Showing posts with label Christmas/Navidad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas/Navidad. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, January 04, 2008
Feliz Navidad, Feliz Año
It’s been a while. I’ve been off for a couple of weeks, and in that time, we've had our darling son and two friends from waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back over to visit.Habibibaba was here for ten days, and it was so good to have him around for a decent length of time. We didn’t do anything very imaginative, just took him to places we like and thought he’d enjoy, and sat and talked in cafes, and walked and walked, and talked and talked. Happy.
Our friends came for a long weekend, which was more of the same – though I think we covered as much distance in three days as in the preceding six!
The Christmas Fair in Plaza Mayor.
To make your own belén (nativity scene) you need cork bark for the stable walls and roof, and live moss for the hillside.
And you'll want to make a joyful noise for the Lord....
The little girl is reaching for a tambourine: there were also hooters, squeakers, trumpets and drums - it was deafening, and as the days passed the noise spread through the streets.As did the wigs!
Something a little different this year?
Madrid has been quite magical, constantly bubbling with energy and imagination. Christmas trees, lights, fireworks – much as any European city, I expect – but it’s been one long Christmas treat, rather than some ho-ho-ho endurance test.
I never pined for an English Christmas when I was in Dubai, or muttered ‘It’s not the same.’ Too right it wasn’t the same, it was fun, and family and silliness and cosiness, not Jingle Bells from September on! Just a month (at least) of Christmas decorations stuck on every possible surface of our flat; a concentrated week or so of ‘secret’ preparations and teasing; and a day of presents, and friends and food…………. and then time and space to relax and enjoy ourselves.
Alcala, and the Puerta Alcala (Thank you Carlos III, bringer of town planning and straight roads.)
Only very special trees grow outside the Prado..... and Atocha Station....
Hot chestnuts, yams, corn - something to keep you going when you're sightseeing at 11 at night, and six degrees.
Here, the traditions are different, with all the fun of Christmas, but none of the pressure, and a steady build-up to the coming of Los Reyes Magos, who will bring presents for the children – tomorrow! (Habibi followed Spanish tradition, roasting a suckling pig on Christmas Eve. He tried looking wistful on the subject of the other Nochebuena tradition, in which the grown-ups exchange presents that night. Yeah right, as if!)
The Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos sets off from Nueveos Ministerios at 6 tomorrow evening, and comes down the Paseo de la Castilleana and Paseo de Recoletos to Plaza de Cibeles ( All roads may start from Puerta del Sol, but they al lead to Nuestra Señora de las Telecomunicaciones!) We’ll be there watching them ride by on their camels!
Before that, I must get un pequeño Roscon de los Reyes, just for two. I’ve only seen big ones, often filled with cream or confectioner’s cream, but I have been assured that you can get little ones: if all else fails, I’ll decorate a doughnut with glace fruits, though the tiny toy (for luck) will have to be very tiny.
Now, there's just time to leave your Christmas wish under the Árbol de los Deseos (The Wishing Tree) in Retiro. If you can't quite make it, try this!
And see how Christmas has come to Madrid. Llega la Navidad a MADRID. Y es lo mejor que puede pasarle a un deseo. That big wedding cake building at the end, with all the lights, that's Nstra. Sra. de Telecomunicaciones. Gorgeous, hmm. I don't know how a building can become
part of the family, but she has!
And finally, this is one man's belén.
And here's part of a shop window display.
If you want any more, you'd better take a look at the website of the Associación de Belenistas de Madrid.This takes you to the work of all sorts of people - just delightful!
And here, you can see details of the belén at the Ayuntamiento (town hall) in Puerta del Sol. Do take a look at the 'Anunciación Pastores (Annunciation to the Shepherds) the Cabalgada (Caravan), and the Poblado with the archway - See the storks?!
If you live in the Middle East, you will love this. I'm going back tomorrow: Mary hadn't had her baby when I visited before - I see from the Natividad picture, that it's time to go again!
More? Here are some prize-winning pieces of extraordinary accuracy and charm.
P.S. Back on the downside, I got robbed - AGAIN - that's three times! This time they took my new birthday camera and Christmas mini-tripod (attached to each other, and buried in a deep pocket, under a glove, on the side between me and the friend I was walking almost arm-in-arm with - I mean - good grief!). So, no more photos for the foreseeable future, and may I say, in this season of giving:
Though I don’t think I look like a victim.
I get robbed with a frequency most sick’nin’.
Relieved of possessions
three times in succession,
I’m coating what I still have with strichnin’.
