Sunday 21 November 2010

Sian's Christmas Club

I've held off for as long as I can, but with only four Sundays left before Christmas I'm getting excited. How about you? Getting ready for Christmas is one of my favourite things to do. Any members of my family reading this are now smiling because they can tell what's coming next. They just know that I'm going to tell you about Christmas Club.

Sian's Christmas Club ran for four weeks every year. Oh, I was a busy little organiser when I was eight. I gathered the family together on Sunday afternoons and beguiled them into enjoying the programme I had prepared. We began with the raucous singing of a festive favourite (my choice), followed by a recitation of a seasonal verse (by me) and we finished with a craft project (something I wanted to make). My Mum, who is still the biggest Christmas lover in the family, connived with me in the whole enterprise by bribing my little brother and sister with mince pies and hot ginger cordial. It was fun while it lasted.

But, wait. I'm thinking..why not bring it back? You don't have to sing, you don't have to eat mince pies(because I haven't made any yet) and you definitely don't have to make anything if you don't want to. I simply thought I'd share a seasonal story or two every Sunday until the Big Day itself. If you'd like to join in and do a Christmas Club post of your own, I'd love to come and visit.

For today I'd like to show you a photo of one of my favourite ever presents:


That's me in the pink and blue, learning early that cerise isn't really my colour. We are playing with The Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe. There is her shoe and all her children. All made one by one by my Mum. Funny thing is, I think I actually got this present early, because she was so pleased with the way it had turned out she couldn't wait to give it to me. I really, really loved it. The Shoe has gone now, crumbled away to dust. But I still have all the little dolls. Each one is different: tall, small, boy, girl, play clothes, party clothes. I got them out this morning and took a couple of new pictures. They are looking pretty good for forty year olds, do you think? Getting up on their feet is a bit harder than it used to be. But then a lot of us can say that.






So, that's Christmas Club for today. If you have a story about a memorable festive moment, you could Christmas Club it too. The more the merrier!

32 comments:

laurie said...

so cute! what a wonderful present. i loved imaginative play when i was a kid and would have been thrilled to get my hands on that shoe and all those fun dolls!

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Fabulous idea. I'm in...starting next Sunday! :o) We're having my in-laws over today for an early Thanksgiving dinner.

Sian, that doll set made by your mother is priceless. I love the little dolls and all the details, but what I love the most is that they are handmade by her. What a lot of work! And I can only imagine how excited she was to give it to you. I'm the same way when I finish a gift for someone - can't wait for them to have it.

Lovely story, lovely Christmas Club challenge. xo

Anonymous said...

I always love your stories! What a great idea, and as soon as I get home, I know just what photo I want to scan for this challenge. I would have loved to have been in your Christmas Club. Getting ready for the Christmas holiday is one of my favorite times of year.

scrappyjacky said...

What a wnderful gift,Sian....your mum must be an amazing crafter to have made all those dolls....and to last all this time as well.
Love the Christmas Club story... will try and join in next week

Ann said...

What beautifully detailed hand-made dolls. And such precious memories they bring when you get them out at Christmas time.
I look forward to next week's tale ;)

Rachel Brett said...

They are beautiful Sian, what a lovely keepsake :)

Lizzie said...

Sian, what a wonderful mother you have! A fabulous present for you - no wonder she couldn't wait to see what you thought of it... Gorgeous and very clever. I remember having a set of those little white paper balls, with pipe cleaners and felt, so I could make people - it was fun, but they're all long-gone! I'm impressed that you still have yours, and in such good condition. Perhaps you could create another "Shoe" - an old walking boot in that beigey suede, from a Charity shop, perhaps? It wouldn't be wrong to cut a door and window in an old boot...
A Great Story, Sian. I think "Sian's Christmas Club" will be a big success...maybe I can come up with a contribution too.
X

Kirsty.A said...

Oh go on - make a new shoe for them to live in again!

Miriam said...

Oh Sian this is just fabulous, what a treasure you have there. If I can get into our loft tonight I will find a little treasure of mine & take some photos for a story for your club. Thank you Sian. :)

JO SOWERBY said...

wow sian i love the idea of christmas club and i think i might join in. those dolls have stood the test of time and so amazingly crafted, i can see where u get your talents from and u obviously cared for them so well. only today i was looking at some dolls i got as a child from my grandparents, i might have to do a post about it. i have been making a start on my jyc book, think blue peter and recycling.
Jo xxx

Clair said...

