MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL....

....were ever YOU are.

Angels singing sweetly through the night....

„Gloria in excelsis Deo,



....et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis“

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Frohe Weihnachten to the world:

Gezur Krislinjden - Albania
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Tchestita Koleda - Bulgaria
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Glædelig Jul - Denmark
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Hyvää Joulua - Finland
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Joyeux Noël - France
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Καλά Χριστούγεννα - Greece
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Nollaig Shona Dhuit - Ireland
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Buone Feste Natalizie - Italy
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メリークリスマス – Merii Kurisumasu - Japan
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聖誕節同新年快樂 – Canton-China
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크리스마스를 축하합니다 –  Korea
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Sretan Božić - Croatia
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聖誕快樂 新年快樂 –  Mandarin-China
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Zalig Kerstfeest - Netherlands
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God Jul - Scandinavia
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Maligayan Pasko - Philippines
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Wesołych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia - Poland
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Feliz Natal - Portugal
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Sarbatori vesele - Roumania
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Поздравляю с Новым годом и Рождеством - Russia
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Feliz Navidad - Spain
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Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok - Tschechien
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Noeliniz kutlu olsun - Turkey
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Kellemes karácsonyi ünnepeket kívánok nektek - Hungary

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Christmas
the time of giving and sharing, 
and the time of loving and forgiving

 May the miracle of Christmas fill your hearts with warmth and love.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS

 PEACE on EARTH and goodwill towards men.

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"By Invitation Only" - December 2014

"Christmas-Gift Giving
if Money is no Object......"

that's the subject of this month's BIO post

I'm running late with this post.....
....running just a bit out of time.... 
preparing homemade little presents which are always appreciated

Nevertheless - if money would be no object
I would shop for my best friends and family members 
at:

Frank Smythson Ltd., 
more simply known as Smythson, of Bond Street
is a British manufacturer of luxury stationery, leather goods, diaries, 
and fashion products based in London, England.

Smythson opened his first shop on 29 September 1887 at 133, New Bond Street, London. 
The current flagship store is located at 40 New Bond Street, London. 
Clients have included the current Royal Family, Queen Victoria and many other now deceased royals, 
many UK Politicians and Prime Ministers, Sir Edmund Hillary, Madonna, and Grace Kelly 
(and many other well known clients - as well unknown ones like me :-).

Stationary Bureau

Printed brown calf leather. Gold brass hardware. Six pockets. Blotter.
Two sheets of White Wove blotting paper.
Wafer Address and Telephone book. Black ink pot.
50 sheets of Kings Cream Wove writing paper.
50 Kings Cream Wove correspondence cards.
25 matching envelopes.
£ 1 525
here

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Frank Smythson made history in 1908 when he created the world's first practical, portable diary.
From its stitched spine and supple leather binding to the clean,
crisp leaves of Featherweight paper and glint of gold,
Frank's original design remains virtually unchanged to this day.


2015 Portobello Diary   
250 £ right  -  £ 210 left

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2015 Soho Diary - £ 230
Berry diary bound in printed calf leather. Enamelled gold-finish slide
Week-to-view layout with notes page
End notes
Gilt-edged, pale blue Featherweight paper.
Slip pocket

all available here:
here 

‘I never travel without my diary. 
One should always have something sensational to read on the train’.
Oscar Wilde.

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Gentlemen's Accessory Box

Printed brown calf leather. Nubuck calf leather lined. Brass fittings
Compartments for jewellery and dressing accessories;
form small sections for cufflinks and collar stiffeners,
to a drawer with 4 watch pillows.
 £ 1 525

here:
http://www.smythson.com/brown-mara-gentlemans-accessory-box.html

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Back to "earth".....
got to rush to finish - rap and pack
 my homemade/handcrafted gifts

Socks - knitted my "thoughts" into....

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Home-baked Christmas cookies....

....hand-picked/-collected and -cracked walnuts from our garden....

...filled into old French jam glasses...

...nearly ready to be rapped in cellophane,
provided with a little bunch of Myrtle, Rosemary, 
twigs of our yew tree and with lovely ribbons.
And - plenty more to create - to do....

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As wonderful as it can be to buy and give (and to receive!) luxurious presents
when "money is no object"
at the end
the point of a gift should be to let someone know that one is thinking of him or her.
It's not to show how much the friendship matters by spending a lot of money.
Most the time, during my whole life, I don't buy presents - 
I just invest thoughts, my heart and give my time. 

Talking about "time" - 
now I've got to dash off.....

running late - not only with this post....

 

...also with rapping and packing....and.... 

....creating more little presents

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Please visit Marsha to read all interesting posts of our BIO-Group,

posts about gift ideas, funny ones, 

luxurious ones....and....and....

here

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Finally:

In this sense....
My best wishes to all of you for a lovely Pre-Christmas time.
Stay cool - keep warm - wherever you are!

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xxxk

Sorry, cannot resist to finish this post with a quote:

 "But it is a cold, lifeless business when you go to the shops to buy something, 

which does not represent your life and talent, but a goldsmith's." 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson, 

"Gifts," Essays, Second Series, 1844

Thanksgiving Greetings

Willem van Aelst, 16 May 1627 – in or after 1683

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Our rural ancestors, with little blest,
Patient of labour when the end was rest,
Indulged the day that housed their annual grain,
With feasts, and off'rings, and a thankful strain.
~Alexander Pope

(21 May 1688 – 30 May 1744)

German "Erntedankfest"

Remember God's bounty in the year. 

String the pearls of His favor. 

Hide the dark parts, except so far as they are breaking out in light! 

Give this one day to thanks, to joy, to gratitude! 

~Henry Ward Beecher

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