Christmas Day


It all started with early morning breakfast and it wasn't quite light outside.
I set up my fold-up table with a Christmas cloth and lit some candles
and my tiny Christmas tree
all to wish you a very
HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

The Christmas elves came to the party

The Christmas Garland is in place
A little gnome joined me this year -
he just walked in and settled himself on the 2020 Temperature Blanket
which isn't quite finished.

A beautiful bauble arrived from England from a kind and generous
photography friend.
The little house lights up inside. 
Isn't it beautiful?

Here is the second lovely bauble: a forest scene which I set among 
pine branches and added some fairy lights.

We've had some beautiful sunsets
This one was taken in my neighbourhood.

One day, we even had a sprinkling of snow - followed by rain!

I prepared the Christmas stockings for my daughter and my grandson!

We met up in my nearby park to have some family time
and open our presents!
Quite a special Christmas this year
but fun all the same - just different!

A lovely touch to our little gathering, a lady appeared out of nowhere
bringing with her some cookies, lychees and a mandarin orange.
She said that we looked 'adorable' sitting there exchanging gifts in the open air!
Wasn't that a touching gesture?
We're guessing that she lives in one of the apartments overlooking the park!

This year, Swarovski came out with a beautiful crystal star
with an Aurora Borealis colour effect.
It's to celebrate their 25th Anniversary.

The first flower on my Amaryllis named Aphrodite started to open

The next day, two flowers opened up completely and they're still blooming now
one week later.

It wouldn't be Christmas without the cookies. 
These are everyone's favourites: Viennese Crescents.

So if your alone or with family
may your Christmas be merry!

I've been having a beautiful relaxing time:
watching classical old films,
listening to Christmas Carols
cooking a traditional roast chicken with cranberry sauce and my daughter's  stuffing!
and I haven't felt alone for one minute!

At 4 pm, I'm going to enjoy a Zoom meeting with my family!

See you all again very soon!

I'll leave you to listen this joyful Sussex Carol:


14 comments

  1. Replies
    1. Thank you, Anna. Merry Christmas to you too!

      Delete
  2. Oh, I'm so glad you were able to meet with your daughter and grandson at the park. I'm sure it was a bit chilly, but well worth bundling up for! I love all your Christmas decorations; they are all so unique and so pretty! Love your new crystal ornament! We've had a good day and really didn't get too lonely. I've talked to my daughter and will probably hear from my son this evening! I know you enjoyed your zoom meeting with your family! Hearing from family in whatever way is possible is so wonderful this year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Cathy. Yes, the park meet-up was a great success and we sat far apart. In the end, we couldn't feel our hands because of the cold! Our Zoom meeting on Christmas Day was great. It also included my son and his wife in Canada! So glad you had a good Christmas too and could talk with both your children!

      Delete
  3. Happy Christmas to you, Sandra! How wonderful that you were able to safely meet with your family. Your decorations are beautiful, and that temperature blanket is really lovely.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sue. I hope that you had a lovely Christmas too! Meeting outside was the only option this year. It was certainly original and will never be forgotten! I love to decorate my home, especially at Christmas!

      Delete
  4. Wonderful images Sandra, a warm and welcoming home. Lovely Christmas meeting too with your daughter and husband. We have had a great Christmas here too with various weather.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lasse. I met with my daughter and her son on Christmas Eve which was lovely - even thought it was quite cold to exchange our gifts in the local park! We are going through a coldsnap right now with cold polar air blowing in and snow flurries. It is better for us all, but especially nature, to have real winter temperatures at this time of the year!

      Delete
  5. I'm a bit late in reading this. The christmas elve are so adorable. Everything you shared here are wonderful.

    I hope you have a lovely 2021.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, lissa. I've had those little twig elves for many, many years! I do like them very much. Christmas was extremely quiet, but I remained in touch with my family and friends through Zoom and Facetime connections!

      Thank you for your New Year wishes!

      Delete
  6. Sounds like a wonderful Christmas for you, Sandra--and your beautiful photos certainly highlight the day for us. How great that you were able to meet with your daughter and grandson. I didn't realize they lived nearby. It is so nice to see our loved ones even if from behind a mask.

    Love those cute elves and the beautiful baubles. And that amaryllis is breathtaking--such a soft and delicate color. I hope that in 2021 we will all be able to live a more normal life... we will surely never forget 2020, will we? Take care now and I wish you all the best in the coming year ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Carol. My daughter and grandson don't live in the same town, but another smaller town just 20 minutes away by car on the motorway (if the traffic is fluid). So it isn't too far away!

      I like to have one or two Amaryllis plants blooming around Christmas time. They're such beautiful flowers.

      Yes, we all hope that 2021 will be an easier year. The anti-Covid vaccinations start today in my part of Switzerland. They are not obligatory, but highly recommended. I shall be having one. We shall all be notified by mail when it's out turn to receive the vaccine.

      Better days will return and we shall be able to see our family and friends again.

      Delete
  7. Your post made me smile! I love your decorations, and the fact that you made the holiday in this unusual year into something delightful. I am late reading this, by two holidays, but want to wish you a great new year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Many thanks for your kind comments, Sandy. It was a very unusual Christmas, but we decided to turn it into something fun and memorable! Thank you for your wishes for the New Year!

      Delete