I'm sorry, what? Over forty? There's no way that you can own toys that are over forty! Or is your profile picture of you a decade ago? :)

And, oh, how sweet was it of your mum to handmake all that? x

debs14 said...

So now we know where you get your crafty genes from! What an amazing project, and what a talented, patient lady.
I would love to take part in your Sundays, but may take a bit of organising and scheduled posting. I'm in Germany on the 5th, it's the husband's birthday on the 12th, My nephew's wife's 40th birthday celebrations on the 19th and then oh my goodness, it will be Boxing Day!

Sian said...

Deb - please, no pressure! Honestly, if you have a story you would like to share, Christmas Club can be in session any day of the week :)

Clair - Thank you! The dolls are forty years old for sure, so I'll leave the rest of the maths to your imagination hehe, but I will say that my profile pic is about 6 months old

Carmen said...

Oh wow what an amazing gift , no wonder she couldn't wait.

Wat a lovely idea Sian, I'll play!

Ruth said...

How wonderful that you still have that amazing gift ~ you just know that your mum would have put so much love in to each and every piece. Your crafty genes are obviously very much inherited!

Denise said...

Oh Sian, this is so lovely,I can really remmeber a couple of presents that I so loved but don't have the real things now ..hmmmmm maybe I could improvise - might be a post coming up ;-) x

Maria Ontiveros said...

I love this idea and will definitely join you next Sunday as well! My kids all loved things like your shoe. DD had a bear family and a house with little people made by some fabulous German company (both of which I've saved). She also had a set of 16 hard plastic dogs which came in a convenient carrying case and which could be toted about. We'd play "dog show" or "dog farm" or "dog family" for hours. Henry was more into the Brio trains and, when younger, the Fisher Price "Little People" house.
Thanks for bringing back those sweet memories.
Rinda

furrypig said...

What a fantstic festive post! I too love Christmas and drive my family mad and I am already watching Christmas films and talking Chrimbo everyday! I love your childhood toys your mum was amazing to make all of those! WOW!

Sandie said...

Sian, what a lovely post and wonderful Mum you have. That shoe and set of little people are truely amazing. I wonder if children today would appreciate and value a handmade gift such as this? I hope so. I'd love to think that the albums I make my granddaughters will be cherished.
I love Christmas too. Hope to join you in the Sunday fun!

Amy said...

I would be passing on a gift like that one earlier as well - what an absolute treasure!
I love the photo of you and your sister with your matching hair ribbons and rosy cheeks - such a sweet vision :-)

Cheri said...

Those dolls have held up extremely well for 40 years! And what a saint your mother was to handmake that entire set!

Love the rosy cheeks - you two look like little cherubs.

Jimjams said...

Fab - we can see where you have inherited some of your creativity from! Love the sound of ginger cordial too - yummy!

Alana said...

What fantastic memories Sian. I don't think I can start a birthday club at my home as the hubby is a bit 'Bah Humbug' (our christmas lights even say so)but I will join you in the memories. Apart from the pressents (all craft based) my favourate memory is getting up at the crack of dawn with my nan and being allowed to open one present until my parents got up.

emhowl said...

A lovely story and lovely photos. I still treasure the memory of my mother knitting me a Fair Isle cardigan after I went to bed each night. Alas it was passed on to my sister who hated it so it no longer exists.

Anonymous said...

What an adoreable post Sian. I can see where you get your passion for creating from. What a lovely present for your mum to make.

Sandra said...

To say I'm excited about christmas would be an understatement ... my Christmas cupboard is filling up nicely.

Now those dolls are very much loved, how talented of your mother, and what a lovely reminder of fun christmas's past.

Anonymous said...

What a fun idea! And you were adorable as well. What a cute toy - and I totally get the a bit harder to get up 40 years later. lol

Micayla said...

What a gorgeous idea...perfect for adding to the Dec Daily.
xx

alexa said...

Aren't they just lovely! I like the one with the cap/hat in the final photo on the right! What a talented and encouraging Mum (and daughter :)).

humel said...

What a lovely idea, what a lovely story, and what an amazingly lovely present! I very much like the sound of this and will try to fit it in if I can (without stressing if I can't!) xx

Beverly said...

I can see why this was your favorite gift. It's so nice that you have a good photo of it especially since the shoe is no longer. I love that your mother made all of this and was so excited about it that she gave it to you early!

Lou said...

I love this post - it reminds me of my mum at christmas time. She used to knit us a wardbrobe for our Cindy dolls, from riding outfits to ballgowns. You're lucky to still have yours xx

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