It decidedly un-Christmassy looking across the road. The drizzle is drizzling with occasional burst into heavy downpours. The field opposite fill up with water then it drains slowly away only to fill up immediately when there is more than an hours rain, the ground is just too sodden to drain away the rain as it falls.
Closer to home we have the fairy lights and tinsel round the posts that hold up the porch roof. It looks a bit sparse during the day but at night with the lights twinkling it is Christmassy enough for me to smile everytime I see it.
Last years wreath that I was going to refresh with homegrown holly and ivy sadly bit the dust and disintegrated. I didn't really want to pay much for a fresh one, but I was going to bite the bullet and get one that I could look after better and refresh next year. Then ... I struck lucky!!
I was in M&S in Llandudno and went upstairs to use the toilets, and what should I spy on the reduced to clear Christmas decoration shelf ..... a wreath for £7.50. It didn't have much colour but by the time I had brought it home added a couple of red baubles and the ribbon salvaged from last years wreath it was festive enough to adorn the front door.
I'm happy and it will be in use for many years to come with more tinkering to change it's appearance slightly each year.
Reverse Advent - Day 21
Five selection boxes that I put in the Foodbank trolley in Sainsbugs.
When I was little I loved to get a selection box from Santa. We didn't have many big bars of chocolate regularly like children do these days. You had to wait to get your pocket money at the end of the week to treat yourself, these days children seem to expect the chocolate will be part of the shopping!! But every Christmas we would get a selection box, and I loved it.
I hope these will make a child smile this Christmas.
Sue xx
May not look very Christmassy in the wet but your post sounds just what Christmas is all about - a bit of decorating and some giving. I have just added a few baubles to the wreath we bought on our first trip to the USA back in 1976! I am loving your reverse Advent calendar idea - we should all try it.
ReplyDeleteWe really need some cold weather to sort the garden out, it is sending blooms out on various plants! Love the porch, always wanted one.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely photo. I'm sitting here looking out at a beautiful pink sky. We've had better weather this weekend than we've had all summer. Spent some of Saturday walking on the beach, the dogs loved it x
ReplyDeleteWell done on the wreath - it looks fab and as you say, you can tweak it each year of you so choose. I used to get a selection box and lived it, but found it very hard not to just scoff the lot! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat bargain....transformed into a beautiful wreath.
ReplyDeleteI love your festive bits and bobs, they look fab. I wish we had rain here, I just accidentally ran one of our rain water tanks dry! We need a downpour to refill. Eek.
ReplyDeleteThat wreath is gorgeous and such a bargain :) as we live in such a windy spot I didn't bother with one this year, but some people have and they are still on their doors so I will have to ask what their secret is :)
ReplyDeletei love the reverse advent idea, I volunteer at a clothing bank which is run next door to the food bank, and the organizers asked for toy donations so every child gets the chance to have a toy at Christmas :)
What a lovely door way for your visitors.
ReplyDeleteI bet those lights look beautiful to anyone driving by in the dark.
ReplyDeleteI love it when we drive into town at night through the countryside and see all of the lights.
The wreath is lovely.
I love what you did with that wreath.
ReplyDeleteWe walked home on a balmy Saturday night in Sussex commenting on how this must feel like xmas in warmer climates. We even had a warm breeze. I took my coat off and walked in just a blouse. Not even jumper, in Sussex!
Selection boxes were a yearly occurrence in our home, too. I remember that our family of 4 used to share a Crunchie bar - dad used to slice it up and we all took a piece.
ReplyDeletexx
Wonder if you are getting wading birds visiting the damp fields!
ReplyDeleteI looked forward to my selection box because chocolate was rarer then. I also loved the dates and nuts we only gad at Christmas. Love the wreath. Mine came from Focus when they ceased trading 3 years ago and like you I added all sorts to give it colour.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the selection boxes and will do the same tomorrow. I often put in tinned food but never thought of this. Lucky you with that wreath.
ReplyDeleteA nice touch - Christmas isn't Christmas without a selection box. And they sell out amazingly early.
ReplyDeleteI love your wreath, it is very pretty.
ReplyDeleteThe kids will love the candy.
I remember the men church folk bringing us Christmas when my Daddy was not working. To this day, more than 50 years later, I still remember that.
I hope you have a very Merry Christmas.