Saturday 12 November 2011

The festive preparations begin

Every year my Mum and I take a pre Christmas trip up to London for lunch and to look at the Christmas department in my favourite store, Harrods. We try to make our visits well before the Christmas shoppers arrive in earnest as it then gets far too busy to really enjoy. The crowds in London near Christmas are something to see. I love the atmosphere at that time of the year but would rather not actually be trying to shop at the same time!

This year we made the trip a few weeks ago and I really think it was one of the best displays for many years. Harrods surprisingly allow photography in their store, so I snapped a few pictures with my smart phone.





This is the entrance to the department and yes the chocolate shop is in the same direction...how handy is that!










And look what greeted us through the door
Isn't that a beautiful display? Even the carpet had snowflakes woven into it.
They tend to have their decorations and tree baubles in "themed" sections...









Cool Britannia................(not really my cup of tea but this really does appeal to the tourists).























Nutcrackers and their friends...





















A very cute display using an advent calendar theme, all the decorations were stored behind the windows.

















Some very intricate (and very expensive!) musical boxes.

















Lovely reds, golds and greens (my favourite Christmas colours)












and gorgeous silvers and whites. I loved this display, it was so wintery  and festive.

Usually my Mum treats me to a new bauble but this year I decided to have something slightly different.

These sweet little lights are battery powered and they will be going into my studio when I put some decorations out there. My daughter says it will be like Santa's grotto by the time I have finished with it ;0) I also bought some of  my tree chocolates.











And then when I was in Marks and Spencer I spotted a brilliant tin for my crafts..









Isn't he great! He contained mini gingerbread shortbread biscuits, which were yummy. Now that he is empty I have decided to use him for my Christmas ribbons. I am such a tin girl, I have quite a stash and I find them so useful for storage. I love finding something unusual and he is a super addition to my collection.

Christmas really is creeping up now, only 43 days to go. As you know I have been busy making cards for some time. I have also bought the crepe paper ready to think about making my crackers and I have started finding my cracker presents for the family.

Next Thursday I am meeting up with my dearest friend Karen. She is taking a half day off work. We are having lunch (with lots of chat of course) followed by an afternoon of Christmas shopping....yippee, my preparations will have started in earnest.

I need to be a little bit patient as before then I have my Open House tomorrow. I shall be spending today getting everything sorted out and displayed ready for my customers.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and that you too may be thinking about some Christmas plans ;0)

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments on my last post and if you need a countdown to The Wedding...it's 259 days to go!

Bye for now,

Jane x

15 comments:

  1. That tree and green carpet are beautiful Jane.
    Everytime I see Harrod's Christmas shop I'm reminded of my beautiful 'Christmas 1999' bauble that the security staff at Heathrow smashed!
    Hope your open house goes well which I'm sure it will!
    We're off shopping in Belfast today which is getting very Christmassy, I'm just not quite there yet!!
    Have a lovely weekend Jane,
    Vivienne x

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  2. That was such a shame Vivienne. It's another incredibly mild day here today. Enjoy your shopping in Belfast .
    Jane x

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  3. Jane, such a beautiful post. Harrod's really does a spectacular display. So happy they allow photo's now. I love the red, gold and green's also, but they are all delightful and so festive. Yes, I would probably want a British ornament, seeing I would be a tourist.
    Love the lights they will look so great for your open house and the Christmas season. Good luck setting up and have a pleasant weekend. xoRobin❤

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  4. The last time I got close enough to Harrods was years ago!! I went to Hamleys first, but I was pregant and passed out, the call went out 'is there a doctor in the house' and three came, they were there when I came round, to a very stern lecture!! My friend then took me to her parents flat (used for shopping trips and occasional theatre trips) in Knightsbridge...how posh!! Harrods looks fabby in your pics, one day I will get there! I have been to Hamleys several times since and never made it to Harrods! I am not Christmassy at all, but then the kids have big birthdays this year, my daughter is 16 on 22nd Dec, my father is 60 on 26th Dec and my son will be 18 on 31st Dec...Christmas is going to be a bit of a blur this year!!

    ps I used to collect tins too, I had a huge collection and am still very taken with certain tins, I have a lovely one as a cash tin for the bead fairs, it had biscuits in from Marks and Sparks one Christmas...I love it!

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  5. Harrod's is such a spectacular store Robin, when I next go I will take some photos of the food hall which is out of this world!
    Thanks for all your good wishes,
    Jane x

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  6. Gosh Laney that must have been quite a day! You have got lots of very special birthdays to look forward to.
    Enjoy ;0)Glad to hear you are another "tin" girl!
    Jane x

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  7. Yes Teresa there is nothing in the way for us Brits between now and Christmas...we have no kind of Thanksgiving here at all...our family get togethers are at Christmas time in the UK.
    You would love Harrods...and spend lots!
    Enjoy the weekend,
    Jane x

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  8. Hi Jane! Thank you for sharing that wonderful Christmas atmosphere in Harrods! Surely the best time of the year to visit there! I love tin boxes, too and they are also so practical to keep our small treasures!
    Good Luck and have a lovely time!
    xxx Teje

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  9. Thanks Teje, it's an hour before my Open House starts..I'm all set up and ready to welcome everyone.It's also a glorious sunny day too :0)
    Jane x

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  10. Thanks for letting us tag along through Harrod's with you this week! I'm as happy as the smiling gingerbread tin that you're going to decorate your studio- I just knew you'd do something festive! Have fun!
    P.S.
    Though we haven't yet celebrated Thanksgiving, I've been doing my share of "previewing" Christmas, too. (Shhh!) ;o)

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  11. Dear, dear Jane,

    That's one post I really have been waiting, thank you so much! Harrod's seems spectacular,all those decorations...chocolates..mmm... It really must be the holidays-starter for you to visit there with your mom! I love your new Christmas-things, and I am sure your Santa-grotto (I had to look that up from dictionary!) will be breath-taking :) I cannot wait to see that too. I am VERY behind with my festivities here, but I am doing my very best this week!

    See you soon again, dear friend!

    Yours,
    Mia

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  12. I love taking you on my visits Michele and Harrod's at Christmas is one not to miss! Now how on earth did you guess I would decorate my studio for Christmas ;-)
    Have a great week .
    Jane x

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  13. I knew this post would be a hit with you Mia my fellow Mrs Christmas ;-) I'm also Christmas shopping with Milly this coming weekend . We just don't have the right weather yet for Christmas it's far too mild. Have you got your snow yet?
    Jane x

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  14. Dear Jane,

    It's me again: no snow yet, but some "promised" this week. Not too keen for it yet as it's been quite pretty/sunny/dry lately.

    Wishing you a fantastic week and happy shopping with Milly!

    Yours,
    Mia

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  15. Hope it stays clear for just a little longer in Finland. Have a great week Mia,
    Jane x

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