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Xmas
This picture pretty much sums up Christmas for me.
This is my granddaughter, sitting in our lounge.
She's wearing one Xmas present and reading another. She was delighted with both.
The velvet cape was mine, and I looked at it in my wardrobe last week, and thought, I haven't worn this in a decade, and I know someone who will love it! She did :)
The book is from her uncle (my son, Henry). It's second-hand. He bought her the first four books in a series he thought she might like - an adventure series about barn owls.
She got through the first two books on the same day, finished the next two today, and is going to buy herself the rest of the series!
We always do second-hand presents where viable. Saves money, reduces waste, and - if from a charity shop - gets money to a good cause as well.
Haven't bought any new wrapping paper for many years. We just keep re-using it - or wrap things in scarves/pillow cases if we ever run out.
You can't recycle wrapping paper, because it's nearly all plastic coated.
I also got a couple of puzzle toys from charity shops, total cost £6, played with for a couple of hours by people of all ages.
Theo (the new family baby) got a number of of toys from charity shops - in beautiful condition - and a couple of new books (you'll be lucky to find a second-hand copy of 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' that hasn't been loved to death!
Plus some finger puppets knitted by his talented Aunty Gillian, who tracks down second-hand yarn in charity shops. (She also knitted him a lovely rainbow jumper and a blanket in Anonymous Morris colour strips (several shades of purple with occasional black and white)
Basically, we aim for a low environmental impact Xmas, (but you're allowed some new board games, as the more recent ones are very hard to find second-hand) and still have a relaxing and enjoyable day together as a family.
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Your granddaughter here looks like a young lady in a classical painting, really, I mean it, just look at her! She will never be lonely with her books.
I bought several second hand books for very small children for my grandson - especially one that my own children used to have and love...about a merry little train with Zdeněk Miller´s illustrations - no, no Thomas.
He is crazy about trains and we spent lots of time with him at an exhibition of functional miniature models two months ago.
Otherwise I concentrated on games - desk games for young children, Dobble and puzzle for Vali who was 5 a month ago and likes it. These were not available second hand but these can be send to other children - we have already had some. They just keep circulating until an utter destruction:-)
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I went to look at some of Zdeněk Miller´s illustrations
The one on this page https://www.askart.com/artist/Zdenek_Miler/11189556/Zdenek_Miler.aspx (with the goose in the basket) looks very similar to a 17th century peddlar's basket. I have a friend at Little Woodham who owns one very like that.
Oswin loves model railways as well!
MY nephew is very good at Dobble!
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Oh that is a great cape! She will be the envy of all her friends in that.
We also wrap with fabric scarves which we just fold up and use again next year. It's so great not to have to collect a bin bag full of torn up paper at the end of the day. Easier to wrap with too!
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I do love books as presents, Sis gave me three.
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I had a second cape (that I've also had for decades), but I do still wear that one on occasion, as it's more practical outdoors.
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