tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post6787322383417056151..comments2024-03-28T16:46:42.693-04:00Comments on The Marmelade Gypsy: December Look Ahead -- Cards, Shopping and Wrapping (Part One)Jeaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17482528482559445943noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-72983204775052719782015-11-22T18:00:40.740-05:002015-11-22T18:00:40.740-05:00Ah, it is nice to see your devoted Dad slaving awa...Ah, it is nice to see your devoted Dad slaving away on the dolls house despite the fact that he might have preferred to be doing other things on Christmas eve! What our parents do for us... <br />What beautiful wrappings. I never manage to make my gifts look half as nice. Jenny Woolfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16881781466502273314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-47944750857294650762015-11-22T16:29:03.074-05:002015-11-22T16:29:03.074-05:00You:):):) I love the way you think!
This gave me ...You:):):) I love the way you think!<br />This gave me such a whoosh of joy:)<br />Thanks for the beautiful share.<br />I like thinking ahead and taking small bites, too.<br />It makes the days more celebrate-able!<br />Happy hours,<br />JenniferJennifer Richardsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04305032927925322733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-51550919954016498962015-11-22T14:40:06.940-05:002015-11-22T14:40:06.940-05:00A great post to get me thinking. One year my daugh...A great post to get me thinking. One year my daughter and I decided that reusable cloth gift bags were a good alternative to using all that paper. I bought several Christmas fabrics and made up a couple of dozen bags in various sizes. We trade them back and forth with whatever gifts fit in them. I think it's time to make a few more, in large sizes for giant Lego sets. Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17223278142557533175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-70171301109000095202015-11-22T11:08:27.994-05:002015-11-22T11:08:27.994-05:00Jeanie, I loved your cards and oh those photos...e...Jeanie, I loved your cards and oh those photos...especially the older ones. I love seeing family pics. Wishing you a glorious Thanksgiving. Blessings, xoxo,SusieSusiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06425051654313691986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-44305976659069304782015-11-21T15:01:08.433-05:002015-11-21T15:01:08.433-05:00I just loved reading this post, Jeanie, and sharin...I just loved reading this post, Jeanie, and sharing in your memories. The photos of good times past made me smile. I'm fervently hoping I don't have to set foot inside a mall before Christmas. I bought all my grandchildren's gifts on-line this year, and I'm pretty much finished with my shopping. My little trick is shipping them right to my kids' houses so I don't have to wrap them either. (Yes, I know - bad!) We'll be in Denver several days before Christmas, coming back to the mountains late Christmas Day after watching Grandchildren in two families open gifts. When we had the Denver house, we'd get up at 5 AM to be at one son's house before the kids got up. Now that we stay at the Four Seasons, we have a leisurely brunch before heading to the first son's house. We tell the families to open all but our gifts so they don't have to wait for us to arrive. Bob asked if I wanted some of my Christmas decorations brought out this year, and I said "yes" - I have a huge Santa collection from when our kids were little, and I love to see some of them make an appearance in our great room year after year. I'll put them out right after Thanksgiving so I have a chance to enjoy them before we leave for Denver. Have a great Thanksgiving, Jeanie!Barbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04984171407726520584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-10083740011508888752015-11-20T15:34:58.553-05:002015-11-20T15:34:58.553-05:00I love reading your blog. I learn a lot and enjoy ...I love reading your blog. I learn a lot and enjoy much. It's like reading a "feel-good" book :)<br /><br />I actually miss Christmas cards...that is both sending and receiving. I grew up with grandparents who had a tradition of sending cards to all family and friends, wrapping presents for everyone who's expected to be arou d on Christmas day. I participated in all these buying and mailing cards, gift wrapping. It's a fond memory now. psychelynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13481182811314917401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-84811201741749392882015-11-18T20:25:44.259-05:002015-11-18T20:25:44.259-05:00You're so far ahead of me with just thinking a...You're so far ahead of me with just thinking about shopping and wrapping. I used to be good about having it all done by Thanksgiving, but that went out the window several years ago. We've cut way back on presents for the extended family, but the ones we exchange with get one of my junky creations, lol. Betsy@My Salvaged Treasureshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18120247339822621125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-6529973937171433112015-11-18T19:01:43.013-05:002015-11-18T19:01:43.013-05:00Oh what lovely memories and photos! I love walkin...Oh what lovely memories and photos! I love walking down memory lane and I look forward to being reunited with all of my photo albums! I do so remember wrapping single items, I even laugh to think of it now! Trying to increase the unwrapping frenzy, what were we thinking of!<br />I too shop ahead, I pick this and that up during the year and stow it away. I also make lists of what I have purchased and for who-so I do not have to paw my way through the goods. I suppose another tip I do, is wrap ahead as well. I remember waiting to wrap, not by choice, but because of these 4 children! There were many Christmas Eve's that I was still wrapping at 2 a.m.!