I’ll let you into a secret (and please don’t mention this to anyone) I’m absolutely desperate to take down the Christmas decorations and give the house a really good clean! Can you believe it? I’m a cross between Mary Poppins and The Grinch! There have been little festive garlands and ornaments disappearing since yesterday and today the Christmas mugs came out of the dishwasher and were promptly wrapped in tissue paper instead of being put into the mug cupboard. My hubby wants to keep the decs up for a while longer but how on earth can I stop the House Elf from tidying up when our backs are turned? He’s a crafty little fellow (the elf, not my husband) who just loves the feeling of….. S P A C E ….. that happens when all the decorations come down. I can see his point.
We visited Chatsworth House in October and bought the metal reindeer (above) to add to our Christmas display. We’ve fallen in love with him so he may escape being put into a box and be kept out all year. As much as I have the urge to pack Christmas away early every year I have a strange habit of also keeping something out on display. I have fairy lights over the fireplace all year (too pretty to take down), a purple berry wreath on the kitchen door (the door looks sad without it), a large star made out of twigs in the garden room (I love stars as much as hearts!) and quite possibly a metal reindeer on the bureau in the hall 🙂
However, I will miss all the greenery in the house the – the tree smells wonderful and I’m looking forward to making an Easter wreath already.
It’s been such a nice Christmas and I feel relaxed, refreshed and looking forward to the New Year. The housework has slipped, the garden has been sorely neglected (although the weather is even too soggy for wellies) and there has been way too much drinking and eating naughty food… simply wonderful!
Some of my favourite things are (1) a lovely cotton Owl bag to help with the grocery shopping – the design on this is great and I’d love to have this as a cushion… maybe I’ll have a go at making one next year! (2) I love books more than anything else and usually have three on the go at once so these stocking fillers will keep me quiet for a while. (3) My husband bought me the sparkly heart shaped necklace ♥ (4) This is actually a paper pot maker for my seedlings so I can make my own little pots. (5) A new diary always makes me smile… it’s completely empty at the moment and yet is so full of possibilities. Roll on 2013!
Wishing you all a very happy New Year and fortunate 2013 x
I do love your reindeer, I would keep him out all year. I must agree, the decorations do get tiresome by now, even the food indulgence leaves me craving for healthy eating! Time to look forward to getting out in our soggy gardens ASAP! Have a great New Year, look forward to keeping up with your blog in 2013! Tracey
I’ve been out in the soggy garden this morning – first dry day since finishing work. I’ve managed to get 4 beds sorted and the pots put into a sheltered position so just have to tidy another 3 beds now. Thanks for your comments and fantastic recipes on your blog! x
Thank you! Your efforts put me to shame, although i did a fence repair this morning and checked the tunnel for tears. Very soggy here too. Roll on spring, I can’t wait, very excited about spring planting already!
Our Christmas stuff comes down next weekend. 🙂 Your favorite things look wonderful! I enlarged the photo of your books to see what you’d been given. I have a cold so I’ll be spending new years eve in bed with a book and a cup of tea. I may have to look up a few of those titles! Happy New Years!
I hope you’re feeling better today – colds are so tedious!
The decorations came down here today as I’m back at work tomorrow and helping my sister to move house at the weekend so won’t have much time. The house seems so much bigger now!
Oh my gosh I feel torn in a similar way! I’d love to have the house all clean & cleared away, but I still love to hang on to the Christmas spirit of relaxing and enjoying ourselves! (and somehow having so many santa’s and snowmen around the house gives me permission to just forget routines!) A paper pot maker for seeds … I’ll have to go and look that one up as I haven’t heard of that before. I love the necklace, it is beautiful! Happy New Year PJ Girl!
I’m back to work tomorrow so it will be back to normal anyway. I love Christmas but have my decorations up the first weekend in December so 4 weeks is plenty 🙂 I’ll post some pictures of my paper making pot in a few weeks as Spring will be here sooner than we imagine 🙂
Lovely post. It made me smile. I agree the reindeer deserves a year-round display. All the best to you in 2013.
Thank you – the reindeer has been saved from the christmas box! I wish you peace, love and happiness in 2013 x
A very fine reindeer – definitely one to keep out all year round! Have a great new year – looking forward to reading more about your garden (and kittens!) in 2013!
The kittens have grown so much already – it’s a good job I have a million photos to remember them by!!!
I say keep the reindeer! We have had a blooming great silver Christmas Wreath on our bathroom door all year – much too nice to put away. Happy New Year PJ x
I think that I now choose many Christmas decorations on their ability to be used all year round. Life’s too short to box favourite things up! Happy New Year Julia x
I feel exactly the same! I’ve been away over Christmas and just want to clear my decorations away now!! Strange because most years I want to keep them up? I blame the rain! Wonderful finding your blog this year. I really enjoy reading it! Wishing you all the very best for 2013 : ) x
The mild, soggy weather has made it feel less Christmasy than usual. Thanks for your lovely comments, I’m glad to have found your blog too! Looking forward to 2013 and seeing your Christmas presents in action. Cheers!
