My youngest daughter was in a dance show on Friday evening and we took her down to the venue after school. Whilst she was having a run through, Big Sister and I had a chance to have a mooch around the shops and wander through the Lanes in Brighton. I do love shopping in the evening for Christmas. Not shopping in the big stores but popping in and out of the smaller. independent shops and joining in some of the festive feeling. It's always more exciting after sunset, the lights come on, you can smell the cold, December air and the jostling of earlier on in the day seems to disappear.
Maybe I just imagine that last bit but it always reminds me of being a little girl and my mum and dad taking me to London every year to choose a toy in Hamleys, see the Christmas lights in Regent Street and buy some hot roasted chestnuts opposite the London Palladium!
Look at those blue lights and the colour of the sky, so much nicer than the grey of daylight.
The Christmas decorations are coming along at home. Tree is up, furniture re-arranged to accommodate tree and decorations found (a total sum of four hours!). No photos yet of the tree as it's still not quite finished. Leaving some time for the cats to get use to the tree again. As I'm typing I can here the crash of baubles flying across the kitchen floor as yet more have been taken off the tree and passed between the cats down the hall! Sum total of tree baubles found so far, 6 in the hall (1 broken), 2 in the kitchen, 1 still stuck on the cat's magnet (proof if ever there was!) and 4 unaccounted for. Can't blame them though with the weather being so cold they've got to get their fun where they can find it!
33 comments:
Hi Kim, shopping in the dark at Christmas is always the best time, it does have a special feel to it, and I always enjoy mooching around the smaller shops and emporiums in the Lanes, you can visit the larger stores in any town. Your evening photos have come out well, the blue lights against the blue sky do look great. I own one thing from Hamleys, a teddy bear which my mum bought me, that day I had fallen flat on my face and hurt myself, and she thought it would cheer me up, it certainly did. I have to squeeze our tree into our lounge, I look forward to the day when I own a vestibule! I couldn't help but laugh at the sights and sounds of the cats with the decorations. x
I love that picture with the blue lights. We did some shopping Friday night and it was so festive and happy out. No hot roasted chestnuts though. Can you believe I've never had one?
Hello Kim
It all sounds so familiar... cats + Christmas trees.. = mayhem! I secretly love the fact that Pickles tries to dismantle the tree ..it is great entertainment as is your description of the ornaments stuck to the cat magnet! Caught red pawed!
I found your comment about Hamleys very nostalgic.. as I would go up to London with my mother to do some shopping each Christmas and Hamleys was Nirvana to me as a child!
Hope you are feeling fully recovered!
Michelex
Oh brighton looks lovely, all cold and that Christmas feeling in the air.
Hope you find the missing decorations and can't wait to see the tree.
We're a bit behind this on that front due to poor Ben being ill. It just doesn't feel like Christmas here :(
I can't wait to get one, wish I could drive and I'd be off down to B&Q.
Hugs
Catherine x
Bad bad kitties! You need some unbreakable ones at the bottom for them to play with! Luckily none of our pets think that the decorations are toys which is lucky as all the vintage ones are glass. My grandma had a cat who liked to climb up the Christmas tree which was a bit of a problem!
I'm so with you on shopping after dark at Christmas time it really makes for a magical experience.
Carolyn
http://willowhouse.typepad.com
Hi Kim,lovely to hear about your Christmas memories.Can't wait to see your tree.Still haven't done our tree yet!Hope the dance show went well!
I miss my cat, Monty so much! He loved christmas baubles too. I am consoling myself with the fact that when he walked out one day and never came back that he decided to move in with a sweet old person somewhere and now spends his days on a warm lap having his ears scratched...here's hoping. Love your photo and description, made me want to go late night shopping in Cheltenham..maybe Thursday.x
Christmas shopping...in the dark, its magical!!!
I would much prefer to do my shopping on a street like this rather than the mall! The blue lights look so beautiful against the evening sky. How can a kitty resist shiny round things to play with? Have a great week, Kim! ~ hugs, Lynda xo
Oh Kim what perfectly festive pictures! I go on detours through town on my way home from work just to get a glimpse of the lights on! Hope your cats get used to the tree soon, we've done similar things this year as our curious 15mth old son is thrilled with taking all the decorations back off that we've just put on - bless!
