Each of us probably has favorite books that only come our of hiding at Chritsmas and I have many. I have Christmas time reading rituals...always read certain books...and greet them as old friends we have forgotten but are delighted upon encountering them again. A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas is one of these.
The book was written & published in 1954 and has been produced in many versions since then. This is illustrated with watercolors by Edward Ardizzone. It has been produced in film form several times. Sometime in the 1960s I remember seeing a TV version read by Richard Burton who's Welsh musicality was perfect for it.
The story is a narrative by a boy during the Christmas season...totally from his point of view, and is a comic and lyric tour de force!
"And then the Presents, after the Christmas box. And the cold postman, with a rose on his button nose, tingled down the tea-tray-slithered run of the chilly glinting hill. He went in his ice-bound boots like a man on fishmonger's slabs. He wagged his bag like a frozen camel's hump, dizzily turned the corner on one foot, and, by God, he was gone."
"Get back to presents."
"There were the Useful Presents: engulfing mufflers of the old coach days, and mittens made for giant sloths; zebra scarfs of a substance like silky gum that could be tug-o'-warred down to the galoshes; blinding tam-o'-shanters like patchwork tea cosies and bunny-suited busbies and balaclavas for victims of head-shrinking tribes; from aunts who always wore wool next to the skin there were moustached and rasping vests that made you wonder why the aunts had any skin left at all; and one I hade a little crocheted nose bag from an aunt now, alas, no longer whinnying with us. A pictureless books in which small boys, though warned with quotations not to WOULD skate on Farmer Giles' pond and did and drowned; and books that told me everything about the wasp except why."
I love British Royal Memorabilia....as does everyone at the moment with the wedding date of April 2011 announced for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
But this is a rare and unusual commemorative mug made in 1902 for the proclamation of peace at the end of the Boer War in South Africa. The front features King George V and Queen Alexandra. The back is a great graphic that is a lecture in itself....Britannia with the lion and the soldiers, flags etc. I just love it!
Here is the back:
With Thanksgiving, the holiday, behind us (hopefully NEVER the sentiment left behind) it's full speed ahead for the holidays! We are enjoying plays, cantatas, craft fairs and unusually cold weather...it's so seasonal!! I bet there are lots of things in your community to do. It's my favorite time of year!
I belong to a group online at Yahoo called Afternoon Tea Across America (or ATAA) and we have such fun discussing visits to tea rooms, recipes etc. If you are interested, visit: Afternoon Tea Across America
We are having a FREE shipping at Time Was Antiques and Antiques And Teacups for the holidays with special shipping upgrades for our non US customers. Come visit!
Time Was Antiques just added this great pair of British Royal memorabilia plaques or wall plates from our archives. The plaques or plates feature photos under glass of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 1953 for the coronation. The thing that is cool about this (besides their being so young) is the punched chrome border with the cutouts being crowns. I am a sucker for unusual things like that. I think they are so cool!!! She was a lovely lady and he was quite handsome. Ah youth. Now in their 80s things have changed. Although the pair has been sold, I did find the Prince Philip one...
for more info about the plaque at Time Was Antiques you can go to:
click on the photo.
A fun link is the Royal Channel on youtube...who knew??? Its been going for a bout 2 years ago. I mentioned it in my newsletter about then anyway. Lots of fun info and videos.
The Royal Channel
Weather this last few days is typically pacific northwest. Rain, then some rain & then a bit of rain. We in Sequim (called the Blue Hole from the view pilots got as they flew by) is better than most of the area. But we love it anyway.
Time Was Antiques will be adding lots of fun stuff as we go through the holidays and we are featuring a 15% or FREE shipping in the USA for orders over $50.00 through the end of November. You can check it out at Time Was Antiques.
Have a great weekend...lots of good seasonal cheer and Christmas arts & crafts shows to visit. Have fun!
