{Christmas cheer at Chota House}

Isn't it the most wonderful time of the year?
My little house is cheerful and Christmassy and I wanted to share some pics with you! We had some dear friends over this weekend (instead of doing a party this year, I decided to invite a few people separately to get a proper visit with them!)
My parents are visiting from Canada, so it's all very festive!

{herbs from my garden make lovely nameplaces}

{roaring fire!}

{guests!}

{roast chicken!}

{dessert! my chocolate tart}

Wishing you a joyful Christmas!
xo
L

{quotable thursdays}

Today's quote is a little reminder what Christmas is alllll about:

{the grinch}

& some jolly home-made orange decorations from Chota House!:

xo,

L

{snow}

We got snow this weekend & it was just too pretty to not share these pics of Leighton Buzzard I took! There's something very beautiful about England at Christmas time...

{the market cross and the big Christmas tree in Leighton Buzzard}

{the medieval church of All Saints}

{the market cross}

{Mary Norton's house, where she wrote the Borrowers}

{& my little house-chota house}

{snow comes to Chota House!}

xo,
L

{postcards from Mexico-first communion}

It has been a while since I've been back from Mexico, but fell ill and am just starting to be able to catch up on things!
My niece and nephew had their first communion the first weekend we were there, which in Mexico is a very big celebration--like a wedding!
It was so wonderful to witness. My sister is starting a candy business, and did the most amazing candies table for the kids...and there was delicious food and of course the ceremony was amazing too.
I took a million pictures, but here are a few to give you a taste.

{beautiful sweets table designed by my sister!}

{my brother-in-law is a cigar manufacturer, so these were custom made!}

xo,
L

{quotable thursdays}

Are you frantically worrying about Christmas shopping? Getting the house in order for guests? Are you battling crowds on Oxford Street? Sometimes Christmas feels nothing like the Christmas we imagine: calm and peace, sitting beside a fire, instead we're yelling at loved ones, battling through crowds, and being all together grinchy.
More than ever, the world seems turned upside down. Messages of hope and love and peace and light seem trite almost ridiculous in the chaos that is modern life, on top of atrocities in Syria, messages of racism and hate supported by presidents elect and world leaders. But we can't give up hope. Indeed, it was in the midst of war, chaos, injustices that a baby was born in a simple stable to bring to the world a message of light, and peace, and love.

So today, 10 days before Christmas, I offer you a poem from Laurence Housman:

O perfect Love, outpassing sight, 

O Light beyond our ken, 

Come down through all the world tonight, 

And heal the hearts of men.

Tonight I fly out to Mexico to be reunited with most of my family. so looking forward to seeing them and to soak up a little sun and some relaxation.

Wishing you and your families peace and love and a wonderful, restful break!

x

L