WOYWW 133, Blog Candy & Happy Christmas!

It's nearly Christmas and I thought I had better show some signs of festivity in the house and for WOYWW 133. 

The friend of all the tidy (and messy) elves, who is called Julia and dwells at the Stamping Ground deep in the Dark Arty Wood, coerces us to own up to some of our crafting idiosyncrasies each week. 

If you too would like to join the fun of this giant world snoop, then pop over to Julia's to spy on over 100 more.

A few days ago my clicker reached an amazing 66,666 hits over the 2 years I have been blogging. During that time I have come in contact with so many lovely people, shared some wonderful inspiration, and made some very special friends. Some blogging buddies I have met and some I know for sure that one day we will meet. My thanks to you all.

I decided that when it reached this strikingly memorable number I would give a gift to the next follower... .which has now gone out to the lovely Sylvia, however, I am also going to give away some......

Ho, Ho, Ho! Blog Candy 

You'll see a mystery parcel hiding the loot, below on my desk, along with my greeting to you all for Christmas.

To enter for my Blog Candy I'd prefer you to be a follower as I would like to give a thank you treat to someone who calls in now and then. 

Please don't join just to get the candy as it would be unfair for all those lovely people who really are interested in my posts.

It would be kind if you'd add the candy pic to your side bar too.

Also, please leave a comment telling me something special you always do at Christmas, maybe your own special family tradition, or maybe what you like best about Christmas, your favourite carol or song, or something funny that has happened to you one Christmas. 

There'll be a lucky dip prize and another for the best comment about a Christmas tale.

It will be drawn on 6th January 2012

I love to get out the box of decorations to see all the old ones we have put on the tree for so many years. No designer tree with co-ordinated colour scheme for me! So many memories in my box, from the ones my daughters loved and the ones my late mother gave us and the ancient dilapidated old ones from my own childhood, still there. 

There is one really special one that my younger daughter sent to us, around 18 years ago, when she was away studying in Moscow, her first Christmas away from home, and my elder daughter had flown out to join her over the holiday. My husband had stated that we wouldn't need to put up a tree that year as the girls were away but I argued that we should and that day a lovely, blue, hand painted Russian lady arrived with a note from DD2 instructing me to hang this lovely lady on our tree. Well we did, and now every year it's the first decoration we hang up. I don't even store her in the box, she stays on display in the dining room to be admired all year round and you can see why!

At last, I've started to add a little festive cheer to our home, first with a makeover for this pebble gas fire. It was never used as, it's so expensive to run, it gives very little heat and, our central heating is so efficient we don't need it anyway, so we removed the gas fire and now just use it for burning candles in the well. Now I've added some giant baubles, leaves, cones, berries etc., and it looks so pretty for Christmas. 

This week I will do my best to visit as many of you as possible but if I don't manage to get to you then I wish you every good wish for a wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy, peaceful 2012.