Dear lovely readers, I’d like to raise a toast to you and wish everyone the finest greetings of the season, however you spend the holidays. Before getting busy with lunch and presents, I shall be reading with my first cuppa, a Hans Christian Andersen short story The Fir Tree, which the Renard Press have produced Read More
Category: Christmas
Merry Christmas!
Popping in quickly to wish you all season’s greetings, and hoping that you can safely make the most of the break whether you celebrate or not. After lunch, I’m going to be starting my Christmas jigsaw, and reading the lovely booklet of a Christmas story by Willa Cather from Renard Press that I was sent Read More
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
If everyone’s coming to you this Christmas, you may sympathise with Elizabeth David’s views on seasonal catering and getting stuck in the kitchen… If I had my way – and I shan’t – my Christmas Day eating and drinking would consist of an omelette and cold ham and a nice bottle of wine at lunch Read More
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
If you need a little literary pick-me-up, do follow this link to the New York Times where you can read David Sedaris on being an Elf at SantaLand. It may lower the tone, but it’s very funny! (The full essay is in his book Santaland Diaries, also published as Holidays on Ice.) Meanwhile, very Read More
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
The Ecco Book of Christmas Stories In the run up to Christmas, I’ve been reading short stories from this Canadian anthology, selected and introduced by Alberto Manguel. I thought I’d quote from some of them for Christmas Day, however, be warned – most of these Christmas stories only have fleeting happy moments (which has Read More
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I hope you all have a wonderful day. Here’s our tree this year. Yes – it’s artificial, but this tree has been going since Christmas 1998 and is (miraculously) still in good shape – so I feel that my green credentials are safe. I’ll be back soon with my year-end posts – but for now Read More
SEASONS GREETINGS!
I’ll be back after Christmas with a whole host of posts: My Books of the Year, Disappointments, Great Finds and the Annual Stats I have so much fun with. I shall leave you for now with a Christmas quotation, guaranteed to get you in the mood… – Eight of us set out that night. There Read More
Christmas at Shiny New Books
If you’re a regular visitor here, it can’t have escaped your notice that the link in my sidebar to Shiny New Books recently sprouted a holly sprig! Yes, I’m delighted to direct you to head over there to experience our Shiny New Books Issue 3 Inbetweeny. Over thirty new reviews and articles to give you reading (and gift) Read More
Catching up … plus more stocking fillers
It’s been so busy this past week and weekend, I didn’t have time to post or read much. I’ve been preparing new pages for the Shiny New Books Christmas Inbetweenie issue – there are some goodies! (Coming to you on Thursday December 4th – click on the picture in the sidebar to sign up for Read More
Short but not so sweet – The Galley Beggar Ghosts
I know it’s not quite December, but I am busy Christmas shopping – and between review posts for the next couple of weeks, I shall be recommending some books and bookish things that make ideal Christmas presents and stocking fillers. We’ll start with some stocking fillers… Galley Beggar Ghosts Those lovely people at Galley Read More
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I’m signing off for a few days, so it just remains for me to wish all of you a M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S !!! Back soon with my books of the year and Reading Resolutions for 2010… Cheers! Lots of love Annabel x
My Secret Santa arrived – yippee!
My Secret Santa gift from the Book Blogger Holiday Swap arrived and I couldn’t wait to rip the paper off and see what was inside… Complete joy! two wonderful, and completely different books from my wishlist and super hand-crocheted bookmarks to go with them. The books were Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor, Read More
Book Bloggers Secret Santa
I signed up for the Book Bloggers Secret Santa last month, and chose and sent my gift. This morning the postlady brought me a packet of joy! My present from my Secret Santa had arrived. I couldn’t wait to get inside the jiffy, nice purple wrapping paper (gets the thumbs up from Juliet who is Read More
Santa Claus is comin’ to town …
I just got back from my daughter’s school Christmas concert which was lovely. I was amazed though to find out that the perennial favourite Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (preferably the Springsteen version for me), has some introductory verses: I just came back from a lovely trip along the Milky Way, I stopped off Read More
Christmas Competition
It’s the first day of advent, and it was Cadburys for breakfast for daughter Juliet. When I was little, there was no chocolate involved in advent calendars. But enough of that humbug! … My blog’s first competition closed yesterday and tis time to find out who won. Firstly thank you to everyone who entered. I Read More
Christmas Prizes!
Two of my biggest hobbies, when not reading or blogging, are compiling quizzes and sewing. So I’ve combined both into my blog’s first giveaway with a little festive quiz. Yes, I know it’s only November, but so I can get prizes to wherever they need to go to in time to be useful on a Read More