Scenes of Pre-Christmas

Christmas was a simple but special time around here this year.  With just the three of us and me being a little slower on my feet than usual, it meant I had the time to truly enjoy all the delicious pre-Christmas anticipation.

I love to look back each year at Christmas photos, so in the spirit of recording them, here are some little scenes of how things looked around here before the big day.

The first ever letter to Santa and our little advent calendar with sweet Christmassy things to do each day.  Calendar cards are a free download from here.

Picking strawberries from the garden for a Christmas Eve barbecue with some dear friends, which we had to move inside at the last minute because it was a bit cold and windy.  Some handmade present making too - I embroidered this whilst sitting in the shade watching our little girl have a ball with some water, bubbles and old teapots. 

Early morning crafting - adding glittery stickers received in the post from Grandma to our Christmas cards.

I'm not sure if you have noticed the "sparkly dress" in many of these pictures - this has been a big feature of her world for the last few months.  It was a gift from her Aunty a while ago and seeing as she won't fit it for much longer we decided she might as well get as much enjoyment from it as possible!  Gosh this girl loves sparkly pretty things, somewhat like a magpie.

Gingerbread men and peppermint bark.  This year the Gingerbread men and ladies required pink sprinkles.  Why not?!  Recipe for our gingerbread men here and next year I wish to make the bark from this recipe - it looks ever so delicious.  My Honey's mum gifted us a box of homemade Christmas mince pieces and Christmas cake again this year!  We are so lucky.

I love how some candles and a bunch of flowers collected from the roadside makes lunch look so pretty.  We had a few relaxed lunches with family and friends - fresh baked bread and pickings from the garden.

Wreath making with the leftover manuka branches from the advent spiral at our kindy.  Simple twisted branches tied with string with a few baubles from the tree.  

Can I wear my sparkly dress on Christmas day too Mama?  Yes of course you can - with an apron when you are eating strawberries :)

Christmas Eve - it is almost time!  In her pyjamas before bed setting out some food for the reindeer (oats and gold glitter) and picking some flowers to put by the letterbox so Santa knows which is our house. The flowers are our little girl's idea and one which has been a nightly ritual for about a week, so the driveway is looking a little bare in terms of any flowers left on bushes!

... and lastly milk and a Christmas mince pie for Santa.

These are such special times when you have a little one, I hope she looks back and remembers it fondly.  I hope you had a lovely pre-christmas too.

xx