Happy New Year ! And I’m sure no one will mind having such a stylish reindeer around all year!
I’m sure that I’ll be rearranging the whole house soon to find him a suitable spot! Happy New Year Cathy x
naughty food sounds good to me! what a feast for the eyes. both you and hubby have such a beautiful artistic sensibility. happy new year!
You’re too kind… and you’re quite right the naughty food was good! Happy New Year x
Too much naughty food here too, haven’t dared going on the scales, will have to postponed that for a couple of weeks I think! But tidy away Christmas already?? Hmm…I don’t go over top with the decoration, but I have more lights everywhere, especially fairy lights and garlands. It’s needed right now when it gets dark so early and I always dread putting them away – I try to keep them until last week of January, but there has been years when my Christmas garland in the window has still been there through February!
But I understand your House Elf too, space is so important, at least when you haven’t got enough of it. Have a wonderful celebration tonight, and Happy New Year!
Compared to most people I put my decorations up really early (first weekend in December) so they’ve already been up for a month. I also have a real Christmas tree which gets a little faded and dry… I agree that it’s good to have extra lights and sparkle around at this dark time of year though! Happy New Year Helene – wishing you the best of everything! x
Merry Christmas and Happy New year., I can never wait to put it all away either. Jan 1st inside and out it is all put away as fast as I can!!
We’ve put all of ours away today too. Happy New Year!
My vote is to keep the fruitcake out until next year. One bite a week may reveal it’s just as good come October as it was last December. Alcohol preservation is one of the Christmas miracles in my opinion.
Thank you for such wonderful blogging in 2012, and Happy New Year, PJ! x
I’m sure the cake will last a few more decades. I have to be careful not to “eat and drive ” whilst the Christmas cake is around 😉
Thanks for visiting in 2012 – let’s raise our glasses more adventures in 2013!
I’ll tell you a little secret – I put away the Christmas trimmings on Christmas day! We celebrate early, and my husband is allergic to the trees, so everything came down and put away. However, I love your reindeer – definitely keep it out! Love your outlook of the new year having such promise. Have a happy one!
I don’t feel so bad about putting mine away now! Your poor husband 😦 I’m back to work tomorrow so as soon as I transfer my meetings and work schedule into the blank 2013 diary the magic will be gone!
I am with you on the Christmas decorations! I love them, but I love to take them down and de-clutter too! I also feel very guilty about these grinch-ish feelings!!! Hope you have a good New Year’s Day!
A good de-clutter is always a good thing… i’m definitely going to be more organised in 2013!
Well that was a good bit of fun. PJ you are so witty. Since Mary Poppin’s is a goddess to me, I laughed at your hybrid. I just got my decor up as Santa was coming down the chimney, so I might enjoy it for another couple of weeks. I loved all your Christmas treasure, beautiful necklace and the stand it’s set upon too. I like all the softness in your decor. That pot maker sounds interesting, I’ve never seen that before. Happy New Year and all the best for 2013, I so look forward to your posts. 🙂
We took the decorations down so quickly today that I swear that Mary Poppins was in the corner tapping her umbrella and getting things to jump in the box by themselves!
My decor is very neutral but I love colour – I really am a walking contradiction! I’m hoping to do a post in a few weeks about the paper pot maker so hopefully all will become clear (or not, as I have a habit of over complicating things somewhat! LOL). Happy New Year X
Haaha :D, after all that work, maybe we should join Mary for a little tea party on the ceiling. The good thing about neutral decor is being able to add a splash of any colour your heart desires, awesome. I’ll be keen to see the pot maker in action, sounds like an interesting bit of business…how come I turn English when I visit with you LOL, it’s the Downton Abbey coming out in me..:D
That’s SO funny! Maybe being English is contagious… watch out! As for Downton, I’m much more servant class than Aristocracy 🙂
I’m with you on taking down the decorations early as well, want to move winter along now. But I do love the reindeer. Here’s to drier weather and being in the garden again!
The reindeer has a permission slip to stay out late. Hooray!
It was good to get in the garden this morning – even a soggy one 🙂
I’ll second that emotion – as soon as the beloved goes back to work the decs come down and the dusting begins. Hope the new year is good to you – I have loved visiting your blog and look forward to more of the same this year.
You’re so kind Elaine – and it’s a huge compliment coming from someone whose blog I admire so much! Here’s to a happy, healthy and inspired 2013!
I would like a big version of that reindeer to sit in one of our borders!
