Winter Wonderland 2015

[callmemadam]

There won’t be any decorations up here until much closer to Christmas but I can understand why some people do put their trees up *much too early*. Anything to counteract the perpetual gloom we’re living in. Really, I might be living inside the Arctic Circle rather than south west England when it’s so dark all day long. Yesterday afternoon I decided to go up to the garden centre to visit the Christmas Wonderland, thinking that at least it would be bright and cheerful there. Huh! I don’t know if they’ve become obsessed with energy saving or what but it was dark there, too. The decorations area seemed to have no lighting at all except the twinkling lights on the various trees. So I was rather disappointed with this year’s Christmas effort. Star of the show was Santa’s Volkswagen, seen above, surrounded by animatronic elves and with the familiar little blue train chugging cheerfully around it. Definitely the toddlers’ favourite.
I’m afraid my pictures are not very good but here’s some more.



I always love the Christmas village. If you can’t run to a big display like this one, you can buy a scene-in-a-box like this,



complete with running train. Sweet. Less sweet was the bear house seen below.



A notice below it said, ‘No Kids Allowed Bears Only’, with the ‘S’ of kids the wrong way round and no punctuation. Why do people think it a good idea to teach children how not to write? I’m sure a plush non-bear had sneaked in there while no one was looking.

My last pic shows something which would make me ill if I had to look at it for long. Want to be dazzled and possibly get a migraine? Install this lot in your home.



Oh dear, what a misery I sound but it was rather a let down. At least I bought a few small Christmas presents.

Comments

[widgetfox.livejournal.com]

"Santa's Volkswagen" sounds like a band.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Heh! I wish it were.

[(Anonymous)]

It certainly does not look as attractive as previous years. It's a shame but I think everyone is economising this year.
Wee sister

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Perhaps that's it. You'll have to check Dobbies :-)

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

I do like the camper van! But there should be more twinkle.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

But there should be more twinkle.

Definitely! I'm fed up with dark shops.

LJ is having one of its spells of making me sign in again all day long. Is this just me?

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

It's OK for me, but it will probably be my turn tomorrow...

[gwendraith.livejournal.com]

What a shame it wasn't as festive and pretty as usual. Perhaps when it gets closer to Christmas they will splash out with the twinkling lights. I usually put my tree up the week before Christmas but will do it earlier this year for the very reason you mention - the gloom. It's been so dark some days. I have fairy lights strung across the top of my sitting room window all year and I have switched them on on many days!

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I also have year-round lights and wouldn't be without them!

[(Anonymous)]

Maybe I'm getting old, but I'm finding these Christmas displays in shopping centres a little depressing. I was in Milton Keynes shopping centre yesterday and it was plastic igloos, dopey looking penguins and cotton wool snow! Much prefer a natural holly bush with red berries or spotting a robin in the garden. Nicola@vintagereads

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Shopping centres full of fresh greenery? A forlorn hope, I'm afraid. I don't think you have to be old to dislike plastic tat.
Merry Christmas!