We were shopping for Christmas present ideas for my nephews at the local market town of Bromley. I have managed to convince hubs not to go full out with buying and sending gifts home to America,
“Let’s just do the money flinging thing and send gift vouchers…” I suggested.
“Fine by me,” he said.
So last weekend we started round one of Christmas shopping.
Looking For Ideas!
This is not how I prefer to shop, nor other women in my circle, but since we are only talking about two children this year, I let it pass. What else do we have to do?
While on the look out for Ideas we hit most of the shops in Bromley and I managed to sneak in a few purchases which did not classify as gifts.
A tree is out.
We have no decorations and the lights will have those huge English plugs attached to them.
I hear the building tree goes up just feet away from my front door…so I can always make believe.
“We’ll put up a crèche if we can find a good ethnic one we can take home with us,” I said, hubs nodded, “and there’s always the Advent wreath to brighten up the room and add a tad of festivity,” he nodded again, “as long as there are no plugs we’re okay,” a savvy nod from hubs!
We found a Christian book shop tucked away down a side street and bought a few Advent calendars. Their crèches were not good enough to invest in, so we passed, and they didn’t have an Advent wreath, so we left, unladen with parcels.
It was raining and I was wearing silly boots that turn all surfaces except muddy grass, into hazardous slippery pathways. After nearly dragging my husband down into the gutter with me a couple of times I let go of his arm, which he had gallantly offered me, and proceeded to take, not very attractive, but infinitely safer, baby steps. He disowned me by pretending to stride ahead and open the door to the nearby mall for me, which we had decided to use as a short cut instead of traipsing down the dangerously slick midway of the Bromley Market Square.
As we chatted our way through the shopping centre we remembered that we make good Advent wreaths so the pressure was off finding one. We could still do with a crèche and some purple and pink Advent candles.
Delighted we happened upon a Christmas shop and went inside. Immediately we were engulfed with secular, seasonal paraphernalia. The music, tinsel, holly and trees; the Santas, snowmen angels and sleighs.
We did find an Advent wreath of sorts, an evergreen with five pink candles spaced evenly around its perimeter, I scratched my head,
“Five in a circle is wrong,” I complained, “must be an ornamental centre piece for the table,” hubs did his nodding thing.
There were no candles for sale.
We continued our search for a crèche.
There wasn’t one in sight.
“Silly me, who would look for Mary and Joseph in a Christmas shop!? What was I thinking?”
I slapped my forehead and hubs did his habitual thing for the day.
He nodded.
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
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