Baby, it's cold out there.

For Outdoor Wednesday today, graciously hosted as always by Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer, a snowy landscape mosaic featuring Mr Ben the Snowman and another of my white Christmas tree.

The snow mosaic photo's were taken in 2004 and 2005 when we had snow for Christmas and in the New Year.

I don't think we'll be having a white Christmas this year, although a glimpse out of the bedroom window early this morning revealed fields covered in a very thick frost.

On Monday I showed you the tree in our library, which I enjoyed decorating very much, the next day I couldn't wait to try out my ideas for the smaller tree in the sitting room.

I decided on a white with silver accents theme and used large white silk poinsettias, white and silver baubles, clear glass stars, silver gift boxes, stars and beads.

Pride of place went to the white heart with pearl accents that Joyce (stepmum) gave us for our 30th Wedding Anniversary.

Voilà !

Mr Ben, who is never far away from me, sat patiently nearby ready to give his opinion on the finished ensemble.

Jackie @ Jackie's Personal Blog took up my book recommendation recently and has just finished "A Redbird Christmas". She blogged about it here.

I wonder if anyone else did? I would love to know what you thought of it, if you did.

Welcome one and all.

Welcome to our home all dressed up for Christmas.

Today I am participating in Karen's "Doors of Welcome" meme which is taking place at "Some Days Are Diamonds", and also Susan's "Deck The Halls" at "Thoughts From Over The Rainbow".

When you've checked out my contribution please do go and visit them both for even more festive cheer and see all the wonderful Doors & Halls gathered together today.

Fresh wreaths are very scarce in Normandy and so this year, as usual, I took a pair of "couronne artificiel" and enhanced them with fir, holly, ivy (rich with dark blue/black berries) and box from the garden.

A Victorian Christmas as described by Charles Dickens in the short story A Christmas Tree.

"I have been looking on, this evening, at a merry company of children assembled round that pretty German toy, a Christmas Tree. The tree was planted in the middle of a great round table, and towered high above their heads. It was brilliantly lighted by a multitude of little tapers; and everywhere sparkled and glittered with bright objects.”

A pretty Victorian festive scene, from my Victoria & Albert Christmas List book.

The hearth beneath the mantlepiece .

The library tree from outside looking in.

Oh! Christmas Tree, oh! Christmas Tree.

The last but one Monday before the holidays begin means I'm sharing my tree mosaics with everyone participating in Mosaic Monday over at Mary's little red house.

I'm always amazed at the marvellous diversity of mosaics which one can see there, so do give yourself a treat and visit Mary today.

It might be the busiest time of the year but one seasonal ritual cannot be forgone and that is decorating the Christmas Tree.

We always have two trees, one in the sitting room and a larger one in the library. For many years I withstood the cajoling from my DH to have "fake" trees but finally surrended gracefully one or two years back, and have to say I haven't regretted the decision.

So much less mess in January.

One afternoon last week I assembled my boxes in the library, popped A Wonderful Life into the DVD player, brewed a pot of tea and submerged myself in the joy of it all.

I'll show you the silver and white decorated, sitting room, tree on Wednesday.

In 1840 Prince Albert put up a Christmas tree (a German custom) at Windsor Castle. This soon became very fashionable in England.

Oh! Christmas Tree click here for words and music.

"If you wish to make the holly look snow-laden, moisten it with weak gum, or starch water, and then sprinkle with flour from a dredger"

How to Decorate the House at Christmas Time, from (Victorian) Cassell's Family Magazine.

Before you go .......................I want to tell you about one of my favourite blogs, Jane's "Blondie's Journals". For a wonderful Christmas Tree tale click here, it's magic! Even Scrooge wouldn't say "Humbug".

Santa Claus is coming..................

Carrying on the Santa theme with some handcrafted wooden Santas from my collection, I'm participating in Mary's Ruby Tuesday party at The Work Of The Poet.

Mary has a great post today you just have to go over there and see what she & her husband have done to their front door!

and from the Christmas List Book two vintage cards the robin and Sankt Nikolaus wearing yellow?

Saint Nicholas Day, 6th December.

