Christmas

It's almost mid January and I'm just now posting Christmas pictures!  We had a special treat this year.  Our entire family was together for Christmas, something that hasn't happened for a few years.  And as can be expected, Christmas was mostly all for Anna!

Little girls in Mozambique often wear wigs with beads woven into them for special occasions.  Anna's Pap decided she needed one!  We just laughed and laughed.  She looks adorable and she thinks it is a hat!

Christmas Market

For my day off, I took Carolyn and Joanna K to Southbank, where a Christmas market has been set up for the month of December.  It wasn't a large market, but the booths were all very pretty.  My favorite is below; Christmas decorations of dried oranges and cinnamon sticks.  They smell so nice!

Unfortunately, the rain started while we were walking around.  Given the cold lately and the fact that we were next to the Thames, it got rather chilly!  All in all, it was a nice day.  Given that the sun is setting at 3:50 now, we went back to my house fairly early and settled in for dinner and a movie.

Sugar Cookies

Today was my day to bake cookies to give to my neighbors.  Everyone always seems to give store (boxed) cookies as presents this time of year, but I've missed my family's tradition of making cookies.  I decided I would make sugar cookies and give plates to my neighbors and friends from my house group at church.  I recently ordered cookie cut-outs and a friend had a large baking project and gave us her leftover food coloring and sprinkles, so I was good to go!

They are definitely not perfect, but 36 cookies 33 cookies later, I have plenty to give away.  My little Christmas trees are my favorites, but I do like the Christmas stockings as well.  

Smart Gloves

I decided to do a present a day!  I'm spending Christmas Day with friends at another house, and I won't be taking my presents with me to open there, so I'm opening one a day.

Today's present was a pair of hot pink smart gloves!  For those of you who aren't hooked on technology, phones or other electronics with a touch screen do not respond to gloves.  In the cold weather, that means I need to take my hands out of my warm gloves to answer my phone, respond to a text, etc.  These gloves have a special fingertip material that touch screens respond to, which means...no cold fingers!  Pretty sure this was my sister's idea :)  I love 'em, Joyful.

Christmas Came Early

Today was the only day we three housemates would be together between now and Christmas.  We decided to have our favorite breakfast (pancakes) and then exchange our presents before we needed to go our various ways.  (I'm staying in London but I still needed to go out today, and Laura and Jo were both traveling out of London today.)  

My sister included a little present for Joanne and Laura when she mailed my Christmas presents!  They loved the gloves!

Laura bought me this lovely faux fur winter headband in a Christmas market in Munich.  I love it!  The blanket wasn't a present, it was just to keep me warm.  We did joke that this looks like a wanna-be Pocahontas picture. 

I also decided it was only fair to open one of MY presents from my sister today.  (After all, Laura and Joanne got to open theirs!)  My sister knows me and she knows English winters.  She sent me an insulated coffee mug.  I often have days where I need to reheat my coffee cup twice before I finish a single cup of coffee.  I will admit, that is partly just because because I take a long time to drink a cup of coffee, but the other part is the cold!  

Market flirtations

I started my Christmas shopping today.  Before and after a meeting, I traveled via a local market and shopping centre.   While in the food area of the market, I had a "hankering" for oranges.  I do try to eat healthy, but fruit is often pricey and spoils quickly here.  I don't buy it often, even though I know it is very good for me.  I decided I should change that today and the market is a good place to do so.  The vendors call out their prices as you walk by and try to get your attention.  On my second trip through the market, I stopped at an Englishman's stand. He had a lovely crate of HUGE "sweet oranges" marked 4 for a £1.    

As soon as I stopped, he grinned at me and said in his East London accent, "I like you.  You look like a real sweetie."  

Haha.  That's one sales tactic, I guess.  Before anyone (such as my father) gets too concerned, this particular gentleman was between the ages of my father and grandfather, and probably closer to my grandfather's age!  

I smiled at him and said, "That's very nice of you, but the only sweet I'm interested in is the oranges."  

He kept his smile.  "Well all right then.  Four good ones for a 1£ then?"  

I decided to try my charm right back at him.  "You could always make it 5 for a £1."  

We kept chatting as he put them in a bag, but I couldn't see how many he moved into the blue shopping bag.  After I handed him a £1 coin, he grinned again, winked, and said, "Count 'em when you get home.  'ave a good one, luv.  And Happy Christmas!"

To which I always respond, "Merry Christmas," proving my American background!  As I walked away, I peeked into the blue bag.

He gave me five. :)  

The other funny interaction today was on the phone.  I got a fundraising call from a charity I have had connections with in the past.  As the guy started speaking, I realized with some surprise that I was speaking to an American!  After we had gone through the usual questions and answers, he said, "This isn't part of what I'm to ask you, but where are you from?" I answered that I am from Pennsylvania.  He responded, "I'm from Baltimore!  I've never gotten an American accent before on these calls!"  

O Christmas Tree is up at Number 8!

Last night, we three housemates piled into Laura's car and took ourselves off to HomeBase (like Home Depot) to pick out our Christmas tree.  Given the size of our garden, we had no choice but to get a cut tree, but they do make me sad.  However, in this case, I would have been more sad not to have a tree at all!  Because of that, I suggested and Laura and Joanne agreed, and we bought a tree!

I also bought a poinsettia because it just didn't seem right to not have one.  I have so many memories of my Nan buying them at Christmas and I was tickled to see them at Homebase.  They also had mini Christmas cacti!  But I refrained.

We decided on a lovely 5 foot Norwegian Spruce.  I wanted a fat one.  We couldn't afford or transport any larger options, so I went wider!  She was a prickly companion on our ride home.

You can't really see it, but I'm in the front seat of Laura's car, and the Spruce is poking over my shoulder, while I hold the poinsettia.  

We carried the tree in from the car, found a bucket, and unfurled the branches.  Then the decorating and Christmas music began!

I did manage to sneak a video of us all singing and decorating, but I'm pretty sure I'd get in trouble with the 'mates if I shared it here!  I think it looks lovely.  There is something incredibly soothing about sitting in a dark room, just admiring the pretty lights on a Christmas tree.  

Covent Garden

I spent the morning with a young woman who is thinking of moving to London and working with friends of mine.  My friends were out of town and asked if I could take her to a few places and make sure she found her way to the airport. We went to Covent Garden Market and it was lovely.  London Christmas decorations are on their way and they are elegant and dramatic!  

I could not believe this Reindeer! 

And if that wasn't larger than life, look at this Christmas tree!  Do you see the person walking to the left of the tree?  

The candy canes were my favorite decorations in the market.  And I'm glad the young lady seemed to also enjoy her morning.  We were dragging her suitcase along with us, but we still stopped for pictures, as you can see!  We even had time for a few souvenir shops and a proper fish and chips with mushy peas.  She mentioned that she had mostly been eating curries while here, and had yet to have a more "English" meal!  Once she was safely on the proper train to the airport, I came back to finish out my work day, but while listening to Amy Grant's Home for Christmas CD.