Merry Christmas

Have a wonderful Christmas. Enjoy.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

Only one more sleep until the big guy comes and leaves a little something for all the good boys and girls. Yes, its Christmas Eve. All the rushing around, shopping, wrapping and decorating stop tonight, and its time to enjoy Christmas and all the things that it means to you.

As I'm working today, and then off to the pub for the obligatory Christmas Eve drink, I won't get around to you all to say happy Christmas. So I'll take this opportunity to wish and yours a very happy and peaceful Christmas, and I hope it is everything that you dreamed it would be. Merry Christmas everyone.

And here is the poem in full.

A Light Dusting

Nowhere near as much as the East coast of America, and a bit less than most of Britain, but we have had snow. A light icing-sugar dusting but it still snowed. And it is cold. So cold. But after all it is December, so what else should we expect? We may even get a white Christmas. That would be magical.

The Queens Trees

Continuing the Christmas theme (sorry, but it is everywhere!) here is The Queens hotel, all bedecked for the festive season.

Have a good weekend. Last one before the big day!

Wreath

I think this Christmas wreath is much cooler than a boring old holly wreath. Modern versus traditional. What's hanging on your front door this Christmas?

Christmas Blues

Look at the pretty lights! Ooo! This tree, surrounded by artificial snow, is outside the front of the Daffodil Restaurant. Its a bit garish for me but it does make a lovely festive scene. Very Christmassy.

Christmas is a strange time of year. It means all sorts of things to different people. To some it is a Religious celebration, to others its about friends and family, to some its about the presents, and to others its the food, drink and all the seasonal trimmings that make Christmas. To most people its a combination of all these things. Christmas is also a time to look forward with optimism to the coming year, but at the same time remember with fondness those people that are no longer with us, those people that have left our lives. We can look back on mistakes made with wise eyes, missed opportunities with sorrow, and things to come with joy. At this time of year its fine to occasionally have the Christmas Blues.

Simples

Meerkats are everywhere at the moment. TV programs, adverts, cuddly toys, garden ornaments, t-shirts. These ones, in the window of the Pied Piper shop in Montpellier, are all dressed ready for the Christmas festivities. Have you got yours?!

If today's title means nothing to you, go here to see what started the Meerkat madness.

Santa Baby

I wouldn't mind this coming down my chimney on Christmas Eve! Its not the best photo in the world but I was very aware that I was stood in front of the Ann Summers shop taking photos of the lingerie. So it was a very quick point-and-shoot shot! After all I didn't want another run in with a security guard! And the reason why I was taking a photo of sexy undies? Because it was a good contrast to yesterdays post. Obviously!

Snow Head

I haven't posted any Christmas themed window displays yet and, to be honest, there aren't many in town that really stand out, but this one, in the clothes shop River Island, is an exception. Its a bit of a double-take window. At first glance its just mannequins, but on closer inspection one of the figures has, well, you can see! I'm not sure whether its cool or a bit sinister looking!

Theme Day - Waiting

Its the 1st of the month and here in CDP blogland its Theme Day. The theme for December is Waiting. I wasn't very inspired by this months choice but then it suddenly hit me. What are we all waiting for? Christmas! Whether you are waiting for it to arrive because you love it or are waiting for it to arrive because you want to get it out of the way as you hate it, we are all waiting. And how to capture that waiting? An advent calender of course! Some are a candle that you burn each day, some are traditional calenders and have a religious picture, others are chocolate filled. No surprise as to what mine is! Now I'm going to open the first little door and get my chocolatey reward!

Now, no more waiting. See what other inspired ideas people have come up with for this theme by clicking here.

Green Light

I've been meaning to photograph this light for ages. It hangs, along with half a dozen others, in the window of Jones' Shoe Shop on The Prom. The lights are so unusual. They serve no purpose, other than decoration, but they just make a display of shoes, laid out in the shop window, simply interesting.

I have two prominent memories of Jones's shoe shop. One - going there as a kid to get fitted for school shoes. We had to go upstairs to the children's department, where they had a rocking horse. Always good fun! Two - my dad coming home one Christmas Eve with a bag of Christmas table decorations that came from the window display of Jones'! He was passing by and saw them packing up, ready for the sales on Boxing Day, and asked if he could have them! Well, if you don't ask you don't know!

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Merry Christmas

Well, it's finally here. Tomorrow is Christmas Day! Today I thought I'd share with you another photo of the Municipal Offices, all lit up for Christmas. I have bemoaned the lack of festive lights in Cheltenham this year but the Council building really does look lovely.

