ONCE UPON A DREAM; Christmas Candles

Some of the lovely festive fragrances I bought today!


It's that time of year again!  This morning I went Christmas shopping.  I wanted to get as much done in one day as possible because Yorkshire is currently on high alert for probable flooding.  The river was bubbling like a cauldron  right next to the car park so it was with some trepidation that I left my little car and heading into the mall. All the flood defenses were up around the shopping center, which does kind of take the buzz out of things, but the seasonal decorations were spectacular as always.

I did manage to get most of the gifts I wanted to buy.  I also picked up my diary for 2013 and it is identical to my 2012 one - a lovely red rose design.  I picked up some new tree decorations too.  I always buy a special ornament each year, building the collection to go on my tree.  This year it was a pretty blown glass ballerina, en pointe, with a white feathered tutu.  She reminds me of Odette, and as I am going to see Swan Lake in January, she is an appropriate addition to my tree. I saw some lovely owl decorations I might go back for later this week, weather depending. 

Then I bought my Yankee candles for the festive season.  I always pick up some plug in refills, wax tarts and tea lights as well as candles as I like to dot little flames of fragrance all around my home. I have a plug in on in the hallway and the winter fragrance is the first thing visitors notice.  I try to make my house a warm, glowing retreat of  comfort and joy; a place where I can snuggle down under a throw and watch a festive DVD, or curl up and read a book, breathing in the scent of Christmas and nibbling on winter treats.

I chose some old favorites and a couple of their new winter collection; the Christmas Eve candle is one I get every year. I place it on my hearth and light it as my Yule candle on the winter solstice, burning  it throughout the season.  I also got more Sparkling Cinnamon candles as they make my kitchen smell so cosy.  From the new collection I bought Sugared Apple, Snow in Love and also Cherries on Snow.

I am already burning Sugared Apple tea-lights and they smell so fairytale!  I'm looking forward to decorating the house and getting the tree up this weekend.  Meanwhile I plan to spend the afternoon with my feet up before the fire, listening to festive New Age CDs, shopping on Amazon and sipping the Starbucks take-out frappuccino I grabbed on the way out of the shopping center.  Luckily my car hadn't been washed away and the river seems to be behaving itself ...for now at least.  Happy Monday!