Two Festive Outfits and Ten Fun, Festive Facts…

Festive outfits 2017

Whilst it’s been a very trying and rather stressful time for me and my family, I want to keep positive,  get into a little bit of Christmas spirit and make this a fun post. Are you all set for Christmas? I can almost hear the collective shouts of “no!” from here. Me neither! Well… I’m mostly there…. Just a few food-related items to buy now including collecting the turkey from our wonderful local butcher. It’ll be a fairly quiet affair at chez Dream.Cut.Sew, but still full of the usual festive goodies. Most of our pressie buying was done online fairly early on as I didn’t get much time for bricks and mortar shopping and anyway, I think it’s so easy to shop around and find great bargains online. I did get out to a couple of local garden centres lately and I love them at this time of year. Always guaranteed to get the festive mood going. They have fab displays of trees and decorations and sell lovely unusual food-related gifts too. I love to spend a morning browsing and stopping for a hot drink and a mince pie.

Moving off the subject of food though (difficult at Christmas I know)… I thought that I’d share with you, a couple of festive outfits that I’ll wear over Christmas. The first one is my red velvet dress styled for daytime, you may have seen it on the blog last week styled for the evening (here) and the second Christmassy outfit includes one of my plaid skirts…the other is here. I adore wearing plaid/tartan in the Winter.

To wear my red dress for daytime I’ve added warm tights, knee-high boots and a cosy scarf. When I go visiting I’ll top it off with my memade cognac coloured padded coat.

Festive outfits 2017

The fabric for my plaid skirt was bought on a trip to London about 3 years ago and it was from one of the wonderful Goldhawk Road fabric shops. I love the red, black ivory grey colourway. The chunky sweater is one that my mum knitted for me on her machine and I trimmed it myself with narrow knitted tubes for a mock cabled effect. The pure wool yarn is by Rowan Yarns and is very cosy and warm to wear. Thick tights, black boots and a cream RTW parker will finish it all off.

Festive outfits 2017

Festive outfits 2017

Now, you’ve seen my festive outfits, so now I thought it might be fun if I rounded off this post by sharing a few fun and little known, festive facts about me….so here goes…

  •  My top two favourite Christmas pop songs are Last Christmas by Wham and Driving Home for Christmas by Chris  Rea
  • My two favourite festive films are Polar Express and Scrooge (the one with Alistair Sim) 
  • I still believe in Santa 😉
  • My favourite hymn is Silent Night
  • When I was a kid I loved to watch the Top of The Pops Christmas Special every year on Christmas Day.
  • My favourite comedy film is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
  • I like sprouts! No…really….I do!
  • A recipe for stuffing that I serve with the turkey each year was passed to my mum from her dad and is one that I make every year with my mum. It’s a Thyme and Parsley stuffing and has no sausage meat in it. The smell is divine when it’s being cooked. So Christmassy 🙂
  • My favourite cartoon is Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman, I love the Aled Jones soundtrack too.
  • My hubby and I love traditional Christmas pudding(plum pudding) so much so, that each year we buy loads of them and carry on eating them regularly after Christmas until they run out. Oh, and no brandy sauce with it for me…it HAS to be good old British ‘Birds Custard’ (and thick too!)

How about you join me and tell me a couple of fun Christmas facts about yourself in the comments? I’d love to hear them!

Well, It just remains for me to wish you a wonderful Christmas (only 5 more sleeps!) and a peaceful New Year. I’ll be back just around New year with a little bit of a blog roundup and a look forward to 2018. See you then…

Merry Christmas!

Ps…guess how many times the word Christmas or Christmassy appeared in this post (including this sentence)?

Follow:

Enter your email to receive updates of new posts:

24 Comments

  1. Vicki
    December 20, 2017 / 8:36 pm

    Merry Christmas! We have the tradition of watching “The Griswolds” every year on Christmas night. Laugh everytime.
    In Melbourne outdoor carols by candlelight is telecast on TV on Christmas Eve. It has been a tradition to watch them, wrap presents and have some sparkling wine with a platter of cheese, dips and the like.
    Here it is hot, hot, hot at Christmas and I usually have a new dress to wear to our work breakup and family gatherings. Unfortunately this year I have not got my mojo happening and now am kicking myself for not getting around to it!! Oh well, there is always next year.