Let's hear it for that little guy!I expect that the spacing is all over the place on this, but you get the general idea.
Happy New Year 2008!
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Christmas is coming
Good day today. Actually, yesterday. I've discovered online Scrabble and we're now into the small hours of Sunday December 2nd - Habibibaba's 20th birthday!
I'm doing a very enjoyable course, with sessions from 10 til 1 on Saturdays. Afterwards, I met Habibi and we went on an expotition to buy some warm clothes. Now we both have fleecy pyjamas, warm hats and scarves, and I've got beautiful blue suede gloves too.
We arranged to meet in Plaza Mayor, and found crowds of people, some very good living statues, and a Christmas market. Habibi took photos, which I hope are good enough to post. I wasn't taking my gloves off for anything!
Here, you don't just buy a little nativity scene for your home. Of course, you can do that, but the alternative is to build your own, and I can imagine that many families assemble their nativity scenes over several years, as we've added to our tree decorations, cherishing the assocations with our growing son and our friends.
In Plaza Mayor today, you could buy stables, cork bark, moss, 'rock' paper and gravel; also windmills, middle-eastern style houses, carpentry workshops, bakeries, cloth shops - even a Roman villa - potentially the whole of Bethlehem and Judaea!
Then, in additon to the Holy Family, shepherds and kings of the traditional nativity scene, there was every figure imaginable, from a Roman governor and soldiers to put in the villa, to potters, washerwomen, fishermen and blacksmiths - some of them battery-operated, and hammering, scrubbing and casting for all they were worth so that every display twitched constantly. You could also buy tiny loaves, fruit, poultry, metal pans and clay pots. Such fun!
We definitely haven't got room for a Christmas tree this year, but we're going to make some shelf space and go back to Plaza Mayor next week. And I'll use my lovely new birthday camera too.
I'm doing a very enjoyable course, with sessions from 10 til 1 on Saturdays. Afterwards, I met Habibi and we went on an expotition to buy some warm clothes. Now we both have fleecy pyjamas, warm hats and scarves, and I've got beautiful blue suede gloves too.
We arranged to meet in Plaza Mayor, and found crowds of people, some very good living statues, and a Christmas market. Habibi took photos, which I hope are good enough to post. I wasn't taking my gloves off for anything!
Here, you don't just buy a little nativity scene for your home. Of course, you can do that, but the alternative is to build your own, and I can imagine that many families assemble their nativity scenes over several years, as we've added to our tree decorations, cherishing the assocations with our growing son and our friends.
In Plaza Mayor today, you could buy stables, cork bark, moss, 'rock' paper and gravel; also windmills, middle-eastern style houses, carpentry workshops, bakeries, cloth shops - even a Roman villa - potentially the whole of Bethlehem and Judaea!
Then, in additon to the Holy Family, shepherds and kings of the traditional nativity scene, there was every figure imaginable, from a Roman governor and soldiers to put in the villa, to potters, washerwomen, fishermen and blacksmiths - some of them battery-operated, and hammering, scrubbing and casting for all they were worth so that every display twitched constantly. You could also buy tiny loaves, fruit, poultry, metal pans and clay pots. Such fun!
We definitely haven't got room for a Christmas tree this year, but we're going to make some shelf space and go back to Plaza Mayor next week. And I'll use my lovely new birthday camera too.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Christmas Day with friends
On Christmas morning, we opened our presents (as you do)!
On Christmas afternoon, we joined friends.
After a fine dinner, there was ....The Pudding!
It's only one day, but it's a good one.
We won't forget our last Christmas in Dubai.
Especially as we've made dates for Holy Week 2010 in Spain, and Christmas 2011 in Greece. (That's on top of Holy Week 2008 in Spain..... I need a bigger diary!)
P.S. After two Christmases in London, Habibibaba might be enticed to Spain for Christmas 2007. xoxoxox!!
Christmas Eve at 'The Club'
We moved into Jebel Ali Gardens in late November 2001. The Christmas tree and the Advent calendar were up before the curtains, Father Christmas was duly notified of who slept where, and we were all set for Christmas before we'd finished unpacking. Priorities.
However, our infant son was by this time fourteen, and slightly past the age for rushing off to bed at half past seven because Santa was coming. What on earth were his aged parents to do til lights out? They left him playing computer games, and went to The Club in Jebel Ali Village, lured by tales of carol singing, mince pies and mulled wine. It was good fun, and we've done it every year since. It's traditional. innit?
So this is where we went on our last Christmas Eve in Dubai (tee hee!)
