fairy dresses – derrickjknight

Christmas Socks

Christmas Day begins, when everyone has surfaced, with opening of Santa’s presents.

Ever since Flo herself was a baby, Jackie made her a Christmas fairy dress each year of her childhood.

Today was Ellie’s first. Flo carried her around, then placed her in my former counselling chair

in my former counselling chair.

Her parents then helped her

open her stocking presents.

One gift from my Santa haul was New Forest 222, “The guidebook that covers every square mile of the New Forest”. I, and Mrs Claus were both surprised when I opened the book at random and found an acknowledgement of information from https://derrickjknight.com/2013/02/27/why-did-the-chicken-cross-the-road/ This had been provided by Alan in his comment concerning the cattle trough.

After watching The King’s Speech we opened our main presents.

Jackie was delighted by her representation of Nugget and trowel on a back support cushion given by Flo and Dillon;

our grandson-in-law enjoyed the flat caps we gave him.

When all the giving seemed to be over, I was led to my desk where I was given a blanket draping a mid-Victorian swivel captain’s chair from Dillon, Flo, and Jackie combined. Becky made the photograph of me in situ.

Later Becky, Flo, and Dillon all sported their Christmas socks while watching cartoons.

Somehow, Jackie produced a splendid roast Turkey dinner with all the trimmings, timed to perfection. Afterwards we enjoyed excellent Christmas pudding with Ambrosia custard. I don’t have the time or inclination after my share of the Prosecco, to itemise every item, so readers will need to study

this image featuring Flo, Ellie, Dillon, and Becky if they would appreciate any more detail.

Christmas At Downton

Soon after the rest of us had dined on Christmas Eve, Mat, Tess, and Poppy arrived and consumed the rest of the Chinese meal. Jackie and I left the others and retired to bed somewhat later.

Christmas Day began with Mother and Father Christmas stumbling down the chimney before dawn to complete stocking duties.

It had been quite a job dragging Poppy’s into the room. Fortunately Barry and Owen had made a very good fist of sweeping the flue earlier in the year.

Beside the Christmas tree hung two of our granddaughter’s Christmas dresses, pink one having been made by Jackie by hand.

Strings of coloured lights festoon the walls. From left to right in these two images are featured Flo’s ‘My Grandpa smiling at me’ portrait alongside a charcoal drawing I made of Michael reading to Matthew in 1973; my photograph of Flo on her 18th birthday, and my pencil drawing of Jackie shortly before hers.

Much of the morning was spent opening – mostly Poppy’s – stocking presents. Here she discusses the next one with Tess. Matthew and Jackie remain in the background.

Mat received a Dandy annual in his sack, and lost no time introducing his daughter to the characters who had entertained his childhood, and that of his father before him.

After watching The Jungle Book we opened our main presents.

Jackie was quite pleased to receive the updated version of the Canon Powershot SX740 HS. This means that she will be able to see what she is photographing when she sneaks up on me.

I thought my new flash jacket went rather well with my work trousers and 30 year old grandfather shirt;

Matthew found that his birthday (19th December) jumper was a good fit.

It was all becoming a bit hectic, so I’m not sure what Ian unwrapped here.

Becky also received knitwear;

and a family heirloom in the form of a splendidly carved brooch, we think, in ivory. In a Garrard’s box this has been returned to me by Mum, as is her wont. She has labelled all presents we have given her over the years, intending for those to be returned to us when she dies. In more recent years she has been filtering them through to the original donor. This came to me a few days ago. I must have given it to her a good 50 years ago. It is now only legal to sell goods made from ivory before 1947, which means that this may have been antique when I bought it. Becky told me that after my grandmother’s death she was given a brooch I had bought her from Woolworth’s when I was a child.

Scooby was not left out. Here Tess ensures that he does not shake off his present.

Elizabeth joined us for the evening Christmas meal. The pudding and custard followed.

Goodness knows what everyone ate or drank.

Poppy Does Byron Road

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE. THOSE IN CLUSTERS ACCESS GALLERIES THAT CAN BE VIEWED FULL SIZE.

A sleepy Christmas morning began with the opening of presents from Santa.

Poppy suitably oohed and aahed as she sought her parents’ help to unwrap hers. This assistance was necessary because you can’t carry out the task while one hand clutches chocolate.

The fairy dress made by Jackie was much admired. One of our granddaughter’s first words is mirror, which is used to ask to admire herself.

In this she carries on the tradition established by Flo, who was also the recipient of such a garment for her first few Christmases. These were taken in 1999.

Poppy, like her older cousin, would simply take a rest when all became too much.

Jackie’s laptop wallpaper demonstrates the similarity.

After a full day of present sharing,Tess drove Becky, Poppy and me to Byron Road to enjoy the Christmas lights.

After a slow start, Poppy got well into the swing of things: pressing buttons and dancing along to the exhibits. She shared some of her delights with a little French boy scarcely older than her.

We dined just before nine. Jackie excelled herself in producing succulent roast turkey, stuffing, sausages in bacon (known as pigs in blankets), Brussels sprouts served with bacon and chestnuts, swede and carrot mash, roast potatoes and parsnips, carrots, and Yorkshire pudding with tasty gravy, all cooked to perfection. I drank San Andreas Chilean merlot from a case Ian had given me as a present. I’m not sure what everyone else imbibed.