    • diane
      Author
      December 20, 2017 / 9:20 pm

      Merry Christmas Vicki! And high five fellow Griswold fan 🙂 Your traditions sound lovely around Melbourne and the carol service sounds very festive indeed. It’s a shame about your dress, but I’m sure you’ll have something lovely hanging in your wardrobe to wear instead… Enjoy your wine and nibbles on Christmas Eve and have a great day xxx

  2. December 20, 2017 / 9:53 pm

    I love Last Christmas too! And Do They Know It’s Christmas by Band Aid. There will always be a (large) place in my heart for 80’s music. Every Christmas morning we have waffles with strawberries and whipped cream for breakfast because that’s what we always had when I was a child. My parents replaced that tradition after I moved away but I’ve kept it going in my home.

    • diane
      Author
      December 20, 2017 / 10:27 pm

      Ohh, I love 80’s music too Karen. The original Band Aid Christmas song was fab. I’m not half as keen on the updated covercversions that have been done over the last few years. By the way your Christmas Day breakfast sounds delicious!

  3. December 20, 2017 / 11:04 pm

    Lovely post and I enjoyed your fun facts. It’s hot here and I can’t face a traditional Christmas lunch. Every Christmas Eve since they were born I have read my son’s “The Night Before Christmas” from a first edition book I bought when I was expecting the first son. If we or they are away, I send videos! This year I shall be in Singapore with eldest son and will read book via FaceTime to son in New York. Our only other tradition is an early morning ocean swim on Christmas morning if we are at home. Merry Christmas Diane!

    • diane
      Author
      December 21, 2017 / 8:17 am

      Oh, what lovely traditions Sue, especially the story reading. As for the early morning ocean swim…sign me up for that!

  4. December 21, 2017 / 2:35 am

    What a nice festive idea! And I love your velvet dress paired with those great boots. Perfect for visiting. The Griswolds are pretty amazing, but my other fave Christmas films are Elf and Bernard & the Genie, which I came across totally by accident. I live far from family, so there are lots of phone calls on the 25th, but we do spend Christmas Eve with good friends, take out Chinese food and lots of laughs. Then a few quiet days before the madness of daily life kicks in again! Merry Christmas, enjoy your time with your family!

    • diane
      Author
      December 21, 2017 / 8:19 am

      Thanks, Chloe. Ooh, I haven’t heard of Bernard and The Genie…will have to look that one up. I love the sound of Chinese food on Christmas Eve too!

  5. December 21, 2017 / 2:51 am

    You have wonderful Christmas memories and I love that velvet dress and it’s versatility. Nice skirt, I could use another one in my closet.

    • diane
      Author
      December 21, 2017 / 4:11 pm

      Thank you, Faye. It’s fun to reminisce, isn’t it? And a plaid skirt is a useful addition for sure. Wishing you a Merry Christmas x

  6. Helen
    December 21, 2017 / 7:54 am

    You look lovely in both outfits! And I enjoyed your fun facts. I remember the Christmas pudding one from when I first was getting to know you! I have a Christmas pudding-related festive fact too: the first time I ever tried it was when I was 18! We’d always had chocolate cake at Christmas, and it wasn’t until I was at university that I even saw a traditional Christmas pudding. I hated it and have never eaten one since! My favourite classic Christmas film is the Albert Finney Scrooge, but a few years ago I discovered Arthur Christmas and I love snuggling in to watch that with my kids. As for songs, it’s a carol for me: Once in Royal David’s City brings a lump to my throat every time. Have a super Christmas my lovely friend!!