Now Maggie and Jimmy Lee lived and raised a family in Jebel Ali Village; and on Christmas Eve 1980 Maggie played piano, Jimmy sang, and that was the start of 'Christmas Eve at the Club', as we know it now. They had already retired to Blighty when we moved in here, but they came back every year to play and sing, and they're still doing it, twenty six years on!
Last year, two young lads got up and sang every single verse of 'We Three Kings', and this little fellow sang 'We wish you a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry Christmas'.
A year on, they're back, about six inches taller, to reprise their hits of 2005.
I love the placing of the banner: all your favourite stars, including Maggie, Jimmy and the little guy. Aaah.
The tail end of the spontaneous Cossack dancing.
Male voice choir.
The Junior Ladies' Chorus await their turn.
It's all terribly serious, with everyone peering at song sheets and trying to reach the mic.
Everyone sings! This was 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' (trad.) with newly invented actions (lots of bling for the five gold rings, and the six geese have developed hernias).
At around 9.30, someone requested Danny Boy: our cue to leave, and walk up through the village, over scrubby Jebel Ali, and home. Not picturesque, but cool and peaceful under the stars, like Christmas Eve should be. Debbie will be in New Zealand next year, we'll be in Spain, and rumours persist that Jebel Ali Village is to go the way of Jumeirah Beach Village, but until then I have no doubt that there'll still be mince pies and mulled wine at 'The Club' every Christmas Eve.
However, our infant son was by this time fourteen, and slightly past the age for rushing off to bed at half past seven because Santa was coming. What on earth were his aged parents to do til lights out? They left him playing computer games, and went to The Club in Jebel Ali Village, lured by tales of carol singing, mince pies and mulled wine. It was good fun, and we've done it every year since. It's traditional. innit?
So this is where we went on our last Christmas Eve in Dubai (tee hee!)
Now Maggie and Jimmy Lee lived and raised a family in Jebel Ali Village; and on Christmas Eve 1980 Maggie played piano, Jimmy sang, and that was the start of 'Christmas Eve at the Club', as we know it now. They had already retired to Blighty when we moved in here, but they came back every year to play and sing, and they're still doing it, twenty six years on!
Last year, two young lads got up and sang every single verse of 'We Three Kings', and this little fellow sang 'We wish you a Merry Christmas, We wish you a Merry Christmas'.
A year on, they're back, about six inches taller, to reprise their hits of 2005.
I love the placing of the banner: all your favourite stars, including Maggie, Jimmy and the little guy. Aaah.
The tail end of the spontaneous Cossack dancing.
Male voice choir.
The Junior Ladies' Chorus await their turn.
It's all terribly serious, with everyone peering at song sheets and trying to reach the mic.
Everyone sings! This was 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' (trad.) with newly invented actions (lots of bling for the five gold rings, and the six geese have developed hernias).
At around 9.30, someone requested Danny Boy: our cue to leave, and walk up through the village, over scrubby Jebel Ali, and home. Not picturesque, but cool and peaceful under the stars, like Christmas Eve should be. Debbie will be in New Zealand next year, we'll be in Spain, and rumours persist that Jebel Ali Village is to go the way of Jumeirah Beach Village, but until then I have no doubt that there'll still be mince pies and mulled wine at 'The Club' every Christmas Eve.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
The Twelve Days of Christmas in the Gulf
On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two desert dogs,
And a hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three gheckos,
Two desert dogs,
And a hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four bulbuls,
Three gheckos,
Two desert dogs,
And a hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five coffee pots,
Four bulbuls,
Three gheckos,
Two desert dogs,
And a hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six sheikhs a-sheikhing,
Five coffee pots,
Four bulbuls,
Three gheckos,
Two desert dogs,
And a hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven waiters waiting,
Six sheikhs a-sheikhing,
Five coffee pots,
Four bulbuls,
Three gheckos,
Two desert dogs,
And a hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight housemaids mopping,
Seven waiters waiting,
Six sheikhs a-sheikhing,
Five coffee pots,
Four bulbuls,
Three gheckos,
Two desert dogs,
And a hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies nighting,
Eight housemaids mopping,
Seven waiters waiting,
Six sheikhs a-sheikhing,
Five coffee pots,
Four bulbuls,
Three gheckos,
Two desert dogs,
And a hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten brunchers brunching,
Nine ladies nighting,
Eight housemaids mopping,
Seven waiters waiting,
Six sheikhs a-sheikhing,
Five coffee pots,
Four bulbuls,
Three gheckos,
Two desert dogs,
And a hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven shoppers shopping,
Ten brunchers brunching,
Nine ladies nighting,
Eight housemaids mopping,
Seven waiters waiting,
Six sheikhs a-sheikhing,
Five coffee pots,
Four bulbuls,
Three gheckos,
Two desert dogs,
And a hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve Hummers Humming,
Eleven shoppers shopping,
Ten brunchers brunching,
Nine ladies nighting,
Eight housemaids mopping,
Seven waiters waiting,
Six sheikhs a-sheikhing,
Five coffee pots,
Four bulbuls,
Three gheckos,
Two desert dogs,
And a hoopoe beneath a palm tree.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Angel Variations
More challenging than the Calico Gals (9 pattern pieces instead of 5), the Perfect Little Angel is also a more stimulating and versatile pattern. Here are some of the things I've done, with the pattern at the bottom, in case inspiration strikes!
