Great Dixter - A Christmas fair 2019

I realise that most of the blog posts I have written recently start with 'Last year we visited...' but I guess that is the problem of starting a blog in May when you have a ton of things you want to write about and share. I'm hoping they will still be an enjoyable read and perhaps next year when things are back to normal I can write in real time!

Great Dixter house and garden isn't a National Trust venue but it has all of the same ingredients; stunning house with ample gardens to explore. I would like to go back in the Summer when everything is in bloom.

They were hosting a Christmas market and I am not one to refuse an afternoon of mooching about and hopefully buying some decorations to build up  my collection of bauballs whilst swilling mulled wine. 

They had opened up a barn filled with festive goodies. I once made Mr Poachie a hamper of gifts and it was my favourite gift to have given him. I loved thinking of things that he might like and making homemade chutneys and yummy treats. He said it was so thoughtful and he loved the effort that went into it. Plus men are so difficult to buy for?! How many beers and socks can one man have.

Check out this door wreath! We have numerous pheasants in our garden so perhaps I might be able to collect enough of their dropped feathers to make a wreath like this one year.

In the end I don't think we did purchase anything but they had all sorts of wonderful stalls selling jewellery, scarves, paintings, food. The usual things you would expect to find.

It's funny writing these posts about what we did and where we visited, I now realise how many places I took Mr Poachie for festive fun! Our weekends were filled with Christmas fairs and National Trust houses. It couldn't be more different this year so I am so glad we went to all the places we did.

This year as we are home I do feel like I am getting to enjoy December more, getting out for walks each day and I have written a list of all the things I would like to make (mostly Nigella's food creations) and also some crafty bits. It is such a good way to spend the evenings, I don't like watching TV unless it is a really gripping drama like 'The Undoing' so I much prefer to spend my time doing activities.

I will post more about that once I have finished my Christmas to do list!