It’s that Time of Year…

63 Replies

….but first let me say a HUGE, ENORMOUS THANK YOU to everyone who responded to my Loopy Letters project!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I am looking forward to getting stuck into the letter writing in the New Year – I have now worked out that all the letters WILL form a loose narrative, and I have begun writing them on my laptop before I write them out in calligraphy. I am excited to get started properly.

Meanwhile, I have been doing some of this sort of thing….

white-calligraphy-on-red-envelope-labels-uk

Festive envelopes!!

Mistress MJ has just this minute reminded me of Blue Peter and the annual Christmas Advent Crown – it’s amazing what can be achieved with four candles, two wire coat hangers, a bundle of tinsel, and a handful of golden balls. My mum would never allow me to make one as she perceived it to be a fire hazard. I still remember the excitement I felt when John Noakes lit the first candle, which meant the countdown to Christmas had truly begun. I promised myself that when I was old enough to be trusted with a lit candle then I would make myself one…. unfortunately I am still not old enough, so we will have to make do with this…

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

RIP John Noakes 1934 – 2017

63 thoughts on “It’s that Time of Year…”

    1. Scarlet Post author

      I agree, Mr Lax, four candles dangling from the ceiling with a couple of coat hangers sounds dangerous… especially if Mr Beastie comes round and performs his party trick on the chandelier…. he’d likely end up with a scorched banana.
      Sx

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  2. Mitzi

    Happy Christmas Scarlet! This post has conjured up a memory I had long forgotten, I was alone at my Gran’s house playing around with a table lighter, adjusting the flame to it’s fullest length when all of a sudden whoosh I had set alight her pampas grass, it rained down black ash all over the place. I legged it before she got in.

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    1. Scarlet Post author

      Happy Christmas, Mitzi!! I also had an inflammable incident. I was playing with a candle… in a restaurant and set a paper napkin alight… and yes the black ash floated around… the only difference is that I was in my late forties…. as I said, I’m still not old enough to be left alone with candles!
      Sx

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  3. batarde

    Yuletide felicitations! I had completely forgotten about the Blue Peter advent fire hazard. John Noakes looks so young, doesn’t he? I feel a right old codger now … thanks a million. Lovely envelopes, mind you. 🙂

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  4. Scarlet Post author

    Merry Crispitations, Mr Batarde!! Yep, all this nostalgia is bittersweet. During my research into the Advent Crown I read that Blue Peter have abandoned the wax candles in favour of the electric kind… that’s just not the same is it? Where is the fun in that? There is a primitive joy in setting light to things and a battery operated candle does not have the same flare. Elf and safety gone mad if you ask me.
    Sx

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  5. dinahmow

    Anything with batteries is a pale initation of what nature intended.

    I was “officially” an adult when I watched Blue Peter and Magpies, but you know how much notice I take of such labels! And I admit to having quite a crush on the chap from the science programme.He did a series of ads, exhorting people to save energy by switching off lights andI used say I was saving my energy for William…

    BTW, did you know that dear old John Noakes was cremated and his ashes were made into a skyrocket and shot over the playing field of his old Alma Mater? It’s true! How very Blue Peter.

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  6. Scarlet Post author

    Dinah, do you mean James Burke? He was the sexy scientist in the seventies…. I will Google in a minute. John Noakes WAS Blue Peter, wasn’t he, and he deserved a good send off… I think he would have approved of the skyrocket.
    Sx

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    1. dinahmow

      James Burke was the other presenter and he was palpitatingly lovely, too, but I had William Woollard in mind.Google his name or Tomorrow’s World. And, yes, Noakes was “it” Along with the dog.

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  7. 63mago

    (I hope it’s not too late to mention that I’d like to receive a letter too ?)

    Now the concerned adults crow “It’s dangerous, it’s dangerous” as if any young person would burnt he world down. How shall they learn what a flame is if they do not burn a finger tip and some thing they should carry around e.g. I have a story of burning lampions. every year the school kids went to the procession organised for St.Martin with these lovely paper lampions. of course mine burnt down and I stood there holding the burning desaster on my wooden stick. After the second time I took a replacement with me.
    Nowadays the poor kids have to endure so-called security lights, something with a battery & stuff : What a waste ! And it kills any joy one could have at such a procession in the dark wetness of a foggy November evening.
    In would have loved such a “Advent Crown”. But the wrought stuff with those massive four red candles was also nice. The needles would go “pop” when held into the flame.
    Poor modern kids.

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    1. Scarlet Post author

      Exactement, Mr Mags! A real flame has a scent and a crackle and a pop…. but I guess when electricity has crackle and pop it means it’s even more dangerous!
      Meanwhile, of course I have signed you up for a letter 🙂
      Sx

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    2. dinahmow

      How on earth do these modern wusses think we evolved this far? I rode bikes and horses without a helmet and learned at an early age to respect fire.Living in a town of wooden houses, we all did.

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  8. john mcadam

    Did you know, Le Pétomane was the stage name of the French performing flatulist and entertainer Joseph Pujol. Part of Le Pétomane’s Moulin Rouge stage act was to blow out candles; imagine that as a Christmas tradition.

