Sunday 5 December 2010

Christmas Club

I missed the first of the Christmas Sunday posts due to me being totally disorganised in the lead up to my trip to Germany and not scheduling a post - but am back on track today!

My mum loved Christmas and did everything possible to ensure that our Christmases were happy and memorable.  It was her favourite time of year and she loved to cook and entertain and find the perfect gift.  It was a cruel twist of fate that she passed away the week before Christmas in 1997, but even though she was so ill leading up to then, she still had all her presents wrapped and labels written.
She was a great crossword puzzler, she always did a crossword every day and her ability to decipher anagrams and cryptic clues was legendary.  So when she did the labels for her Christmas presents, they always gave a slight hint as to what was inside.  Some were more cryptic than others and even once you had opened the present, you still weren't clear what the tag was all about!  This is a tradition that I have carried on with my family, sometimes the clues are better than others and sometimes there is much groaning when they realise the hint I was trying to give. But oh does it make Christmas wrapping take a long time,  trying to think of something witty or puzzling to put on the tag.  Clues like 'I hope you think this present is out of this world' went on the bottle of 'Alien' perfume that I wrapped for my daughter yesterday.  You get the idea?!!

13 comments:

Rachel Brett said...

I think that is a fab idea, it makes it even more fun! :)

Sian said...

What a lovely story! Gosh, imagine your mum with all her presents ready for Christmas. How poignant. But I bet she would loved the fact that you enjoyed her tradition enough to continue it - it's a brilliant idea. Thanks for Christmas Clubbing today Deb :)

scrappyjacky said...

What an amazing idea,Deb.....great fun for the recipient.

Cheri said...

Sounds like that tradition would make the unwrapping last a bit longer and be more interesting as well! Great idea! My Mom was sick during the Christmas of 1997, but did at least get to spend that one last holiday with all her children and grandchildren. She died in February of 1998.

Amy said...

Two of my grandparents died around Christmas time so I understand how sad this time of the year can be.
I do love the idea of a cryptic label though!

Maria Ontiveros said...

What a wonderful tradition. I wonder if she knew how much you loved it - enough to carry it on.
Rinda

Scrappi Sandi said...

My Mum used to do the same thing on gifts & also very clever clues for an after Christmas dinner treasure hunt. It's something I've continued every year & the clues are getting more & more cryptic as my boys get older!! well, can't make it too easy for them!!!

I think your story is so poignant & I can't help think of how your Mum must have derived great comfort imagining you all opening your gifts & solving those clues, as she was wrapping them! ♥

Miriam said...

This is such a lovely story and so special that you carry on your mums tradition. Thank you for sharing it Deb :)

Cheryl said...

what a fab idea love it x

alexa said...

How lovely to honour your Mum's memory like this. :) Hope you make everyone have at least ten guesses before they care allowed to open their present!

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

What a fun element to add to a gift, Deb. It was fun reading about your tag tradition. Very clever indeed!!! xo

Becky said...

What a lovely idea and a very poignant story. Thanks for sharing it :)

Denise said...

Ahh that's lovely that you have kept the tradition up and does it make you try to buy more cryptic presents each year to make it harderfor them to guess? Lovely of you to share this xxx