Buche de Noel 2009!

This is the second year in a row that Missy and I made a BUCHE DE NOEL for Christmas and we're hoping that this will be a yearly tradition for us. From beginning to end, we present to you, a pictorial rundown of Rancho Cocoa's "Buche de Noel 2009"...















































MOOMIN!

Scenes From The Collection: Xmas Music On Vinyl

Frankly, CHRISTMAS isn't one of my favorite holidays, so I usually need a little help with "getting in the mood". When I'm wrapping presents, I like to lock myself in my room, fire up the turntable, and play some Christmas tunes. I don't know what Christmas would be complete without giving the A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS comp a spin. Since 1987, it's been the "go to" album to get my Christmas spirit up (don't even bother with any of the subsequent volumes of A Very Special Christmas - none can touch the first and best one). Everything about it is so classic - from the gold-foil KEITH HARING design on the cover, all the way to RUN DMC's "Christmas In Hollis", one of my all-time favorite tunes to bust during the holidays...



I also always have to break out the BAND AID "Feed The World" single, even though the lyric "...let them know it's Christmas time" has always bothered me. Like, what do starving children in Africa care if it's Christmas? They just want something to eat! If you're too young to remember, or were born way after 1984, Band Aid was an all-star roster of 80's UK pop acts who got together to record a charity record to benefit starving children in Ethiopia...all the usual suspects are here: DURAN DURAN, U2, CULTURE CLUB, BANANARAMA, PHIL COLLINS, STING, SPANDAU BALLET, FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, WHAM, etc. etc. etc...



BJORN AGAIN were basically this awesome ABBA COVER-BAND that put out a version of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" in the style of the god-like swedish quartet. This was back in 1992. If you close your eyes and listen, you'd swear it was the real thing...



...speaking of the real thing, NO WAY SIS were basically an OASIS COVER-BAND who put out a version of "I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing" back in 1996. The song is most known for being used in a COCA COLA ad that they used to play around Christmas time - waaaaaaay back in the day. Every now and then, the Coke company likes to dust it off and run it on TV...it's been a while since I've seen it though. Anyways, Oasis apparently recorded a song that sounded very much like "I'd Like To Teach" and they got a lot of crap for that. No Way Sis decided to go one step further and actually record the song in the style of the Brothers Gallagher...puts you in the Christmas mood, down a few pints, and then get into a bar brawl...



I love HERB ALPERT & TIJUANA BRASS - it's the trumpet player in me. So every year I have to bust this out. Herb Alpert was the original "Rico Suave", but the sexy can't shine thru this Santa beard...



Last but not least, I have to play the THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS' "O Tannenbaum" seven inch...even though it skips. Missy has the exact same single and she claims that hers skips as well. Anyone else? Maybe we can get a CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT going and get our money back...

Merry Christmas, Pets!

Nilla having some Christmas fun., originally uploaded by sugar-cookie.

This morning we gave Nilla her Super Scratcher Christmas pressie. She loves cardboard, so she really just plucked away at the new Scratcher, then was ready for a nap. Until I opened my stocking and found a candy cane from Raoul! Nilla liked the candy cane, too, but no, she did not get a bite! She only played with it.






And our little Oreo had some new pressies, too - check out her willow tent, balsa pumpkin spice chews, and apple twigs! Oh how thrilling it is to spoil our lovely pets. They are so happy.

Merry Christmas!

Our tree - Christmas 2009., originally uploaded by sugar-cookie.

We have been relaxing after being ill all last weekend and into this week, so no posting, just well deserved resting. I thought I would share some of our holiday decorations for fun. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!






This year I wanted all handmade ornaments on the Christmas tree. Lucky me, I found these cinnamon dough ornaments that I made about five years ago. It is really easy and they still smell amazing! I used puff paint as "icing." My dad helped decorate the Santa shown above. I love these ornaments cos they really do look and smell like cookies.


I think they look quite festive on our fiber optic Christmas tree!


Speaking of trees, Raoul made this tree from felt for me the first year he moved to Athens. I love the heart garland going round! So cute...!


I have alot of my family's vintage Christmas decorations, so this little elf friend I remember my whole life! It is nice that he has a little tree to hang out with this time of year!


I also have some vintage glass ornaments that Mom gave to me, too. I think they look so pretty in my glass mushrooms. Raoul gave the idea to me when we were trying to think of a nice way to display them, but I did not want to make a wreath (well, not just yet).




And here is a snowman and Santa that my mom made for me a few years ago, too. I treasure these handmade gifts! They are the best. I think cos the snowman's face is made from real peppercorns and that Santa has googly eyes that get covered by his massive hairs!

Merry Christmas!