Memory keeping: 'Fake christmas' the story behind the layout

 

Hello there.

 

I'm taking part in the 'Frosty Festivities' blog event hosted at Jennifer Grace Creates today so, if you've hopped over to here from there, then welcome, welcome!

 

Jennifer invited me to contribute by creating a project using crafty embellishments and stencils from her 'Happy Scatter' Etsy store and I agreed to join her because:

1. Jennifer is a long time supporter of my blog and Etsy shop ... and in a vast virtual world familiar faces and friendly connections are worth looking after! And ...
2. Despite it being a frosty themed event ... she hasn't tried to get me to dress up as, or sing like, any character from Frozen. So how could I refuse?

For more of the craft-related details on my layout ... 

... then do drop by my post at Jennifer's place.

But I thought that here I'd share more of the story which the page is based around: the story of 'Fake Christmas'.

Funnily enough I've already had 2 'fake' Christmases so far this year:

1. when I worked on festive magazine projects in June, July and August, and ...
2. then when my friends and I had a Christmas-themed crafting weekend in the countryside in October.

And yet this page documents neither of those because there are even more fake Christmasses in my life, in fact, this one in particular is becoming something of a tradition ...

So here's the full story of the 'real' Fake Christmas ...  [complete with typos and mistakes. Apparently there's no 'Delete' on a typewriter keyboard ... who knew?]

I'll write it out here too - in case you can't view the photos:

*FAKE CHRISTMAS: THE RULES & CUSTOMS*

Fake Christmas is held each year at some point in between real Christmas and New Year. It's hosted by Janet who doesn't seem to mind ... or maybe she just doesn't know how to keep us out. (Unless that's what her dodgy doorbell is all about ...)

There's tea, chocolate and cake involved and sometimes we take crafty things and act like it's not all about the cake and presents. But mainly it's all about the cake and presents. Speaking of which ... when it's time to open presents this has its own strict code which must be adhered to:

1. Only one person may unwrap a gift at any one time.

2. Then the person next to them takes their turn.
3. If gifts are wrapped individually, only 1 gift may be opened per turn. [I think I've actually got this wrong ... but, like I say ... no 'Delete' on a typewriter! And no way was I going to type it all out again!!!]
4. This continues until all the gifts are opened.
5. There will then be an assessment of which scraps of wrapping paper, which tags, which ribbons, twine etc. must be salvaged by one or other of the group.
6. Any interesting tags and cards will be analysed for creative ingenuity and filed away for 'future reference' (i.e. to copy later).
7. There may, at any given point, be a zebra making an appearance. Or a sheep, bird etc. Whatever your chosen 'thing' is. We're on part friendship group and one part menagerie.
8. If there's anything that will even vaguely fit on you head, it should be put on your head. (Although, to be fair, this custom is not just for Christmas).

With all this in mind I'd like to wish you a very merry - fake - Christmas and a Happy New Year! (That's just called 'New Year'. We don't have a special name for that. Yet ...

So, there you have it, if you've been thinking about setting up your own Fake Christmas for some time now but haven't known how to go about it ... well, now you do.

Feel free to use our rules and customs to create your own opportunity to milk the festive season - and your friends - for all they're worth [but leave out the zebras. They're mine.] 

-----------------------------------------

Don't forget to hop over to Jennifer Grace Creates to catch up with all the other 'Frosty Festivities' and my post ...

... and I'll see you back here soon. [We're altering a book next week don't forget!]

Julie :-)