That would be a great idea! They had bigger versions at Chatsworth but they were a little pricey 😉
I like a little sparkle all year too. I try to follow the traditional order of things, Christmas tree decorated on Christmas Eve, staying up until Epiphinay (Jan 6)
It’s good to have traditions and it must be lovely to decorate the tree on Christmas Eve. Happy New Year Susan x
Well, I’ll have to confess I might be worse than you about stashing away Christmas. I simplified our decorations this year and still found myself stashing a few away on the 26th. Not all of them but a few. And honestly, Christmas was packed away by the 31st. I like starting the New Year clean and light 🙂 Funny though, like you I always have a few little things that I’ll leave out. Mine are reindeer too (not as sleek and beautiful as your new addition – lovely) with little bottle brush trees and a metal bird house next to them. Another that I leave up all year is a mercury ornament with a metal bird aloft and a string of lights – all nicely hanging over the kitchen window. They throw pretty shadows in the evening across the kitchen ceiling. Wishing you a wonderful New Year filled with lots of good books and gardening 🙂 ~ Cat
You’ve captured how I feel exactly – I like a clean, clear home ready for a fresh year and so always feel compelled to dismantle the festoons! Your kitchen window sounds lovely – I have a little crystal in my window but we don’t get a lot of sun to make it shine! Thanks for dropping by and Happy New Year to you too x
Best wishes to you and yours for a wonderful 2013. Hopefully the weather will dry up soon and you can get back into the garden. Bridget x
B
Thanks Bridget – the weather has been fine since I’ve gone back to work! Ha ha x
I love the look of your new diary, I’m a sucker for any embossed stationery! Actually, I’m just a sucker for stationery… 🙂
Hope you have a wonderful 2013 filled with good health, wealth, happiness and love. Oh, and lots of beautiful flowers and sunshine!
I love stationery too and can’t resist buying it! Thanks for your lovely New Year wishes… same back to you and more 🙂
I am ready to get the decorations down and clean too… I understand 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! I’m envious of your dogs as they’re so cute!
Thanks… they suckered us into adopting them with those cute faces 😉 We love them 🙂
I’ve been a secret lurker/enjoyer of your lovely blog for quite a few months now (very envious of your beautiful garden plot) and have decided to come out of lurkdom and wish you a Happy New Year!
I love lurking too! Thank you so much for stopping by and saying hello. Happy New Year to you too!
Our decorations are still up, but like you, I find myself putting this and that away, one by one. If it were just up to me, it would all come down New Year’s Day but my husband grew up in a family that kept up the tree till the Epiphany January 6th. It used to be torture waiting those last few days, but I’m over it now. Love this post, PJ and your delightful pics. Happy New Year.
I think that I’m my own worst enemy… I get so excited at Christmas that the decorations go up at the beginning of December and I simply peak too early! If I put them up on Christmas Eve then the 6th would be perfect! I really am like a big child (and I’m already looking forward to Christmas this year!!).
Aren’t you cute! I think part of the joy of putting up the decorations, is the actual act of putting them up. Once they are up…it’s not a much fun. We’re women of action, PJ, that is all there is to it. 🙂
I like it…. women of action! Although I am hoping for a bit of inaction this year (preferably with a gin & tonic in hand!!). What has surprised me is that the kittens have left the tree and decorations alone – I expected them to climb up it, knock it over, chew the baubles and generally cause kittie mayhem.
What well behaved kitties! I’m in love.
I hope you get your wish this year: inaction, with a twist of lime. Do you have plans to put that in place? Things you are letting go of?
Happy New Year!
I do feel your pain…Everything came down new years day here, house vacuumed, dusted, beds stripped & decs’ safely stashed back in the loft. Bring on Spring x
Here, here! Last year was such a soggy one that I’m ready for a fresh start and I hope it will be a good year (rain overnight, blue skies and sunshine in the day, not too hot or cold….). I’m not asking for much 🙂
Found you through Meowmie, and oldie but goodie blog friend who I have missed. Your garden sounds lovely and your photos so awesome. Makes me happy to scroll through. As someone who has just put the last of the decorations away, I completely understand your need for order. It also gives way for new things to come in. As for me, I leave a shiny vintage Santa on my desk year round. It was from my best friend and reminds me to cherish kindess and whimsy all year long. Andrea
Hi Andrea – it always amazes me when people come over to my little blog and enjoy it so thank you 😉 You’ve said two words that make me smile…. kindness and whimsy. I try to have lots of both in my life and your little Santa sounds wonderful. I’ve only recently found Meowmie and now I’ve found you! I’ll enjoy catching up on your blog properly when I have more time but what I’ve read so far is really interesting!
A lovely idea for a post, and isn’t Chatsworth House amazing, it’s a few years since I’ve been there (I used to camp in the grounds with the brownies…. but’s that’s a story for another day!). Oh and I’m loving the banner/header photos – cute kitty !!
Happy new year my fellow pyjama gardener 🙂
We took down our Christmas decorations yesterday. I noticed all the space as well. We have snow on the ground so I will be gardening via seed catalogs for the next month or two, until it is time to start seeds. I, too, love books. I’ve been cuddled up under a quilt and reading every chance I get. I wish you and yours are very happy new year.