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    1. Scarlet Post author

      Ms Mistress – The Blue Peter Christmas Advent Crown was the height of sophistication amongst 11yr olds back in the seventies. I still want one, but I have house insurance to consider.
      SX

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  13. lisleman

    Yes those open flames can lead to big problems. While we don’t have a fireplace (I don’t like them) I have seen the idea of burning candles in the fireplace. How about the crazy Swedes with the candles on the heads of lovely young women? Crazy?
    Happy Christmas

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    1. Scarlet Post author

      Hello Bilious, Sometimes I’m not even allowed to comment here – WordPress is so uptight. Have you been here before asking after Dr Maroon? I seem to get an enquiry about him every once in a while. Personally I think he must be dead… or in prison…. or encamped in a yurt in Wales hiding from all of his offspring. I think the only people who might know the truth would be Mrs Pouncer, Kim Ayres, or Daphne Wayne-Bough; they can all be found on Facebook. Good luck with your search, and if you do ever find out what happened to him, please let me know – I still miss him.
      Sx

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  17. eroswings

    What festive and dazzling creations you’ve made, Scarlet! Gorgeous! And if I may be so bold, much more charming (and safer) than setting fire to one’s head as a way to celebrate the Holidays.

    Thank you for your support and friendship and for sharing with us the beauty you find in your corner of the world. Thank you for sharing your masterpieces with us. Your work is extraordinary and exquisite.

    Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

    —–((*))—
    ——*o*—
    —-*o*o*
    —*o*o*o*o*
    o*o*-]o[-*o*o

    May the Holidays surround you with joy, love, and cheer. And may the New Year bring you good fortune, good health, and good times.

    Cheers and Best wishes to you and yours!

    .[*]
    [+][•]

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  18. Inexplicable DeVice

    I have vague recollections of making an advent crown in my very young yoof, but I think impatience may have thwarted my efforts as I don’t remember one ever hanging in the house. Still, watching the Blue Peter presenters light those candles was excitement enough back in Them Days.

    Your white-on-red calligraphy* envelopes certainly are very festive and beautifully done, may I add.

    * I originally wrote calligraphed, but the spell check thingy told me it’s not a real word. How can this be? What should it be? Calligraphied? (No. It doesn’t like that either). Perhaps I should rework the sentence so the grammar is correct? (No. I can’t be bothered!)

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    1. Scarlet Post author

      What does spellcheck know? Has spellcheck ever had a dubious snog beneath a bunch of mistletoe? No, it hasn’t and therefore knows nothing of the vagaries of human existence. Calligraphed is perfect and WordPress seems to like it.
      I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
      SXX

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  19. Eryl Shields

    I’d forgotten about the Advent Crown!
    Your Christmas envelopes are beyond desirable, and I’m so glad you’re excited about your Loopy Letters project, can’t wait to see how it goes.
    I’m sitting in a tiny flat in Anglesey watching a kite-surfer dancing about on the Irish Sea (at least I assume it’s the Irish Sea), he looks like a tiny Milk Tray man being controlled by a sliver of tangerine skin which, of course, reminded me to come a say:
    Very Merry Christmas and a fragrant New Year to you! X

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    1. Scarlet Post author

      Merry Christmas, Eryl and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! I have run out of chocolate – which is a crime…. I will have to get the Milk Tray man on the case…
      SXX

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  22. nick

    My childhood Christmas trees were always dense with candles, all very wobbly and permanently about to fall off and set fire to the carpet. As far as I recall, they never did fall off though. They miraculously stayed put and the only damage to the carpet was crushed mince pies.

    Hope you’re having a wonderful Christmas!

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    1. Scarlet Post author

      So Sorry, Nick, I missed your comment… but I am here now! I always wanted candles on the Christmas tree – it looks so charming, but I’m guessing the twinkling fairy lights are safer, especially with pets arounds…. pets that don’t allow mince pies to get crushed into the carpet!
      HAPPY NEW YEAR, NICK!!!
      SXXX

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  24. Z

    I didn’t go to the local church’s Christingle service this year but I played the organ for it last year – happy to say that every child still was allowed to hold a lit candle. Candles are also lit and held by everyone going to the Carol Service on Christmas Eve. I do hope there’s never an accident as that would put paid to it. They do do a risk assessment – but so far, it’s always been decided that the risk is worth it.

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    1. Scarlet Post author

      This is good to hear, Z. I’m sure everything will be fine so long as the children don’t try to make candle crowns for their heads.
      Merry Christmas, and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
      Sxx

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  26. eroswings

    To Scarlet and loved ones,
    Happy New Year!!!
    —–_[_]_
    —–(•!•)
    –\/=====\/
    —{(__*__)}
    –{((__*__))}
    -{((_______))}
    .o.•.o.•.o.•.o.•.o.•.
    May the New Year keep y’all healthy, hearty, and full of good spirits. May y’all be surrounded by good fortune, good people, and good times. Be safe. Be warm. Be happy. Best wishes, peace, and cheers to y’all!

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