Traveling Home for Christmas

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My Friend Victoria Thomasch and Me

Recently I met up with my friend Victoria Thomasch who was over from New York to audition in London.  We had a great time afterward as I showed her some of the sites around London.  Of course, we had to call in at the Opera House and as she is a keen Harry Potter fan we managed to get a few pictures for her scrapbook at Platform 9 ¾, Kings Cross station.  I finished the week with a  performance for Surrey Opera in their Gala Christmas Fund Raiser which I believe was a great success for them.

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Tonight, I will be sat in the living room of my family home, the winter fire dancing, and flickering whilst I’m snuggled under my blanket ready for some cosy restful days ahead over the Christmas break. We have always loved to celebrate Christmas as a time for family in our home, my parents go to such a lot of trouble to dress the house and plan fun activities for the whole family to enjoy. I love this time of year, as I get to see my family and friends, play games, and create crafty designs with my Mum.

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My older brother Matt has brought home some of his favourite board games to play. A family favourite is Telestrations, a drawing game that is similar to Chinese whispers, each player has a booklet, you have to draw a miscellaneous object from a mystery card, then pass it on around the other players, the next player has to say what they think the object is from your image. This pattern continues around the group and you have to hope that by the end of the game, the object is the same as the beginning. It’s always funny to see how a word can evolve into something entirely different, and in our family, the drawings can be quite hilarious! I really recommend it!

This afternoon my Mum and I played some Christmas songs to set a festive atmosphere. Then we created some Christmas cards ready to send to our friends next year. I love this activity as you can always use glitter and sparkle this time of year!

How do you spend your Christmas holiday?

I want to wish everyone a fabulous festive break where ever you are in the world and I hope that you have a fantastic time, filled with love, relaxation, and delicious food.

72 thoughts on “Traveling Home for Christmas”

  2. Mine will be the complete opposite of yours, Charlotte, solitude and peace, but in our differing ways we will both have the holidays we want and need. Every good wish to you and all your family.

    Reply

    1. I hope you had a lovely day Martin, do you have a full week off work? I spend a lot of time on my own and sometimes it’s nice just to do your own thing and not have to take other people into consideration 🥰.
      Best wishes to you
      Charlotte

      Reply

  3. Merry artistic Christmas to you, dear Charlotte! Why, no men in your family dress into Santa? That’s a pity. It would be fun. And Happy New Year! THis year I have crafted the presepe and some cards and during holidays I will be making some Christmas decorations for our Christmas tree.
    Chin-chin!
    Best wishes,
    Maria 🙂 🙂 🙂

    Reply

    1. It would be fun, my Dad used to hire costumes for our birthday parties they were great. I bought my Mum a book on making paper flowers 💐 so we’re going to have a go at that when we get chance to buy some crepe paper.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  7. Hope that you and your family have a terrific holiday. Make a lot of cards and Christmas cookies. Have a lot of fun with your family. Happy Holidays Charlotte from your friend, Darlene

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    1. Thank you Darlene Merry Christmas. We made loads of cards and Matt tried his hand at making Mille-feuille.
      Home cooked food is just fabulous and I got a good rest.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  9. You are such a joy Merry Christmas Dear I follow your posts and am so happy that life is treating you well. It will be wonderful to see what happens for you in the new year,Always the Best .You have such a great smile. Keep that happiness going dear Your Fan Ken McFerrin in San Jose, California USA

    Reply

      1. Thank You for writing back I know how busy you must be and to take out the time to write us is wonderful of you. I have been sick the last few years but watching you grow in the music world I am so happy to see you doing what I love Classical music and watching your young dreams come to true. Your Fan Ken

  10. It’s wonderful for you to spend this time with your family. Such fun you will have! Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you and your family! Hugs xx 🎄 🎁 🎉 🎊 🥳 ⛄️ ⭐️ 🎅 ❤️

    Reply

    1. It’s been a lovely rest and recharge Janice, we’ve been playing games today and it’s fab having a tv so we’re about to watch The Equaliser 2. Hugs xx
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  12. Charlotte; I wish you and your wonderful family the very Merriest of Christmases and all the best for 2019! You are so lucky to have such a great family to go home to. I also wanted to write you—but have been too busy—how much I enjoyed your report from your trip to New York for auditions. I have been in New York during the holidays many times and it is a magical time in the city. It never looks prettier. How nice that you got to see the city at its best! And finally—Victoria is another young singer with a smile as big as yours! You look like sisters in that photo.