    • diane
      Author
      December 21, 2017 / 4:16 pm

      Haha, so funny about the pudding Helen. But then what’s not to love about Chocolate cake? I never met a chocolate cake I didn’t like 🙂 Oh, I love Arthur Christmas too! And Once in Royal David’s City always reminds me fondly of my nan. You have a super Christmas too xxx

      • Helen
        December 22, 2017 / 3:04 pm

        Hahahahaha, love that comment about the chocolate cake!! Have a fabulous Christmas xxx

        • diane
          Author
          December 22, 2017 / 4:36 pm

          Hehe, you too! xxx

  7. Anne
    December 21, 2017 / 8:35 am

    I love your outfits, i live in northern NSW and it will be a hot Christmas 34 Celsius is predicted so shorts and thongs (flipflops) will probably be worn by everyone. I love Wham Last Christmas too and Michael Buble’s Felice Navidad, traditional We Three Kings of Orient Are, and my favourite films are National Lampoons Christmas Vacation and The Life of Brian ( love funny, sick humour) Bad Santa isn’t too bad either. Merry Christmas

    • diane
      Author
      December 21, 2017 / 11:50 am

      Thanks for the outfit Love Anne. Ooh, I love Feliz Navidad too! And We Three Kings. Have a lovely time!

  8. December 21, 2017 / 3:36 pm

    A red velvet dress for Christmas – that’s perfection.
    An additional tartan skirt is the icing on the cake, the berries on the holly, the mince in mince pies!

    • diane
      Author
      December 21, 2017 / 4:18 pm

      Ooh, thank you, Ruth! And now I blame you for wanting to eat cake and mince pies. hehe!

  9. December 22, 2017 / 12:36 am

    Merry Christmas Diane! I love this post – makes me feel all warm and cozy and ready for Christmas! 🙂 I have to confess that I also love National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. We watch it every year… maybe too many times. Lol! I also love It’s a Wonderful Life. Makes me all teary-eyed and grateful for a new year. Otherwise, my husband and I are still building traditions but one big one for us is we love to travel and we make it a point to pick up an ornament everywhere we go. When we setup our tree it’s like a trip down memory lane as we decorate the tree with all our travels and happy times. Have a wonderful holiday Diane! Looking forward to your 2018 makes! 🙂

    • diane
      Author
      December 22, 2017 / 9:53 am

      Ohh, Kelly, thanks for your lovely comment. I’m glad you feel all warm and fuzzy after reading my post. merry Christmas to you too and likewise your lovely makes too xx

  10. December 22, 2017 / 9:29 am

    I love your lovely winter toned clothes – I do miss all things English, even though I have lived in Australia since age 10! I hope your father is rehabilitating well. As for Xmas with me – John and I have very little time together all year, and Christmas day is one of the only days we get without worrying about patients – he will see them Xmas Eve. Fingers crossed no-one gets sick and he has to go in! We just chat and relax and cook some turkey, chat and relax more. We enjoy that time together.

    • diane
      Author
      December 22, 2017 / 9:57 am

      Thank you so much, Sarah Liz. Dad has settled quite well but will never be as he was. Things are a little more manageable now though and we’ll have a nice little get together over the holiday if we can. I hope for a quieter time for you and your hubby. You both must work incredibly hard. Let’s hope no one gets called into work. Make the most of your relaxing time. xx

  11. Karie
    January 15, 2018 / 1:17 am

    #s 3, 4, and 6 YES! And I like sprouts too! My favorite Christmas movie is an oldie called “Christmas in Connecticut” and I love, love, love to watch all the Hallmark Christmas movies. And even though I’m a foodie and my favorite chef is the very British Jamie Oliver, I have absolutely no idea what plum pudding is! Is it something like Yorkshire Pudding? And Birds Custard? Huh?

    Hopefully you and yours had a happy and healthy Christmas. And I hope your father’s health improves in 2018.

    • diane
      Author
      January 15, 2018 / 9:16 am

      Hah! Fun Karie. Plum pudding/Christmas pudding is like a very rich cognac or brandy infused fruit cake, but in a pudding form, that you steam. Very delicious

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Never Miss A Post!

Enter your email to receive updates of new posts: