Friday 25 December 2009

The Twelve Doors of Christmas

Today is Twelfth Night "The evening of the fifth of January, preceding Twelfth Day, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking". Tomorrow, I for one will be busy packing away the glass baubles in to their tissue paper clothes, for the next twelve months..along with the multitude of reindeer and forest of trees..I am sure a certain amount of procreation went on whilst my back was turned. There seem to be far more reindeer on the mantelpiece than I remember...

I could well be considered a bit humbuggy, as I itch to start dismantling the festive fripperies as soon as Boxing Day is upon us.. and have been known to fill the recycling bin with Christmas cards on this day. I do love Christmas and we have spent the most relaxing and stress free Christmas that I can remember for many a year ..BUT.. I long to turn the page to a new year, a new beginning .. a chance to put things right that went awry, askew.. just didn't happen ... during the last 365 days.
Whilst the people of Bath were tucking in to turkey and wearing silly hats, we were walking around our local neighbourhood, enjoying the unusual peace on the streets and the crisp bright day. Bathonians love to deck their front doors with a fine display of wreaths and I couldn't resist snapping just twelve of my favourites .. Each one representing the twelve days of Christmas....Which is your favourite?



New Year's Day was spent striding out along the Cotswold Way.. changing the rather stale scenery of television and the inside of my eyelids (lots of siestas) .. to the beauty of our local landscape. The "ground hard as iron, water like a stone."
The mercury has dropped even further today and I kicked myself for not taking the camera with me on a quick jaunt in to town.. with the delicate confetti of snow and a hoar frost all around.. the skyline looked stunning. I snapped these on my return home, as soon as the freezing fog started to lift and the sun made a brief appearance.
I have made a sumptuous meal of sesame seeds, chopped apple, peanuts, mixed flower seeds and breadcrumbs. Not part of my new year diet plan ( what new year diet plan?) but a meal for all the shivering birds out there. How they must struggle to find food in these Siberian conditions. Hearing the forecast for tonight.. 10 inches of snow for the south..Time to dig out those tennis rackets again!
Thank you for all your lovely Christmas wishes and cards. I do hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and managed to safely complete your journeys, to families and loved ones.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous year ahead!




20 comments:

Anonymous said...

The doors are beautiful, it's difficult to choose but No 4 is quite magnificent. Have been catching up with all your posts, trying to get back on track with blogging. We had quite a lot of snow which was great but it meant that the villages either side were cut off. It was quite an adventure trying to get to the Christmas Spectacular at Snape and we missed Father Christmas arriving by Barge. Even though I love Christmas I have looked forward to getting back to normal and a new beginning. Cheers to the New Year.
Adele

Micki Wilde said...

Oh all those doors are stunning, I like the heart the best, so warm and welcoming.

We haven't had snow in my part of the Midlands yet but it is Very icy and I wasn't loving walking my daughter to school this morning!!!

Micki x

All things nice... said...

Your the same as me, decorations don't come down until the 6th January for Little Christmas. I wanted to take them down yesterday but was told it is bad luck to take them down before the 6th so they are there until 2moro. Oh I have heard that Bath is a beautiful place. Those doors are all so pretty, I like the 10th door with the full wreath :) Thanks for sharing.

All things nice...

Hen said...

Happy New Year Michele! Thanks for snapping those wreaths, aren't they lovely and such a varied selection, I couldn't narrow down to a favourite! It's very cold here but no snow, much to Harry's dismay!
Hen xxx

Kitsch and Curious said...

Happy New Year! It's snowing here in Bristol, as I write this - probably on its way to you soon!

I love the wreaths on the doors. It always warms my heart to see them. They're all lovely, but I think I'd probably choose number 8, with the white flowers(?), as it looks nicely simple and home-made.

Glad to hear you had a relaxing Christmas.

Marion said...

How to waste time!
I've gone through all the doors pics three times and each time have ended up back at number one. I like it that's it's quite different.
Good fun.
Happy 2010
Marion

Frances said...

Every one of those doors is a beauty, with its particular style of decoration. I choose the blue door with the mistletoe.

I also choose every one of your pictures of the frosty landscape, and of the warm and cosy home. Great contrast, each beautiful

Happy New Year! xo

Katie said...

What a glorious post...and what fabulous doors you've encountered! I can't decide between numbers 4 and 6. Number 4 is so sumptuous and number 6 is so elegantly simple. Happy Twelfth Night. Katie x

Chelle said...

This is a side of Bath I haven't seen. It is a very stark contrast to the lucious green of spring and summer. Its gorgeous.

If I had to pick a favorite wreath, it would be the heart one.

Be sure to nestle in all nice and warm for the new snow. :)

*hugs*

KC'sCourt! said...

What very different door wreaths, you don't realise how many different ones there are.

Ragged Roses said...

I love the Second door down but of course last door has to be my fav! Happy New One to you my dearest
Mx

silverpebble said...

Ooh a feast of lovely wreaths. The one with the mistletoe is my favourite and my best, as Lola would say.

I have been stripping the tree in the last few hours. I have been examining my decs closly. Sme of them are not just for Christmas. Don't tell anybody but I have left them up! Just a few in my window. A cranverry heart, a silver bird, a pine cone or two. It all looked so gloomy without them. I'm determined to be cheerful in January.

Happy happy New Year to you Michele
xxx

Andi's English Attic said...

Number four and the red heart get my votes. However...
I like the hint of naughtiness of the mistletoe one! xx

sarah-jane down the lane said...

The simple berry wreath gets my vote. All those berries, love love love and good for the birdies too!

By now you are probably deep and crisp and even in the snow department? I think it will miss us this time around, we shall see!

I love Bath so much, is mad Eli still displaying his eclectic toy collection in the basement of a house in Charlotte Street? ( Sorry random question!)

Glad your Christmas was lovely ;D

Sarah x

Unknown said...

Number 4 is beautiful, it looks so rich and welcoming, but also number 10 is just as gorgeous. Would have a job to choose which I prefer. Hope you have a happy and prosperous new year.
Rosie x

Josie-Mary said...

The red berry one is my favourite. Love the photo's of Bath, really wintery. :)

Country Cottage Chic said...

The doors are just as lovely as the wreaths. You were energetic on Christmas day!

The house does seem a bit bare & empty without the Christmas decorations up doesn't it?

It looks like a winter wonderland outside today!

Jayne
xx

Vintage to Victorian said...

Hi Michelle

I think it's No 10 for me. Love the snowy trees of Bath photo - must look through my photo archives to see if I have any!

Seems ages since our jolly - certainly much longer than 7 days!

Sue xx

Greentwinsmummy said...

oOOOoo the second door!
Happy New Year to you,even if its a tad on the chilly side :o)
GTM x x

Junknista said...

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