<br />xo<br />JemmaJemma@athomewithjemmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01137225389791605398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-66142158269970329222015-11-18T18:19:36.276-05:002015-11-18T18:19:36.276-05:00Oh Jeanie, such beautiful Christmas memories... L...Oh Jeanie, such beautiful Christmas memories... Love the family photos.<br />One year my dad bought my mom a ring.. He sat this huge box down next to her and she started to unwrap.. There were about a dozen boxes inside, smaller and smaller, until she got to the tiny box.. What fun that was to watch..<br />Thank you so much for visiting.. Wishing you a beautiful week.<br />blessings,<br />PennyAngelsdoor * Pennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14770992037653364805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-5564462618802707492015-11-18T14:38:16.196-05:002015-11-18T14:38:16.196-05:00Well, dear one, with such a large family (we are v...Well, dear one, with such a large family (we are very blessed), I Christmas shop all year long, starting with the Jan. Clearance sSales.<br />I already have most of my shopping done and in gift bags for this Christmas. I wrap very few gifts, using cute bags and tissue paper....<br />I have a few long time friends that I don't see often and I send them cards but not many.<br />I love to decorate for Christmas...the whole house takes on a different personality...everything warm and bright and so colorful...<br />oh, how I love it all...bj https://www.blogger.com/profile/09327534885194207074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-86161448901156367052015-11-18T13:30:20.244-05:002015-11-18T13:30:20.244-05:00what an enchanting post (and blog) you have! Stopp...what an enchanting post (and blog) you have! Stopping in via Beate's blog. I noted your kitties pic, looks so much like our lovely Mr. Cheddar, I had just had to click through. <br /><br />Have a wonderful holiday! G Geraldine https://www.blogger.com/profile/07410019941984295767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-54215156822745160152015-11-18T11:50:57.896-05:002015-11-18T11:50:57.896-05:00I had a very similar doll house many years ago. Yo...I had a very similar doll house many years ago. You have such a rich library of photos; you're very lucky. My mother told me years ago that we had very few family photos because we were all there and we would remember. I have few photos, but lots of happy memories.Joanne Huffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01759522152058279949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-64446891385585732552015-11-18T11:48:58.102-05:002015-11-18T11:48:58.102-05:00I have to start thinking about gifts now, because ...I have to start thinking about gifts now, because almost everything has to be mailed, since we don't live near any of our family. So, we sort everyone else first, and then worry about making sure we have something for each other.<br /><br />We had a cat who liked to unwrap things, plus one who liked to sleep on the gifts for some reason (it was Megan who slept on the gifts... She was a strange cat, with strange habits, and more fur than sense as a rule). We ended up buying a cloth Santa sack to put the stuff in while we had those cats, just so we didn't wake up to find most of the gifts unwrapped (accidentally by Megan while sleeping on them, intentially by Sakura). The rest of the year, the sack doubled as a bag to store some of the smaller holiday decorations in.Victoria Ziglerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11872256336482196922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-53757785506844304402015-11-18T11:39:03.439-05:002015-11-18T11:39:03.439-05:00LOVED seeing the pictures of the Gypsy! What a bea...LOVED seeing the pictures of the Gypsy! What a beautiful cat he was! And so special....<br /><br />I absolutely love Christmas cards! That's my favorite part of the whole season!! It's so nice to hear from friends I might not have much contact with the rest of the year, to enjoy that connection. And with personal letters and cards a rare thing throughout the year, in this age of email and texting, all that mail is such a thrill.<br /><br />I have an ongoing list I keep current throughout the year in my address book and then start deciding who gets what card -- I have animal rescue organization cards for most, but for some of my friends who are very religious, I like to honor their beliefs with more spiritual cards. So I usually have two different kinds to send and mark which one each person gets by their name on the list. Then I address the envelopes, usually before Thanksgiving, and write notes and letters to insert in the week or two after Thanksgiving. I try to have most of my cards done by December 10.<br /><br />It may be a challenge this year as I have a January 4 book deadline (as I did two years ago with Purr Therapy) but sending holiday cards to friends and getting cards means so much to me that it is still a top priority despite the book deadline!<br /><br />We don't do gifts all that much, except for the small children in our family. I've done all my shopping for them online this year. I look for things over the year based on their interests instead of trying frantically to find just the right gift in the holiday shopping season. (My niece and nephew live most of the time in Thailand and so are not aware of the "hot" gifts of the season. My niece is happy with anything relating to "Frozen" or "The Wizard of Oz.")<br /><br />I'll look forward to your posts leading up to Christmas!!