I must start today's post with a huge thank you to everyone who responded to yesterday's post. I was overwhelmed, particularly with the amount of emails I received last night with personal stories and lovely words of support and encouragement. I no longer feel like the only parent in the world worrying, with no plan set in stone yet. And while I don't feel much nearer to knowing what I want to write in my will yet, I feel much better about it and have a lot of things to think about now - so thank you SO much. It really meant a lot to me x
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Today I've been distracting myself with some Christmas planning.
We have a pretty good idea about what we like and what we want to try this year, as well as a folder full of things I've torn out of magazines or printed off the internet, to try at a later date, from previous years, but I do like to browse a few Christmas issues of magazines. I have pretty traditional tastes but I like to keep an eye on what the trends are for each particular year and maybe pick up some ideas.
Aside from my Martha Stewart Living subscription that I receive as a Christmas present (and am giving up due to the ridiculous proportion of advertising it contains now), I stopped buying magazines about two years ago. I often find the mainstream ones to be a worse influence than the TV (which I have also, just about, given up) - a page on how we should be confident with our body image, followed by a feature on how to "lose a stone in two weeks", the new fat laden celebrity chef recipe that takes 4 hours to prepare, finished off with an article on a mother that can "do it all", dress sexily, keep a picture perfect house, run a business empire, chair the PTA, do PIYO 5 times a week and be home in time to cook a gourmet tea from scratch and help the children with their homework. The mixed messages left me feeling inadequate, in almost every area of my life, and I don't feel I need to pay upwards of £3.50 for that privilege. I found the unrealistic expectations distracted from the way of life that works for us, and so I just stopped looking.
But Christmas always makes me want to look. I want to see specially picked Christmas gift items displayed prettily on the page, I like to be inspired by the decorations featured in the show house-type settings with a roaring fireplace. I like to see the sparkly things, the "in trends" that everyone will be talking about, golden roasted turkeys and beautifully decorated foodie treats.
However, you know what I noticed this year? They're almost the same every year! Of course the shop merchandise featured changes a bit, but the trends are mostly recycled. Today I saw a feature in a new 2009 magazine that used the exact same photographs as a 2006 magazine, that I'd ripped out and put in my inspiration folder. What a rip off!
My advice, if you're looking for festive inspiration, is to look no further than here - the wonderful world of blogs! Real inspiration written by real people who have actually tried and tested what they write about. What's more they're doing it on a realistic budget and their ideas from Christmases past are right there in the archives too.
I'll start you off with a few goodies:
Soulemama's Advent Stocking Garland, feeding the birds In Celebration, and Wintry Wonderland.
Tara Frey invites you to "come stay at our Christmas Village"
The Christmas category on The Crafty Crow blog is brimming with ideas submitted by bloggers.
Sarah's 2009 Holiday Handmade Crusade on flickr.
Last year I posted a (badly photographed) 12 days of Christmas Treats, starting here with day 1.
I'm sure you have blog favourites of your own - get searching their archives and find out how they celebrate the festive season. My theory is that you're more likely to find ideas relevant for you if it's a blog that you like and read regularly than in a magazine that is more about advertising to the masses. Save your cash and get even better ideas for free!
6 comments:
Every now and again I buy a magazine--and every time I hate it because of all the adverts!
Martha's website has so much--I found the magaine worthless.
Glad your feeling more positive Hannah and what are those beautiful things in your photograph? Im the same with mags, I gave up on them apart from the very rare one a long time ago for the same reasons as you, I did treat myself to a victorian christmas one the other day though :-) Il be enjoying reading through the links with a cuppa tonight, thankyou for posting them
Becky x
thank you for the links :-)
Thanks for your comments ladies :o)
Elizabeth - I agree, Martha's website is better. The magazines were great for the first year I got them and have got progressively worse as time has gone on - from content to the amount of advertising.
Becky - Thank you for noticing the things in the photograph! They were presents I made for family in Christmas 2007. Homemade treats in a homemade box (pattern inside All Year Round) wrapped in sellophane. Stay tuned for a recipe, I'm thinking of making them again!
Dawny - you're very welcome!
You're so right about the magazines - the repetition, the advertising is annoying, and no new ideas! I'm dedicated to Cloth Paper Scissors, that one seems unique still, but I've given up trying to find any new ideas in print. Love the web, and your links were great - thanks!!
I have a few back issues, but the rest of my inspiration is like yours and comes from the wonderful world on the web!
The one thing I do like to look up is diferent Christmas cake decorations! I could spend hours doing that!
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