Tags archives: christmas

 

Better late than never

christmas 2011

I hope everybody had a good Christmas!

 

(a different kind of) Christmas: a playlist

 

Last Christmas

christmas 2010

Last Christmas was the worst of my life. No kidding. Some of you might remember my blog break around this time last year. Exactly a year ago today my grandfather had a stroke that kept him in the hospital unable to move, swallow or articulate words properly for 20 days until he passed away. He was a lot more than just a grandfather to me; he was the only father figure I had during the first years of my life, which obviously had a massive influence in our relationship. In his last years he became one of my best friends, we talked about almost everything (there are certain things you can’t really discuss with a conservative 80something, although we did discuss S-E-X) and I could witness how his views slowly expanded through those conversations. For example, when I was a teenager he really disapproved of me travelling because “it’s so expensive blah, blah, blah”. Ten years forward and we had the following conversation:

Me: I booked a really cheap trip to Rome. I only get to be there for one whole day, though, which is a shame.
Him: Really? That is such a great idea, it’ll be good for you to get away.

Obviously when this happened to him, I had to be there. I visited him at the hospital nearly every day, fed him, anxiously watched his breathing while he slept, showed him photos of that trip to Rome, helped him to exercise his arm, pointed out every thing we could see from the window to pass the time, applied a wet cloth to his forehead when he had a fever and juiced a clementine with my hand so he could taste it. It was exhausting and emotionally draining and I went back home crying every single day. It being Christmas only made it harder.

christmas 2010Learn how to make these here.

I’ve always bloody loved Christmas. I didn’t get to spend it in a real home or with any other children around until I was three, and I know this might seem like I was too young to remember anything, but believe me, when you move to a town with half a million people in it and so far you’ve lived in the mountains surrounded by sheep and goats you remember these things. Remember Heidi when she first goes to Frankfurt? I was Heidi. So my antidote for my unhappiness and utter lack of Christmas spirit was to set up a little tree in my room and bake a lot. I still lacked the spirit, but I had something pretty to look up, which was a change from hospital walls. I hadn’t set up a tree in my room since I was a kid and I don’t plan on doing it again, but it was something I needed last year. And you know what? For a while it sort of worked.

christmas 2010

christmas 2010

I made a zine about my grandpa, you can see the details here. Or click the blinking dot on the right of your screen.

 

 

Two very easy Christmas DIYs

 

A christmas playlist

 

My top 10 Christmas movies

 

I have compiled this list because a lot of Christmas films are inexplicably lame and every single year I seem to end up watching that really horrible film where Ben Affleck plays a mildly retarded (he’s not supposed to be, but acts like he is) rich dude who rents a family for Christmas. I want this list to be a reminder to myself and everyone who visits my blog that there are better things to watch than that pile of crap.
All of these are films that I watched over and over again as a kid, and maybe that’s what makes them so good to me, the fact that they bring me back to a time when Christmas was truly exciting and not just a lot of hassle. The ones me and my mum watched the most were Home Alone I & II, Santa Claus the Movie and Little Women (the 40s version, although I prefer this one from 1933), and my absolute favourite is It’s a Wonderful Life followed closely by Muppet Christmas Carol.
What’s the film that you just have to watch every Christmas?

 

On giving handmade presents

 

4/365 Father's day
Now that Christmas is looming I’ve been thinking about presents. I think that, in theory, handmade presents are a great idea, more personal and touching than a store bought gift. However, I have found that, as much as I love handmade presents, they tend to fall into several categories, and not all of those are positive:
1. The “I don’t have any money, so I’m making you something” present.
I like this sort of present. I support drawings made with crayons that look like they were made by a 3 year old with a learning disability, mixtapes, mix CDs, I.O.Us, photo memories, letters and everything else that falls into this category. Sometimes these can be the most touching presents, the ones that show that, despite having no income, someone took the time to make something for you even if they’re not crafty types.
2. The “I’m super talented and awesome, so I’m gonna make you something elaborate, nice, and well thought” present.
If you’re lucky enough to be friends with creative types it is possible that you’ve received awesome presents from them. This is the kind of present that shows the person really knows you and took their time to put their abilities into showing you they care. This is obviously a good kind of present. Last year when I was living abroad 2 of my best friends gave me a framed drawing each, featuring us three when we leave the house (prim and proper) and when we’re out (drunk, singing Millencolin songs, wearing tiaras). This was without a doubt one of the nicest presents I’ve ever received and it meant more than any expensive fancy present.
3. The “I’m stingy and make stuff, so I’ll give you a handmade present because it’s cheaper”
Seriously, I’d rather not get anything than getting one of these, and I got quite a few in my lifetime. This is the sort of present that says “I know you won’t like it, but I make it, so you can’t escape from me”. Not only is it cheap, but it also shows an absolute lack of care from the person who got it. It’s like throwing a surprise party for a vegetarian at a steak place. That’s what it is.

So I guess my advice for this Christmas is: If you’re not going to give thoughtful presents, why bother at all? This applies to both handmade and store-bought presents. Be nice people.

 

>Merry Christmas!

>

Hello and welcome to my first drunk blog post.

The bad people wanted my laptop to break on Christmas Eve, but baby Jesus decided that I should have it back for Christmas day. It is thanks to baby Jesus that this blog post is possible. Most of you have recived this lovely Christmas card on your inbox, but to those unlucky creatures who didn’t, I hope you all have a great Christmas. Please remember there is no such thing as excess.

My Christmas Eve included a tulle skirt and pretending to be a wine-drinking mermaid, so it was more than good. Then I got home just in time to watch the ending of “It’s A Wonderful Life”and when I put my music on random Paul Baribeau came on and it made me really happy .

Love you all.
(this may be a lie, but it’s Christmas)

Andrea

 

 

Meet Me In Saint Louis (1944, Vincente Minelli)

Copeland posted a cover of ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ on their myspace. The original was sung by Judy Garland in Meet Me In Saint Louis (1944, Vincente Minelli). I couldn’t care less about the band, but I love the film.

Coming out in the middle of WWII, Meet Me In Saint Louis looks back with nostalgia at the pre-war era, where values were still intact and the family united. Set in 1903, one year before Saint Louis’ World Fair, the film depicts an idealised world of domestic bliss (greatly enhanced by technicolor) that is threatened when Mr Alonzo Smith, the head of the family, organises a move to New York City in order to climb up the social ladder. There is not much more to the film’s plot; a love story with the next-door neighbour, ketchup making and other little details of the family’s daily life. Surprisingly, this is enough. Minelli did a great job. Every scene is wonderfully filmed, Judy Garland has never looked better, it’s funny and the musical numbers are not superfluous at all. It might be too mushy for some, but I think it’s great. I will definitely be watching it again this Christmas.






Judy Garland singing ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ in the film:


♫ Judy Garland – Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas mp3 (will expire in a week)