Christmas at the Black Country Living Museum

A bit of a catch up post ... something we did a couple of weeks ago.

Back in May during this years mini holiday, we went to The Black Country Living Museum (see here), when we bought our tickets we converted them, free of charge, into a year long pass.  So when an email pinged into my box saying that the museum was celebrating Christmas through the ages it seemed like too good an opportunity not to go again and make good use of the ability to get in 'free'. 

Using our Christmas present money and an anniversary gift from Mum we booked a night in a Premier Inn close to the museum, and paid for the dogs to go into our the local kennels.

It was a lovely way to celebrate our tenth anniversary, a weekend to ourselves mooching about in lovely old houses. 

We got to see lovely old delivery vans, vehicles and buses.

Some brilliant houses. 

The outside of this one was my favourite, something about the roof to the extension slanting in the opposite direction to the main house and yet it still looking totally sturdy.  Every house had people in period costume making Christmas gifts or foods, and roaring open fires to keep them warm.

This larder was decidedly un-festive ....

... but some of the plates on the shelves gave a list of rations and recipes for wartime treats, which explained the lack of cheer.

Potato Shortbread anyone?

The facilities in all the houses were of the decidedly weather unfriendly type.  These days we simply can't imagine having to nip outside to use the loo in the cold and damp of Winter.

There were Christmas present ideas in the shops.

The rooms above the radio shop were decked out for the festive period ...

... and the table laid ready for dinner.

Paper chains and Christmas cards above the shop next door.

A lovely little vintage tree ... I would love one of those now :-)

We were wrapped up warm, but it was really a lovely day, with a chilly breeze but glorious Winter sunshine.  We were very lucky with our choice of weekend as the following Sunday the whole place was closed due to heavy snow.

New tin bath for Christmas anyone?

And here was the 'National Elf Service' building.

I loved the old enamel pots and pans in this kitchen, and I have just been lucky enough to buy a large pan, just like the one on the front left of the cooker, off EBay for a fraction of the price it would have cost me from an antique shop :-)

The old china and pots caught my eye in this shop window.

The interiors were wonderful with swathes of festive Christmas greenery.

Peeking through each doorway was a true step back in time.

Another kitchen/living room.  This one in one of the little 'back to back' houses.

And all too soon, as the chill of the late afternoon started to fill the air it was time to nip onto one of the old buses and make our way back to the entrance and the gift shop.  Where one or two  purchases might have been made  ;-)

It was a lovely way to spend time celebrating our anniversary and gave us lots of ideas for next years Challenge.

Sue xx