My eldest brother and his wife produced their own personal little princess - Alice, by name - so I made a medieval princess for them. They now have Princess Clara too, equally gorgeous, though completely different from her big sister.
As the eldest of seven, I know and rejoice in the individuality we're all born with. I may hardly ever see my fambly, but I love 'em, and next summer, we're moving back to Europe - Wheeeeeeee!
The medieval angel is the closest to the original pattern, although that specifies double fairy wings, and I prefer a single pair.
This one I kept!
I spotted a cheapo imported Chinese wreath in a bargain shop on Rolla Road in Bur Dubai; stripped off the decrepit robin and other tat, but kept the little sacks tied with red ribbon, and some of the artificial greenery; and repainted the lettering, added cones, star anise and the little bell.
Jo - let's call her that after Jo March, who knew how to do Christmas properly! - Jo is not wired, and cannot balance on this shallow, curved surface; but I didn't want to glue her in place, so I resorted to two carefully place safety pins, and that has worked a treat.
Here's her back view. Without the wings, you can see that the skirt is a gathered rectangle, and the bodice another rectangle, masking the skirt gathers, and stitched into place.
The bloomers are part of the doll: they are stuffed less fully than the torso and head, allowing the doll to sit. The dress sleeves are also 'built in'. If you use cotton rather than felt, and give her a secure hairstyle, such as braids stitched firmly in place, I think that this pattern gives you a doll sturdy enough to be played with, and survive washing. No bead eyes though!
Serafina is just for me, and has nothing to do with Christmas. She's wearing what was once a beautiful Indian brocade trouser suit from Splash, plus an earring I've had since my twenties - I hate the way I always lose one earring, but at least it gives me an interesting collection of odd ones for odd projects!
I've made other variations too, but I have no photos, unfortunately, because it was a while before I thought to record what I'd made, and who for.
One Christmas angel was for a seven year old who had admired another one I'd made. I was going to warn her mother, before Christmas morning, that it was less a toy than a pretty ornament - but they didn't wait til Christmas to open the wrappings. Oops. Next time I saw that doll, she was in need of a tailor, a hairdresser, and a week in intensive care! Be realistic about how children play with dolls.... sob!
Another was for a friend with considerable knowledge of Maori culture, who was returning to her beloved New Zealand. I had a dark green shalwa khameez that looked wonderful at my third brother's wedding, but was now faded in places, and put away just in case. ;P The gold block print on the hem and dupatta had always reminded me of traditional Maori patterns: perfect!
I used a mid-brown felt for the doll (any darker would have been too much with the dark dress, even with lots of gold blocking), mother-of-pearl buttons buttons (Satwa again), and peacock feathers for the wings, angled so that they swept up and out, taller than the doll herself.
Damn, I wish I had a photo of that one!
Ditto for another South African friend: I went for satin and gauze in cream and antique gold - fabulous against dark brown felt - and crowned her with orange and yellow flowers like the bouquet that Serafina is holding. Never mind having a photo, I wish I'd made her a little cousin!
Anyway, here's the pattern, if you'd like to have a go yourself.
Finally, another variation, for a Palestinian friend who absolutely loves colour, and is always a delight to the eye in vivid complementary and contrasting colours - and she has the vivacity, warmth and style to carry them off. This time I bought the wings and simply stitched them on: a spread of real feathers, shaped like a butterfly.
I've included Laila separately, because she does not follow the pattern exactly: the separate head, plus turban would have been huge - out of proportion to the rest of her - so I made the head all of a piece with the torso as for the Calico Gals.
