Raquel Margaret Carter: A Happy Victorian Christmas

My dear friends,

Might you pour some tea and let us have a visit. I am having some peachy Teavana with half of a chocolate muffin. It's been quite muggy, rainy and cold out, and I welcome it to the most considerable degree, as It makes me feel as though I'm down the lane from Beatrix Potter's home; Hill Top.

I'm going to share with you many old fashioned Victorian Christmas crafts that I have made for many years over. Each year they turn out differently. Some in which you will have to use your imagination as I no longer have the photos from the year I made them. {Remember I lost eleven years of my blog through a most unfortunate accident.}

{In addition, an excellent resource for making Victorian Christmas crafts is on the youtube channel, called English Heritage. In this video, they cover the handmade crafts| crackers, gilded walnuts and Pin-Prick cards. After this post, I have also catalogued all of the handmade craft items you might enjoy collecting for your craft activities. I have scoured the least expensive articles on Amazon, to make your shopping most efficient. If you do not have the available time this year, you may save this post to your bookmarks and utilise it for next years accomplishments.}

Where has the time gone? It's almost Christmas. I have been busily making hand made gifts, clothes for myself, and caring for our little makeshift farm at my folks, so that takes time. Do you make your gifts?

This is called a car kit caboodle. I have been making these for almost two decades. Everyone seems to love them. It's merely a large potholder with eight snack size ziplock bags sewn to the inside and a button added. It fits perfectly in a glove box. How many times have you been in the car and you need something quickly for a little snafu? These are the things I pick up for each kit when I give them as gifts:

q-tips, small nail scissors, clippers, file, band-aids, wet naps, kleenex, chapstick, post-it notes, one dollar bill, pen, cough drops, tums, ginger {essential oils in place of items if I know the person I'm giving it to uses oils instead.}

This is such a useful gift, and I always get terrific feedback about how much the idea is so clever.

I made my mom one almost twenty years ago, and she still has hers. It can be hand washed just in case you were wondering, however only if you use ziplock brand bags.

All the decorations I use for decorating is usually from nature itself. My folks and aunt have holly bushes all throughout their farms, so I just asked If I could drive over and gather some for decoration.

I painted this of my two cousins. My folks are giving it to my aunt for a gift. Isn't the Merrymaid Scarlette Rose Lolly Dolly adorable?

Each year I make Christmas crackers and sugared fruit. I love setting the cookies at each place setting. My children used to love them and couldn't wait to eat supper and then open their crackers. Sawyer especially loved the snapping sound.

A lovely fire always says welcome winter solstice, yes?

I make pomander balls and give them to my extended family for a lovely centrepiece. They usually last for the whole month of December. I find my oranges at the farmers market, and there's always plenty, as oranges are our state fruit. {smile}

A paper chain is always such fun and so easy to make. I buy good old fashioned construction paper in red and green to make mine.

I also really enjoy gift wrapping. I find such lovely old sprigs of holly, ribbons, bits and bobbles, and I gladly add them to the presents. It's like the recipient is receiving a small gift on the package and then another after opening the actual present. Each year I go with a theme.

This year and last was A Happy Victorian Christmas. Oh, and that reminds me! I am writing a story for next Christmas called, "A Rabbits Happy Christmas."