<br /><br />Dr. Kathy McCoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02903015507894951725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-49126403191988393722015-11-18T06:54:04.713-05:002015-11-18T06:54:04.713-05:00My favorite photo is the one of Gypsy with the tis...My favorite photo is the one of Gypsy with the tissue. Of course that's Dixie Rose's year-around treat, but I always make sure she has some Christmas tissue to play with!shoreacreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16284698314697628805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-80894870597137578452015-11-18T06:20:19.840-05:002015-11-18T06:20:19.840-05:00teeehehe......oh the Christmas memories my friend!...teeehehe......oh the Christmas memories my friend! How lucky you are to have this photo of your dad....it reminds me of a hilarious story a British blogger once told about SANTA. As a child, she heard the lumbering footsteps of SANTA on Christmas, only to hear a THUMP and some expletives pierce the morning air...she looked to get a gander at SANTA, and what does she see? Her father in his underwear, putting her gifts under the tree. teeheheeee<br /><br />GYPSY sure was CUTE!Castles Crowns and Cottageshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01780241008313365707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-54304646888417820302015-11-18T05:41:23.714-05:002015-11-18T05:41:23.714-05:00A nice combination of memories and good holiday ad...A nice combination of memories and good holiday advice. I've gotten some of my shopping finished, but I have more to do. I haven't wrapped anything yet, and I must hide all of it before the kids get here this weekend. I do have my Christmas cards, but I haven't written and addressed them yet. Still lots to do. I guess we'll all be in full holiday mode as soon as our Thanksgiving turkey has digested. Bella Rumhttp://bellarum.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-14777415382784186242015-11-17T21:55:42.726-05:002015-11-17T21:55:42.726-05:00Wow! I think you have it covered. I do tend to b...Wow! I think you have it covered. I do tend to be the kraft brown paper wrapper with pretty ribbons. Not fond of bags unless needed. I try to have cards ready to send by Thanksgiving and a high percentage of gifts purchased, but wait until the last week to wrap. I love being able to mainly concentrate on the celebrations, decorating, and baking in December. Those are the things that make me happy.Marilyn Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13115440271615593122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-32106239256554999142015-11-17T19:06:44.504-05:002015-11-17T19:06:44.504-05:00I forgot to mention that wired ribbon makes wrappi...I forgot to mention that wired ribbon makes wrapping a joy.Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06817710263282488135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-33574744433691938152015-11-17T19:04:50.116-05:002015-11-17T19:04:50.116-05:00What a fun post, Jeanie. You are getting us all in...What a fun post, Jeanie. You are getting us all in the Christmas spirit. :) I LOVE wrapping gifts. It's always been very important to me to make the wrapping interesting and beautiful. And I do start early to get the wrapping done. I'm having cards made this year so will have to wait for them to be delivered or I'd be at them now. lol I love your photos of Christmas past. It's obvious your family loved the Christmas season. And look at Gypsy, how handsome he looked with his little heart nose. I'm sure you think of him a lot during this time. Sending a hug, DebDebhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06817710263282488135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-90157923735650723132015-11-17T18:27:46.174-05:002015-11-17T18:27:46.174-05:00I'm all for being as prepared as possible as e...I'm all for being as prepared as possible as early as possible with the presents. That said, I am often doing last minute things too. Doing a little here and there saves on the holiday stress and we're blessed in Canada to have Thanksgiving in October. I find it nice to have that 6 week space between major holidays. <br /><br />Your ideas as all good ones. I've employed most of them, if not all of them at one time or another.<br /><br />Enjoy the season ahead. Joyfulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956413632864588646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-105360705759270082015-11-17T12:24:58.301-05:002015-11-17T12:24:58.301-05:00You are better than me, as I am not a good gift wr...You are better than me, as I am not a good gift wrapper. <br />That Gypsy cat was so pretty with that colorful fur.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5681875145919050501.post-74521694388260853172015-11-17T08:33:39.943-05:002015-11-17T08:33:39.943-05:00Aw, I love your memory from 1995! That is so swee...Aw, I love your memory from 1995! That is so sweet! I am sure he was very thankful to have your help that night - and over the 20 years since they! <br /><br />I am starting to get ready for Christmas as well as I can already tell that my weekends are filling up. I have my shopping list ready so that I can buy all the books for my nieces and nephews on Black Friday when book stores tend to have great sales. We already ordered my parents gift, too. So the bulk of my shopping is planned or done. I just have to figure out what to get Phil... although we might forgo Christmas gifts this year, or do stocking stuffers, and go on a winter getaway as neither of us really wants or needs anything!<br /><br />I feel like Christmas is going to come especially fast this year as this year is going by faster than ever it seems!! It's a wonderful time of year, though, so I am looking forward to it. I just wish time would slow down!!Lisa from Lisa's Yarnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05335500882510597919noreply@blogger.com