Last weekend...

...we visited Museum of Childhood. It's a great place to take your kids to but I must admit that the collection of dolls is a bit overwhelming. All dolls are gathered in large groups and displayed behind the glass: so beautiful in their dresses, so original, so very different from today's dolls but at the same time I found them a bit... creepy? Their faces... disturbing. None of them smile.

And this doll was the one I admired the longest. The power of imagination. It belonged to a poor child in the beginning of 20th century and was made from a shoe. It kind of makes you wonder. How little children had in the past and how much they have now and sometimes they still want more.

We also went to see the Christmas market that is now open in the city centre. Edinburgh is getting ready for the festive season and it does look magical.

And we are getting ready for Christmas too. I stared making some decorations, the first batch of gingerbread cookies is done and first presents have been bought. I feel like this year I'm well organized, first time in years. Maybe because Little G. is big enough to help me (she cut all forty cookies for me, all by herself). So much fun!

Happy December Everyone!

Festive days.

I hope you all had beautiful Christmas. We did. We spent our Christmas resting, eating good food, playing and enjoying our gifts; nothing special and yet it was special. Here are few images from the past days.

There are only two hours left of this year while I'm writing this post and boy!, what a year it was! I keep reflecting back and with all its ups and downs for us I still consider this year a good one. But at the same time I believe the New Year will be even better. I haven't done any resolutions yet. Have you..?

Happy New Year Everyone!

May it be filled with peace, love and joy.

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Merry Christmas!

All the cooking is not done yet, some presents are still not wrapped, the sitting room is in a mess but no stress, no panic. It's midday and we're still in our pajamas, sipping coffee, enjoying this moment. G. has already started eating up Christmas decorations. She's not wasting any time ;)

Happy Christmas Everyone and may the New Year be filled up with only joy and peace.

Corner View: Tradition.

I guess most of us think about traditions more around this special time of year. Initially I wanted to write about traditions cultivated in my family, the ones that I remember from my childhood, the ones I grew up with and took with me. But yesterday, when decorating our Christmas tree with little G. I thought about it and it hit me that now it is me who is setting up some traditions. I'm no longer a child and I have a child myself. Looking at G. happily helping me with decorations I thought of creating memories for her and traditions that one day she will leave her nest with. I thought about how important it is. I carry on traditions from my home but at the same time I add new ones; things we never did when I was a child. Baking gingerbread cookies, for example. I only started baking them after I emigrated to England. Since then every year (except for last year) I make gingerbread cookies and hang them on Christmas tree. This year G. is big enough to help with baking; I'd like this gingerbread baking to become a tradition in our little family as well as hand made decorations and hand made gifts: this year we have prepared all decorations by hands (only the lights were bought) and some of the presents are hand crafted as well (in my case, knitted). These are the new things that we add up to a long list of traditions that we carry from our backgrounds. We're mixing three cultures and traditions this Christmas: Polish, Italian and British. There will be Christmas Eve celebrated in Polish way: big dinner with borscht, dumplings and fish with the additional sit at the table for an unexpected guest. The gifts will be opened on Christmas morning as it is in Italy and England (in Poland many families open their gifts after Christmas Eve supper). There will be Italian panettone and mince pies, traditional British Christmas pies.There will be lots of resting too. So much to look forward to...

I'm off to find out about traditions all around the globe. Thank you, Cherry B for a fantastic theme this week. For more corner views, please visit lovely Theresa.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!