Wednesday 6 January 2016

On The Twelfth Day of Christmas

Hello, thank you for popping in to my little blog space.  Yesterday was the twelfth (and last) day of Christmas and fortunately, my true love did not send me twelve drummers drumming (or lords a-leaping, depending on which version of the song you know) because goodness only knows where I would have put them if he had, and I'm quite sure the neighbours would have complained about the noise.  No, he didn't send me anything at all, which was fine by me because it was time to pack away Christmas.  I usually undertake this task reluctantly because I think the house looks so bleak without its festive jollification, but this year I was glad to do it, glad to wrap it up, pack it away and move forward.  The decorations were taken down and the tree was chopped up and has gone into the recycling bin - 



The Christmas mugs and glasses and the mince pie plates have been taken out of the kitchen dresser and put away - 


Of course, if your decorations include a crib set, it seems an awful shame to pack it away before the three wise men arrive at Epiphany.  In fact, it seems downright mean to expect them to travel all that way only to find that the stable has disappeared up to the loft!  And do you know what?  You can legitimately leave it up for the rest of this month!  Honestly.  If you don't take your Christmas decorations down on Twelfth Night you can quite properly leave them up until Candlemas on 2nd February.  I have friends who do this, they take down their trees on 5th January but leave the cribs out until Candlemas.  

So, I have bid Christmas "Adieu" and am ready for the New Year.  There will be no review of 2015 here, it brought us good things and difficult things and it's too soon for me to think about it with any degree of perspective.  The Mathematician returned to university on Sunday, The Teacher and the Best Beloved returned to work on Monday and I returned to work yesterday.  Onwards and upwards.

I can't remember the last rain-free day.  It's not cold, in fact it's exceptionally mild, but the constantly leaden skies and soggy trouser-bottoms have been dragging me down.  On Monday, this appeared at lunchtime, albeit briefly - 



Blue sky!  I had almost forgotten what it looks like.  I really don't think I saw it once during November or December.  It put a spring in my step and a smile on my face while it lasted.  Onwards and upwards.

See you soon.

Love, Mrs Tiggywinkle x


29 comments:

  1. My husband rang me from work a couple of hours ago and asked me why I was still in the house if the sun was shining. You're right - we've almost forgotten what to do with a sunny winters day! Jx

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    1. We actually had a rain-free day on Friday. At last! I hope you've been able to make the most of it, Jan. x

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  2. Christmas has been put up here too, I miss the bright colors and cheerfulness of it. We're cold and clear which I like.

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    1. I like cold and clear too, Janet and AT LAST we had it today - although it did rain a tiny bit this afternoon!.x

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  3. We put Christmas away yesterday too. I still have a plant or two and some flowers that are adding a bit of colour as everything looks so drab. We have been out and about today and for a short while we saw a little sun but also many flooded fields and a swollen river. I don't think I've know so much rain for so long a time:)

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    1. We drove by the Severn today, Rosie, and it was scarily high. It's times like this that I don't envy those riverside dwellers one little bit. x

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  4. I am normally a "wait until 12th night" person but this year, for the very first and hopefully last time I put Christmas away on the 3rd. Sunday night wasn't as cosy and warm. I truely missed the warm glow from the tree. Next year I'll do better.
    Happy new year Mrs T and family. I really enjoy your posts. This one added a little sunshine to my soggy trouser bottomed evening :) ta everso

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    1. You are very kind. Thank you for your encouragement. x

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  5. Best wishes for 2016 for you and yours. I too have packed away the Christmas décor, whilst it looks so much brighter and clean I am missing it a little.

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    1. And best wishes to you and your expanding brood, too. I hope it's a good year for all of us. x

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  6. Christmas here was packed up on the weekend past. I'm not so fond of Christmas stuff in the house anymore as it takes up my limited space and makes me antsy. Not very festive of me I know, I used to love Christmas so much! I'm sorry you've had so much soggy weather. We're getting some bright sunshine and wintry blue skies. The bitter cold has blown away too and we're back to -5C for a while. Happy days ahead!
    Wendy

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    1. Back to -5C! Today has been our coldest day and I think we were at +6C! But I have enjoyed it. And I am very fond indeed of your Christmas pine cone stuff. Yes, I think there are some happy days ahead. x

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  7. Yes it has been quite gloomy and I must admit I've wrapped a blanket round this evening as it seems quite chilly. The last couple of weeks have just flown so it won't be long until Spring is here. Have fun Mrs T. x

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    1. Thank you Karen. It looks as if you are making the most of it and getting out and having fun anyway - well done. x

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  8. I hope 2016 is a year full of joy and promise for you and your family. The rains sound gloomy and tragic on the news.

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    1. And I wish exactly the same for you and your family, Lorrie. And lots of happy sewing. x

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  9. Hello. We still have one Christmas tree up since we're celebrating orthodox Christmas with family on the Julian calendar. Our El nino arrived with a vengeance here in southern California with lots of rain. I hope you can see more blue skies :) Pat

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    1. Hi Pat, we have had some blue sky today - hooray! And I hope you made some wonderful family memories celebrating Orthodox Christmas. x

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  10. It is probably just as well that you didn't have drummers drumming, pipers piping and all of the birds chirping as it might have be a bit loud! We take the decorations down before 12th night, but I usually leave up the nativity set until Candlemas, but this year I have put it away, I am missing it now though! I think it is a nice way to extend the season and to remind us of what Christmas is all about. xx

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    1. I am whispering this very quietly Amy, but you could always get it back out again...x

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  11. I couldn't agree with you more about blue sky. I even had to scroll back through old photos this week to remind myself what it looked like and then the following day it popped out just for a short while, but it made my heart sing x

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    1. Oh yes Selma, and my heart sang on Friday, too, and again today. And do you notice how people smile more when the sun comes out? x

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    2. They really do smile more, people are so much more willing to be friendly when its sunny x

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  12. Now I am humming that song - The Twelve Days of Christmas! Such a fun tune and one we used to try so hard to memorize when we were young, but I would always mess it up badly at some point. I would love to see a partridge in a pear tree, though, and perhaps have 5 golden rings! I have been hearing through the news about your very wet winter and all of the ghastly flooding and I am so sorry about that. Here, near Seattle, we are very prone to that type of weather and it is always so difficult to get through. It surely makes you appreciate that little patch of blue! It is always with a bit of sadness that we have to put away all the Christmas decorations, especially the nativity. The house does seem rather forlorn without it all, but it is nice to have some cleared off spaces once again. I hope you have a a bit more sunshine and a happy weekend! xo Karen

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    1. Thank you Karen. Did you know that the pear tree in the song is not actually a tree but a type of wooden birdcage? x

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  13. Yes, everything remains up in the Cathedral where I work and when I say all my bits and pieces are in the loft it doesn't go down well :) Wasn't it lovely weather today? Crisp and sunny! I even had washing on the line that dried!! Make the most of it xx

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    1. Oh we did, Chel, and I took my camera with me so watch this space. And you are very impressive! I hope you are recovering well. x

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  14. I only put out a few decorations here and there for the holidays. And the problem is they were so randomly placed that I forgot where I put them all. You've just reminded me I've still got a wooden nativity set sitting in the living room, made from olive wood and purchased while we were in Bethlehem last February. Had to look up Candlemas as I've not heard that term before. Interesting. Here's hoping for more blue skies. Happy New Year! Tammy

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    1. Your nativity set sounds lovely, Tammy, it must be special to have one from Bethlehem. x

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