Christmas 2014

In the words of Johnny Mathis, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!". It seems to us that the Italians have a different approach to Christmas, it seems to be a more low key affair here than in England. Christmas hasn't started for us until round about now, so there have been no OTT shopping centres, no over-commercialised adverts, no mad shopping days, no crazy build ups, none of your "Black Friday" deals whatever they are, and we certainly feel more like we are going to enjoy the day for what it is because of this!

We are however going to miss our family, which goes without saying, and it will be odd having a phone conversation on Christmas Day rather than face to face contact with my dear old Mum and Dad who usually stay in Ilminster for the festive period. Of course, they join us with the local Minster celebrations, our own traditional Boxing Day soup, and walk on Herne Hill, and also family days out at the south coast seasides such as Lyme Regis and Charmouth. I'll miss my sister Lesley too, and our usual trip to the sales shopping, though we rarely buy anything as we spend most of our time in the coffee shop! And sales shopping with my sister in law Liz! Again, we usually see the "Devon Clements" over the holiday, so we will miss out on seeing our nieces and enjoying family time together with cousins sharing new toys and games.

Here in the Trullo we have been busy making decorations for our tree, which is in fact a collection of dead branches that we have gathered on our walks around the local area.

Ed sprayed them all gold, (thanks to Sue for the spray!) and once they had dried we added a few bought purple baubles and gold stars, then one by one, the decorations that I have been madly sewing for the last few weeks! The lights make it all look rather pretty, again, thanks to Sue for those, and in fact I think overall it looks rather good! Minimalist, but effective all the same! 

Jasper and Maya have been sewing too; a parcel arrived from Auntie Lesley which included "Sew your Own Christmas Felt Ornaments" so the planets project has been set aside whilst gingerbread men have been made.

(Maya's neatly stitched gingerbread man)

Lesley also sent some paper chains, so they are also adorning the tree and photos on the walls. 

All in all, it IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas. It's just that it's a reduced version of Christmas, and it's actually rather nice.

Clare 

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