Christmas blessings

I'm terribly fickle. After having bought a whole bucket load of deep red, matt baubles this year, I think I'm going to go for a restrained white, green and silver theme next Christmas. So the red baubles might stay packed away next year, but they'll come out another Christmas.

I think visiting all the ethereal, white white white Swedish blogs have inspired the more restrained palette. These lovely pictures helped inspire me too....

All images from Better Homes and Gardens

An understated doorway sets the scene....


Mercury glass baubles....

A twinkly tree, all aglow in white and silver...

...white cashmere stockings, lots of mercury glass candlesticks and baubles, and a dash of tasteful greenery....how beautiful.....

A black sideboard set with silver, glass and white crockery....fabulous.....

A room with just the subtlest touch of Christmas greenery.....

A simple pinecone in some snow-like substance with candles all aglow....

But now I have to be honest with you, people ....I'm a bit of a Christmas Grinch. The over-commercialisation of Christmas gets to me, the crowded shopping malls drive me barmy, and the fact that I only get to see my son for part of the day makes me feel sad and lonely. I also only get two Christmas presents - a $20 family Kris Kringle, and a $10 work Kris Kringle (which I usually end up donating to charity...naughty me). And this year is my first Christmas without my father who I loved so much.

But you know what? If that is the worst I have to contend with, I'm doing pretty well. There are so many people out there who have so much less than me and would tell me to stop being so ungrateful. So this Christmas I'm counting my blessings......

I'll be spending time with my son who I adore.

I have a well enough paid job that enables me to lavish my little fella with lots of fantastic presents which I know he is going to love.

I'll be with my lovely mum and my family.

We will have a bountiful table and we'll be eating yummy white chocolate cheesecake for desert (made by moi). I'm a white chocolate fanatic!

I'll be able to have a sleep-in on Boxing Day because my son will be tuckered out and sleep late.

I earn enough money to buy my own fabulous Christmas present!

I hope you, my lovely blogger friends, who brighten my day, every day, have lots of blessings to count too.

Merry Christmas to you all.

Catherine xx