A popular tradition in Europe is St Nicholas Day when Santa arrives, click here to discover Bavaria's Sankt Nikolaus, pictured in white in the mosaic below. A much loved piece which I acquired whilst living in Bavaria.

and here to learn more about France's Saint Nicholas.

My contribution to Mary's wonderful Mosaic Monday gathering at the little red house is two mosaics of some of my St Nicks.

The top two Santa's in the mosaic above I bought at the famous Munich Christkindl Markt about twenty five years ago.

The two Santa's in the lower half of the mosaic I found in South Carolina and Virginia.
I'm also sharing some more wonderful images and verse from my Victoria and Albert Christmas List Book for your pleasure.

"What, Father Christmas! Here again?

With Yule log on your back

And mighty store of racy things

Well stuffed within your pack".

Christmas Verse, 1848.

To read how Queen Victoria liked to spend her Christmas click on the image below

Outdoor Wednesday and Mistletoe

It’s time for Outdoor Wednesday once again hosted by Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer who last week announced “Starting next week…. and going through the end of December…. I am going to include/encourage everyone to share their outdoor AND indoor Christmas decorations for Outdoor Wednesdays. Greenery in the form of trees, wreaths and garland are from outside…… and they are inside for the holidays… yes, I am stretching the definition of Outdoor Wednesday…. but I can!!!”

On Monday I mentioned our ancient apple tree now totally overwhelmed by mistletoe, which despite looking so pretty and being steeped in tradition, is a parasite,

Click here for another OW post that mentions mistletoe.

From my V&A Christmas list book today: A Christmas greetings card and decorating tips from (Victorian) Cassell’s Family Magazine and a verse from Sir Walter Scott.

The damsel donned her kirtle sheen
The hall was dressed with holly green
Forth to the wood did merry-men go,
To gather in the mistletoe.
Sir Walter Scott.

There are more interesting facts (!) about mistletoe here.

"From the centre of the ceiling of this kitchen, old Wardle had just suspended with his own hands a huge branch of mistletoe, and this same branch of mistletoe instantaneously gave rise to a scene of general and most delightful struggling and confusion; in the midst of which, Mr. Pickwick, with a gallantry that would have done honour to a descendant of Lady Tollimglower herself, took the old lady by the hand, led her beneath the mystic branch, and saluted her in all courtesy and decorum."
--The Pickwick Papers

'Tis the season to be jolly.........

‘Tis the season to be jolly.....................
and so I created two mosaics of some of my favourite ruby red Christmas tree baubles to share
with everyone at Mary's Ruby Tuesday @ Work of the Poet, Tam's 3 or more Tuesday @ The Gypsy's Corner and Susan's Deck the Halls Party which is beginning today @ Thoughts From Over The Rainbow.

For many years I have used a Christmas List Book, which I bought during a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, to keep a record of cards and gifts; given and received, festive decorations; where & what, shopping lists and menu’s ; what worked, what didn’t!
The book contains many wonderful Victorian Christmas illustrations and verses and I shall be sharing them with you all during December.

The Victoria and Albert Tree
In 1846, the popular Royals, Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert, were illustrated in the Illustrated London News. They were standing with their children around a Christmas Tree. Unlike the previous Royal family, Victoria was very popular with her subjects, and what was done at Court immediately became fashionable - not only in Britain, but with fashion-conscious East Coast American Society. The English Christmas Tree had arrived!
Decorations were still of a 'home-made' variety. Young Ladies spent hours at Christmas Crafts, quilling snowflakes and stars, sewing little pouches for secret gifts and paper baskets with sugared almonds in them. Small bead decorations, fine drawn out silver tinsel came from Germany together with beautiful Angels to sit at the top of the tree. Candles were often placed into wooden hoops for safety.
Mid-Victorian Tree
In 1850's Lauscha began to produce fancy shaped glass bead garlands for the trees, and short garlands made from necklace 'bugles' and beads. These were readily available in Germany but not produced in sufficient quantities to export to Britain. The Rauschgoldengel was a common sight. Literally, 'Tingled-angel', bought from the Thuringian Christmas markets, and dressed in pure gilded tin.
The 1860's English Tree had become more innovative than the delicate trees of earlier decades. Small toys were popularly hung on the branches, but still most gifts were placed on the table under the tree.
Source: The Christmas Archives.