I'm taking a few days off from blogging (I think we all need a break!) but I'll be back next week. I'm working all day today, this evening I'm off to the pub for a festive tipple, and I may not get round to visiting you all, so I'll just take this opportunity to wish you and yours a very happy and peaceful Christmas. I hope it brings you everything you wished for. Enjoy.

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Christmas Sparkle

Just a quick one today. Here are some sparkly baubles that are in sparkly bowl on our kitchen table (that isn't sparkly!) I though this photo might help spread the Christmas cheer.

Dusty Lens kindly passed this award onto me (thank you!) and now I'm passing it on to the following 8 blogs -

Terrell Texas Daily Photo
Around Roanoke
Knoxville Daily photo
My Manila
One A Day - Mostly Seattle
Birmingham, Alabama Daily Photo
Miss B In NYC
Fresh Eyes On London

I know that not everyone likes passing awards on, and that's fine. I'm not going to go around announcing I awarded it to you, if you stop by and discover it then it'll be a nice surprise!
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Twinkle Twinkle

Some of you may say that this photo is blurred, but I say its soft focus! Everything looks so bright, colourful and festive at the moment - shops, houses, windows, trees - its lovely. These are the lights in the Beechwood Arcade. Yes, I took the risk of being told off by that security guard again. Luckily he was nowhere to be seen. Probably stuffing his face with mince pies. Anyway, the photo looked clear on the camera screen but on the computer it was a different story. I still thought it was worth posting though.

Enjoy your weekend.

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Big Baubles

These giant baubles were at the new Cabot Circus shopping centre in Bristol. I went there a couple of weeks ago, to be honest I won't be bothering to go again - no shops that stood out for me, only the usual high street stores. Anyway, these baubles were about six feet tall and they were stacked up in a pyramid that must have been about eighteen feet high! Imagine the size of the Christmas tree you'd need to hang them on?! It was a pretty impressive Christmas feature, although I'm not sure what those jets of water were all about!

The photo was taken on my camera phone, so its a bit rough looking.

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Changing View - December

Its the second of the month and its time for the fourth installment of my Changing View series. Today you get the excitement of two photos for the price of one! I was hoping to have a lovely night shot showing the Prom all lit up with Christmas lights, but the Council being the Council haven't bothered to get them all working. The end result is that a third of Cheltenham's Christmas lights aren't lit. Talk about getting into the festive spirit and encouraging shoppers to the town during these difficult times!

The second photo show the familiar scene yesterday afternoon. As you can see all of the leaves have fallen from the trees and winter has taken hold.

To see how the scene has changed click on 'changing view' in the labels below.
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Spinning Around

I'm not quite sure what you call these things but they hang (as you can see!) and spin in the breeze. They were on one of the stalls at the Christmas Market in the Prom and they seemed to be quite popular with the shoppers. I wonder how many Cheltonians will wake up and find one of these in their stocking this Christmas? What would you like to find in your stocking this Christmas?

Don't forget its Theme Day tomorrow. If you've signed up remember to take part.

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Don't Mention The War!

Excuse the title of today's post, its for the Fawlty Towers fans out there! Anyway, this is the German Market (hence the title!) in the Prom. It runs for a couple of weeks at the end of November, to tie in with the switch on of Cheltenham's Christmas lights, and has 60 stalls, sorry - German style chalets, selling all sorts of hand made gifts for the fast approaching festive season. You can get anything from wooden toys and jewellery to soap and woolly hats, it has something for everyone. And once you've had a peruse of the stalls you can stop for a freshly cooked Bratwurst sausage and a glass of German beer. Perfect shopping!

I wonder if they have a British Christmas Market in Germany?! Do you have anything like this where you live?

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Merry Christmas

The image of Father Christmas, or Santa, is one that people always associate with Christmas. This one was sitting on top of a post in Regent Arcade. I'll be back on January 1st for Theme Day. Next year I should have new and improved photos from the new camera that I'm hoping Santa will bring! Only one more sleep till Christmas!

I hope that Santa brings you everything you wished for and that you have a peaceful Christmas with loved ones close by. Merry Christmas.

Silver Band

The Salvation Army Silver Band playing in Cheltenhams High Street, raising money for their cause and entertaining the shoppers. They sounded very good, as I took this photo they were playing 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas', very festive. Only two more sleeps till Christmas!