Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas

Hi there,

Thanks for popping in. Writing extra fast here, because the family is due to land at 3pm. Was doing really well, at Waitrose at 7.30 this morning, got all the last minute bits, loaded the fridge – there’s enough to feed an army just on the top shelf! Peeled the spuds. laid the table nicely for this evening, and even had time to verbally choke a DHL rep for screwing up the parcel which was intended for our Mark in San Fran (in the nicest possible way, you understand). Ordered it 3 weeks ago. Apparently it’s still sitting in Stevenage. Whilst I run a mail order company, and therefore have a lot of empathy, and of course I understand that the girl on the phone isn’t directly responsible, it still doesn’t detract from the fact that I am £500 lighter and the gift hasn’t even left England yet. Ah well. It’s not terminal. It will get sorted. Trust me. It will get sorted.

But the clock is ticking, the spuds are on the boil, the bratwurst is soaking in the milk, the Sauerkraut is in the pan simmering, and I really do have to put on a nice clean Christmas apron.

So forgive me for leaving you before I’ve even got warmed up! This is our Christmas, you see. We celebrate on Christmas Eve – the German way. It is our tradition, passed down to me from my Mum. And I love it. We tried the English way once, to see what it was like. Got up early on Christmas Day, and opened our gifts in the morning. But it felt very strange, so we went back to the evening celebration.

I would like to wish you and your family a very Happy Christmas. I hope that you enjoy the festivities. I’ll be back tomorrow with something very special to show you.

Must dash! Dave says the spuds are done!!

Love & Hugs,

Barb xxx

34 thoughts on “Happy Christmas

  1. Merry Christmas to you and all the Gray/Roe family. We’re all set for tomorrow, and probably the rest of the week to be honest! Thinking of all those who are celebrating alone, or who have an empty seat at their table, or who find Christmas a difficult time of year – reach out and speak to someone, as there is always someone listening x

    1. I second that and wish you also a very Happy Christmas. May everyone have a peaceful and hopeful 2020 whatever their circumstances.

  2. FROHE WEIHNACHTEN to you, dear Barbara, your family and all your wonderful Claritystamp workers! How I love to be a ‘fly on the wall’ in your house tonight – being German myself, and after 54 years in this country, I, too, still prefer the German way of Christmas celebrations (could even enjoy Bratwurst und Sauerkraut!!). Have a wonderful time, and thank you, too, for all you and your team have done and are doing for us Claritystamp enthusiasts.
    Love and hugs – Jutta

  3. Lovely to hear about you and your family traditions.
    Merry Christmas to you and yours and thank you for a fabulous service, only been parching since September and absolutely love it, everyone had a parchment card this year😀 x

  4. As a young child I had to wait until after Christmas dinner to have my gifts. I had a stocking in the morning but mum wanted to spend time opening presents so after dinner it was. It was hard as a child waiting. Especially as the clearing up seemed to take ages. Enjoy your evening meal with your family and have a lovely Christmas. xx

  5. Merry Christmas to you all! I hope Grace gets to read you all the poem! And you get to play lots I’d silly games! Most of all make lots of happy memories!
    Love and huge hugs from me and Colin. Xxxxx

  6. Hi Barbara and everyone,
    Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas , and a brilliant New Year in 2020.
    Have a wonderful evening with family, and lots of laughs .
    Lots of Love to all .
    Lynn xxx

  7. Hi Barb,
    Wishing you, Dave, Grace and all the rest of your family a very happy Christmas Eve . Have a wonderful evening with a lovely meal and plenty of silly games! To everyone on the blog, I wish you all a lovely Christmas and a very happy, healthy and peaceful New Year. Love to you all, Alison xxx

  8. We have just got home from the MK Panto, Aladdin, with Joe Pasquale and Lee Mead. It is always a fun way to kick off the celebrations.
    Wishing you and Dave and all your family a very Merry Christmas. Have a wonderful time together and hope that Mark can join in a FaceTime chat to celebrate with you.
    Love and hugs. Annette X

  9. Happiness is being with my husband for 49 years. Happiness is Christmas morning with your families and Happiness is a wonderful company called Clarity stamps. To Barbara and every one there and your families have a wonderful and Happy Christmas 🎄🍷love from Denise Bolton in the Norwich and Norfolk hospital where i will see in Christmas but hopefully be going home soon xxx

  10. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to one and all.
    We started celebrating earlier today. Got to the butcher as they opened at 8am, they had our order ready for us, no waiting, just had to pay. Another lovely example of a family run business. Home at 8.20, waved at the dustmen, had a super breakfast and shut up shop for the rest of the week !!! Special dinner tonight with candles and wine and a traditional Christmas dinner tomorrow. Ray cooks the turkey and I do the veg and trimmings and we just chill all day, no hustle and bustle, just take each moment as it arrives.
    I do hope every one has just the celebration they enjoy best with friends and family.
    Love and hugs to everyone in the Clarity Community.
    🍒🍒🍒

  11. Happy Christmas, enjoy your evening with family and friends! Doubtless there’ll be lots of laughter, hugs and happiness which is exactly how it should be…have fun xx

    To everyone here, reading Barb’s blog I also wish you a Happy Christmas and all good things for the coming year xx

  12. Hi Barbara
    By now the festivities at your house will be in full swing have a wonderful Christmas with your family
    🤗🥳⭐️☃️❄️❤️🎁

  13. Frohe Weihnachten und Frohes neues Jahr to you all.

    I have just put the Rotkohl into the slow cooker over night, always think back to my German Christmases this time of year.
    Enjoy your evening

  14. Have a wonderful evening celebrating Christmas with your family. Enjoy the rest of your Christmas holiday too. Wish you,
    your family and all at Clarity a very Happy Christmas and all the Very Best for the New Year, 2020.

  15. Wishing all at Clarity, all your family and all my fellow blog fans a very happy Christmas and a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year.
    We are going to our son’s for dinner tomorrow and then the whole family comes to us for a buffet and Santa makes a special delivery of presents xx

  16. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Have just returned from the christmas party at my nieces place in Copenhagen. X

  17. Merry Christmas Barbara, hope you had a lovely evening, full of joy and mirth. Christmas Eve for us is always about the turkey sandwiches, Mum always cooks Turkey on Christmas Eve and we get a preview in form of sandwich, yum yum, my favourite.
    Thanks for sorting out hiccup with elf competition, those elves are naughty little imps. I love this competition, look forward to each day, thanks for all effort by all. So Merry Christmas to everyone, hope you all have a wonderful time and a peaceful, prosperous and above all craft-full New Year. Love Karen xxx.

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