I have always enjoyed the Christmas break – a time to recharge and reconnect with family and friends. I am already excited about an enjoyable Christmas (and I have of course had my flu jab to ward off any more christmas-flus!). I love decorating the tree each year, the house looks so snug and nest-like with a hint of festivity in it. The tree has grown a little since last year and, most importantly, still alive out in the garden (a personal record)! So in a few weeks (or days…) we’ll be clearing some space and making sure there are no creepy crawlies hanging out on the branches before giving the tree pride of place in the living room.
My favourite thing about the tree is always the decorations, I’ve collected quite a few in recent years and each tells a little story connected to our travels…
First married Christmas
We headed to Pembroke for Christmas 2010 which was the year we had got married. We had a gorgeous cottage with stunning coastal views and it was freezing. I was worried that the cottage wouldn’t be at all christmassy and so my parents gave me this gorgeous White Company tree and decorations to brighten the cottage. We now use it every year and it is normally the first thing out of the box – last year I popped it up one evening in early December before Mr P was home from work and it made the house sparkle with festivity immediately!
A Cornish Angel
I found this lovely ceramic angel in St Ives a few years ago. We are lucky to go to Cornwall at or around Christmas every year and the love affair with the country is well documented. Mousehole is my favourite place to visit at Christmas – the lights are quite incredible and get better every year. There are so many little craft and art shops in towns like Mousehole that it is so festive to spend an evening enjoying the lights, a pasty, a spot of shopping and a glass of Korev local beer.
Nautical Santa’s from Anglesey
We are well overdue a trip up here to see our friends and enjoy Anglesey and Snowdonia. It is a stunning part of the world, and as with Cornwall the little villages have some gorgeous little craft shops. I love these nautical decorations.
Nautical bits from Newport
Newport Rhode Island has the most amazing Christmas decoration shop, and I believe it is open all year – well at least it was in the October when we visited a few years ago. We have quite a water-theme developing on our tree. Newport is a town steeped in America’s Cup history and a fantastic place to spend a few days. We were lucky to stay at the Vanderbilt Grace hotel and had a lovely couple of days mooching about the town and waterfront and catching up with old friends.
Shopping in my all-time favourite city
I love Washington DC despite only have been there with work. I’ve visited 3 times and although once I flew in from London for less than 24 hours, the other times I have been able to spend the weekend in the city as well as meet up with family that live in Maryland. I love the Smithsonian Institute – there is a museum to interest everyone! Of course my favourite was the air and space museum which is fantastic. But I also popped into some others, mainly the gift shops actually to do a spot of Christmas shopping. One day I really want to go back and show Mr P around – the city and the monuments are beautiful.
National Trust shops
We visit a lot of national trust homes and gardens over the year – always somewhere beautiful and the perfect place to meet friends for a picnic or walk. National Trust shops are something that I have always loved, perfect for buying presents in. At Christmas they come into their own though – with gorgeous decorations that are often locally made. These little reindeer and santas actually came from Lyme park just after Christmas one year, and yes – that is ‘the’ lake that Mr Darcy (Colin Firth) walked so elegantly out of in the BBC adaption of Pride and Prejudice!
Vienna Christmas Markets
Vienna is the only European city I have been to at the time of the Christmas markets and what a feast for the senses. If you can get past the gluwein still standing then there are hundreds of festive delights. The decorations were my favourite and we have some gorgeous little tree ornaments. The city is also gorgeous in the winter (and the summer actually) and the buildings are so well lit up that it is a gorgeous place to explore in the evening.
Cheshire day trips
We go to Cheshire often to see Mr P’s parents and each time we are taken on a different day trip – there is plenty to see. Last year we went off to the llama farm for something completely different (it was near a gastropub, it was well-planned) and couldn’t resist this little chap in the wool shop. I love buying things that are hand-made.
Christmas Fairs
My friend arranged the Shillingstone village christmas fair last year and it was a resounding success, a gorgeous selection of stalls selling treats and gifts that were unique and of a high quality. I couldn’t resist buying this gorgeous glass star – I just need to now not break it! It looked beautiful at the top of the tree last year – alongside the wooden one from Vienna, a poignant moment adding it there last December. The Shillingstone area is also a perfect spot for a dog walk – rolling hills and beautiful unspoilt countryside.
A Maine moose and lobster
Mr P rolls his eyes when I go off in search of christmas decorations in the height of summer wearing shorts and flip-flops, but needs must… Maine, apart from being one of the most naturally stunning parts of the world I’ve visited, is famous for 2 things – lobster and moose. So off course festive ones are easy to come by. We didn’t see any moose on our trip but we did eat 4 or 5 lobsters each and they were tasty!