Once you get started, there's no end to the flow of ideas, and what keeps it fresh and interesting for me is working with other people's colours: I don't know about you, but there are some colours, and combinations, that I really don't get on with, and the challenge is to come up with something that works for both of us.
If you can do that, then it becomes almost as much your friend's gift to you as yours to him or her, because you have all those days of pleasurable anticipation as the gift came together in your hands, in colours which from now on will always have a happy resonance for you - even if you still wouldn't be seen dead in them!
Enjoy. And post pictures!
My eldest brother and his wife produced their own personal little princess - Alice, by name - so I made a medieval princess for them. They now have Princess Clara too, equally gorgeous, though completely different from her big sister.
As the eldest of seven, I know and rejoice in the individuality we're all born with. I may hardly ever see my fambly, but I love 'em, and next summer, we're moving back to Europe - Wheeeeeeee!
The medieval angel is the closest to the original pattern, although that specifies double fairy wings, and I prefer a single pair.
This one I kept!I spotted a cheapo imported Chinese wreath in a bargain shop on Rolla Road in Bur Dubai; stripped off the decrepit robin and other tat, but kept the little sacks tied with red ribbon, and some of the artificial greenery; and repainted the lettering, added cones, star anise and the little bell.
Jo - let's call her that after Jo March, who knew how to do Christmas properly! - Jo is not wired, and cannot balance on this shallow, curved surface; but I didn't want to glue her in place, so I resorted to two carefully place safety pins, and that has worked a treat.
Here's her back view. Without the wings, you can see that the skirt is a gathered rectangle, and the bodice another rectangle, masking the skirt gathers, and stitched into place.
The bloomers are part of the doll: they are stuffed less fully than the torso and head, allowing the doll to sit. The dress sleeves are also 'built in'. If you use cotton rather than felt, and give her a secure hairstyle, such as braids stitched firmly in place, I think that this pattern gives you a doll sturdy enough to be played with, and survive washing. No bead eyes though!
Serafina is just for me, and has nothing to do with Christmas. She's wearing what was once a beautiful Indian brocade trouser suit from Splash, plus an earring I've had since my twenties - I hate the way I always lose one earring, but at least it gives me an interesting collection of odd ones for odd projects!I've made other variations too, but I have no photos, unfortunately, because it was a while before I thought to record what I'd made, and who for.
One Christmas angel was for a seven year old who had admired another one I'd made. I was going to warn her mother, before Christmas morning, that it was less a toy than a pretty ornament - but they didn't wait til Christmas to open the wrappings. Oops. Next time I saw that doll, she was in need of a tailor, a hairdresser, and a week in intensive care! Be realistic about how children play with dolls.... sob!
Another was for a friend with considerable knowledge of Maori culture, who was returning to her beloved New Zealand. I had a dark green shalwa khameez that looked wonderful at my third brother's wedding, but was now faded in places, and put away just in case. ;P The gold block print on the hem and dupatta had always reminded me of traditional Maori patterns: perfect!
I used a mid-brown felt for the doll (any darker would have been too much with the dark dress, even with lots of gold blocking), mother-of-pearl buttons buttons (Satwa again), and peacock feathers for the wings, angled so that they swept up and out, taller than the doll herself.
Damn, I wish I had a photo of that one!
Ditto for another South African friend: I went for satin and gauze in cream and antique gold - fabulous against dark brown felt - and crowned her with orange and yellow flowers like the bouquet that Serafina is holding. Never mind having a photo, I wish I'd made her a little cousin!
Anyway, here's the pattern, if you'd like to have a go yourself.
Finally, another variation, for a Palestinian friend who absolutely loves colour, and is always a delight to the eye in vivid complementary and contrasting colours - and she has the vivacity, warmth and style to carry them off. This time I bought the wings and simply stitched them on: a spread of real feathers, shaped like a butterfly.I've included Laila separately, because she does not follow the pattern exactly: the separate head, plus turban would have been huge - out of proportion to the rest of her - so I made the head all of a piece with the torso as for the Calico Gals.
Once you get started, there's no end to the flow of ideas, and what keeps it fresh and interesting for me is working with other people's colours: I don't know about you, but there are some colours, and combinations, that I really don't get on with, and the challenge is to come up with something that works for both of us.
If you can do that, then it becomes almost as much your friend's gift to you as yours to him or her, because you have all those days of pleasurable anticipation as the gift came together in your hands, in colours which from now on will always have a happy resonance for you - even if you still wouldn't be seen dead in them!
Enjoy. And post pictures!
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