling in the snow, both of which I also love.)

3) Finally being able to load up on the layers and scarves and adorable boots. Not to mention wearing my comfy warm slippers everywhere without being judged or told that I look like Cookie Monster. I'd like to think that I don't have those same crazy eyes.

4) Snuggling under blankets drinking hot cocoa by the fireplace and/or woodstove. Need I say more?

5) Christmas break. A month with no classes? Yes please. Of course it’s going to be one of my favorite times of the year.

6) The unlimited supply of seasonal food and drink like pumpkin pie, egg nog, apple cider, etc. Yummmm!

7) Making Christmas presents because a) I’m broke and b) I like doing crafty things like that.

8) Decorating the house and putting up the Christmas tree with my family, all the while singing along with the Christmas music playing in the background. And nativity sets? Seriously, little baby Jesus is just the cutest thing.

(Did I mention that I love our tree?)

9) The atmosphere around Christmas time. For some reason everyone is happier, friendlier, and overall much more pleasant to be around this time of year. And, let’s be honest, who wouldn’t be happier with ol’ Bing Crosby running through their veins?

10) Christmas morning. I love being woken up by my little siblings early and excitedly informed that “It’s Christmas!” Us older kids sleepily trail the younger ones down the stairs and find our stockings. We wait for my parents to come down with the video camera before we can start opening our presents and even though I’m 20 and the youngest of us is 10 years old, Santa is still real in our household.

Merry Christmas, everyone! Hope you get to enjoy some of your favorite things this holiday season!

Guest Bloggers Needed...

Would you like to be a guested blogger?

All you have to do is send in your posts from one of the 6 topics...

Theme is Christmas

Topics to choice from:

*Tradition or Memory

*Music

*Books

*Receipes

*Pinterest Favourites

*10 Things That Make You Happy

All post are to be email through by 25th November.

Posts will be featured on the blog from the 1st December through til the 10th December.

All bloggers will be notified by the 29th December to when their post will be posted on the blog.

Email: jess.life.liveit@gmail.com

Quote of the day...

Pic

Time was with most of us,

When Christmas Day,

Encircling all our limited world like a magic ring,

Left noting out for us to miss or seek,

Bound together all our home enjoyments, affections and hopes,

Grouped everything and everyone round the Christmas fire,

And make the little picture shining in our bright young eyes,

Complete.

-Charles Dickens.

Quote of the day...

Pic

I will honor Christmas in my heart,

And try to keep it all the year.

-Charles Dickens.