As long as our travels continue, the box of decorations is going to continue to grow! I love how I can look at our tree each year and remember some fabulous holidays or day trips associated with what dangles from the branches. I do hope my little tree has a growth spurt soon though as if I have too many more trips then I am going to need a few more branches!
This is written as part of a fantastic Christmas travel linkup with Kelly, Rebecca, Emma and the twinkling guest host Ayla at Mrs Ayla’s Adventures.
This is so charming! I have a few Christmas decorations from my trips too!I’m going again to Vienna soon and I’ll explore the Christmas markets:)
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Enjoy the Kristkindlmarkt – they are gorgeous!
Love how much of a story there is behind your Christmas decoration! I don’t actually own any myself, but will make sure to keep this in mind when I start shopping for some!
Sandra | Cake + Whisky
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Thank you! Never a bad time to start collecting, it hits becomes problematic storing them each year as they multiply!
I love this! My family and I buy a Christmas decoration wherever we go, so our tree is a monument to all of our holidays! LOVE the nautical santas!!
Lauren xx | The Lifestyle Diaries
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Thanks Lauren – we so rarely buy souvenirs so this is my one weakness and a good reminder! Xx
What a lovely tradition! I love the idea of your decorations reminding you of your travels 🙂
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Especially on a dreary and cold winters day!
I do the same thing! Collect ornaments wherever we go so our tree tells a nice travel story and hold so many memories. It makes me love decorating too!
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How big is your tree, that is the only issue – ongoing wanderlust will mean a bigger tree and eventually a bigger house!
I love how you collect different ornaments from different places. Very travelly!
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It is a fun bit about the trips away too – nothing like hunting for Christmas decorations in June!
It’s so lovely that your decorations all have such a great memory behind them.
Lots of love,
Angie
SilverSpoon London
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At some point though I am going to need to get a bigger tree, and more storage space! Ax
This is basically a blog form of how my family goes around the Christmas tree and recalls how we got each ornament, haha! Really lovely, hope you have a wonderful season.
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That sounds like a fun evening – this took me ages remembering, I might have to start the story telling tradition this year!
This was such a fun post to read! You certainly have been to several different places around the holidays. Vienna is the only one we have in common and certainly it is absolutely a joy to visit in December :))
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Thank Cynthia – all over, and plenty more places still to collect from 😉
We have a really similar tradition – but I ADORE your decorations!
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I expect you have a very big collection though – you have been to so many places! you can probably tell I spend a lot of time choosing them…!!
These are such great decorations and I love the stories behind them.
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Thanks Erin – look forward to collecting more on next years travels!
Awww all of those are brilliant! Love the Llama, so adorable. I bring a bauble back for my mum’s tree wherever we go, so it’s covered in trinkets from all over the world. Baubles are a great keepsake I think 🙂
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That is such a good idea as a present – I always brought my gran back a fridge magnet in a similar way!
Love all the cute decorations from your travels and such lovely memories when you put the tree up every year 🙂
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Its great fun – I just hope none never break, the glass one probably won’t last for long! Thankfully we don’t have pets!
Love this post – it’s so heartwarming 🙂 The ceramic angel from Cornwall is my favourite xxx
crossinglemons.com
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Thank you! I will probably dig out the angle this week and pop it in the lounge as a pre-cursor to properly decorating in a weeks time!
What an amazing idea to collect Christmas decorations from around the world! Must be wonderful to celebrate with little pieces of memories 🙂 The Maine moose is my absolute favourite!
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It will be the first Christmas for the moose, I will make sure he is prominent
This is such a great idea! A wonderful reminder of all your lovely trips
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Thank you – I love it, storage is beginning to be an issue though!
I love how you buy all your decorations while abroad; I do the same thing as well and G often rolls his eyes at me when I pop out to go shopping…his question normally is; Christmas decorations or shoes? Cheeky sod! I love that little white christmas tree from your first christmas, such a little keeper and a great memory xx
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Shoes or decorations or both he should ask!!… The white company one is going up today – a small nod to early December!
Love the story of your decorations – they’re all so varied! Wonderful how these pieces evoke so many memories of when and where you bought them, as well as setting the Christmassy mood!
Sophie 🙂
October’s Girl Blog
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Definitely in the Christmassy mood, they will making their way into being on Saturday when the tree comes in!!