meeting Santa

Today was the kind of day that I just adore. We didn't get dressed until well into the afternoon, instead we spent the morning making Christmas decorations in our pyjamas. 

 I cut out some cardboard starts for Joa to paint gold while Benny and I made some apple sauce and cinnamon tree ornaments.

 I have wanted to make these for a few years and finally we got around to it. Basically you make a dough from 1 cup ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp ground nutmeg, 1 tbsp ground cloves, 2 tbsp glue and 2/3 of a cup of apple sauce. It makes a really fab dough to play with, we rolled it out and used cutters to make stars and bells and rocking horses, then we baked them in a low oven until they dried. Oh the smell!!! Pure Christmas. I tore an old pair of flannel pj's into strips which we will use like ribbons to hang them on the tree when we put it up.

 Rebe spent the morning in bed making a paper chain and listening to 'The Enchanted Wood' on audio tape. I think the chain ended up being about 20 ft long! Benny cut the strips and did the fetching and carrying while Rebe looped them all together and sellotaped the ends. I also started some simple felt embroidery ornaments. Having finished knitting the bonnet for my friend's baby I needed some kind of project and thought this would be a nice way to pass the time.

So eventually, at about 3pm, we got ourselves dressed and went down the village to our wee cafe. Just as we pulled up we heard the ringing of a bell and saw Santa getting out of a very cool, bright red kit car (who needs a sleigh!). This was Joa's first time seeing Santa, it was so sweet he just ran in circles sucking the collar of his jacket!

 The Golden Pheasant was hosting Santa as a fundraiser for the Philippines. We paid our fee on arrival and were given our tickets to wait to see the old beardy man. The waiting was terribly pleasant, with cupcakes, mince pies, carol singing, friends to chat to and mulled wine.

Then when it was our turn we followed an elf along a path lit with tea lights in jam jars,

 and over to Santa's grotto

 where me met the man himself. Well actually, he was terribly honest with us and told us he was in fact not the real Santa but his cousin. The real Santa had so much work to do that he had asked his cousin to come and meet the boys and girls and to ask them to write their letters and remember to put on their addresses.

 He had also brought them a little something each to tide them over until Christmas day.

 Each of the kids got a little paper bag filled with goodies; a little wooden boat, a shoe keyring, sweeties and a balloon. It was just so special and so sweet and I am so happy that we got to go!

We had a very quick run on the beach on the way home, the wind blasting away the cobwebs and we came home happy and tired and relaxed in front of a film eating pizza off our knees.
Ach what a great day :-)