Stephx
Oh those naughty cats! My Granddog has been sneaking ornaments off their tree too!
Lovely white wreath!
Seasons Greetings!
Sandra Evertson
The Lanes look very festive, I've never been to Brighton but DH went regularly on business trips and loves it. The cats sound as though they are having fun, it's odd that none of my cats have ever bothered much with the tree though one could always sniff out his parcel and I had to stop putting it under the tree and just produce it at the last minute on Christmas morning. Sorry to hear that you've all been ill, there are a lot of bugs about at the moment.
.org2I love your pictures of the Lanes Kim, it makes me feel very nostalgic! Also love the picture you paint of the cats, especially of the one with the bauble stuck to his collar,what a giveaway! Hope you're feeling better now. Jackie Mx
I love your pictures of the Lanes Kim, it makes me feel very nostalgic! Also love the picture you paint of the cats, especially of the one with the bauble stuck to his collar,what a giveaway! Hope you're feeling better now. Jackie Mx
Love the pictures. Love that wreath, as well. Have a very Merry Christmas.
Kitty
Hi Kim it is so nice to see and hear about all my favourite bloggers getting their homes ready for Christmas.
The white wreath is just gorgeous.
Hamley's is a childs paradise, we used to take our little ones there too!
hugs,
Carol x
Beautiful pictures. Why is everyone so organised for Christmas, though.. except me?
Hi Kim
Isn't it nice to go shopping and feel a festive atmosphere? So much better than being jostled and trampled on at the weekends!
Enjoy your Christmas preparations.
Marie x
So pretty and festive--all those lights! Your own trip down memoray conjures up memories in all of us...This time of year is heavy wiht nostalgia. Your wreath is lovely! I put a wreath up on our porch today and we finally hope to get the tree up tonight...hoepfully! :o) Happy Days basking in the glow...((HUGS))
I would love to go shopping on that street!
Cool blue photos :)
Those funny kittys are celebrating in their own way LOL.
What beautiful photos! The blue lights are so lovely! I love browsing the stores in the evenings...the breezes are cool, the lights are shining brightly with Christmas cheer everywhere! You and your family continue to enjoy the season!
Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
Beverly
Oooh, what pretty shopping photos. Sounds like the cats need a diversion -- how 'bout a new kitty to play with??? LOL.
Love the photo of the white wreath, and the photos are just filled with the hustle and bustle of Christmas spirit!
blessings,
kari & kijsa
I LOVE doing my Christmas shopping in the evenings! Your photos are just lovely!
Your cats make me giggle with their ornament-antics! As you've probably already read on my blog, my kitty has learned the hard way to stay away from the Christmas stuff this year! =O
oh that looks amazing! i love love love it! and i adore taht wreath. can't wait to see the tree!
Stunning photos Kim! - Shopping in the evening is magical. (I have to say that the High Street in Bath seems much quieter this December - I'm sure more people are shopping via the www instead this year....)
Hope those cats of yours don't break any more baubles!! It sounds like they've been having fun though!
Niki
Hi Kim I feel the same, it's so festive especially now the weather has got colder, and I just love your snowy wreath it looks so pretty
Have a nice weekend
Hugs Lynn x
Hi Kim thankyou for that xx:-)
How wonderful that you can go to Flint, I cannot always afford to buy much, but I do always buy somthing, how could I resist. Shops like that are non existant in the north west, we have nice places but nothing like Lewes. I also like the Catholic church opposite the other Flint(mainly clothes) shop, try to go in...the peace, and tranquility in there, is unmatched. Your blog and the wonderful posts you create remind me of my home, so how can I resist not taking a regular peep xx they are wonderful.
Have a great weekend. Lynn x
Oh those naughty cats - gotta love'em though! Sadly Mr. Bloom doesn't like cats, otherwise I'd have a house full!
have a good weekend,
Lucy
I like night shopping too! Our cat always used to attempt to climb the christmas tree...she has gone to live with my mum now - I must phone and warn her!!!!cats love all the sparkle and excitement of a dressed up tree though, dont they?!!
haha, we actually talked about bird phobias on my latest show - we hit and run on phobias.
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