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    1. It is great to be all together I miss everyone. It’s nice for my parents to be off work for a week and have a fun time. I hope you’re getting a rest too after being so busy. Victoria is a lovely girl inside and out I just wish I wasn’t so busy when she was over so I could spend more time with her.
      All my best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

    1. It’s fab isn’t it, Victoria got a great one of her pressed up by the wall in a running pose very funny, we queued for half an hour it’s a very popular spot in the real station.
      All my best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  16. Have the happiest family Christmas, Charlotte, I know what it will mean to your parents to have you all together. We too are all gathered now, our two from Chicago and three from London, and I am the happiest mother.

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    1. That’s wonderful Hilary, my parents are very happy too. We have eaten sooo much. Excited for the New Year and all my best wishes to you and your family too,
      Charlotte 🙋🏼.

      Reply

  17. My Christmas is somewhat circumscribed by the fact that I am still undergoing treatment for cancer, although I am now on out patient, and will be with family members for part of the day. After the last two months actually having Christmas is something in itself!

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    1. Oh Thomas I’m sorry to hear you’re going through this, I hope you all managed to have a good Christmas together. I wish you wellness for 2019 and the strength to get through this.
      All my best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

      1. Thank you fior your kind thoughts and words – all support counts for a huge amount at such a difficult time in my life 🙂

  19. I’m quite envious of your family Christmas. I think I need to return to the Northern Hemisphere just once so I can snuggle under a blanket at Christmas. LOL. from my house to yours, all the very best for a happy Christmas season.

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    1. Right now I think we’d enjoy a hot Southern Hemisphere Christmas 😀. They’ve told us we are due snow and a really bad weather month in January it’s been mild but very wet. Hope you’re having a super Christmas.
      Best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

      1. It was HOTTTTT! We entertained people on our balcony this afternoon but had to retreat indoors. As I’m typing this am wondering if I should have have my second shower for the day.

  24. That is interesting. People going back and forth from New York to London and vice versa to Audition. Go where the Opportunities are.

    I’m not sure what I’m doing for Christmas. Though, I am thankful for extra rest time.

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  25. Merry Christmas Charlotte. I hope you and your family have a wonderful day. I am cooking the Christmas dinner for David, mum and his parents so a fun filled afternoon ahead. All the best for 2019! xx

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  28. Hope you are enjoying your Christmas Day with your family, Charlotte. You and your friend are enough alike to be sisters! Happy New Year – may you have one filled with song, adventure, and challenges,just to make it interesting!

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    1. Thanks Noelle, Victoria is a lovely person in and out so that’s a lovely compliment. We had a super day I hope you and your family did too. Song, adventures and challenges sound like a fabulous wish for me can’t wait to get started.
      All my best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  30. Merry Christmas, Charlotte! I love family Christmas traditions, too–my favourite is probably reading A Christmas Carol out loud, one chapter a night with the last on Christmas morning (since it happens on Christmas morning!) And then we always have the Christmas movie-a-thon, trying to watch all the Christmas films we (mostly me, in fact!) have collected over the years. And this year we all got new movies as gifts, so we had to add those to the list, too! We were up very late indeed. Hope yours was just as much fun!

    Best regards,

    Cate

    Reply

    1. Merry Christmas Cate and a Happy New Year to all your family. I caught a cold, timely for Christmas break! So we had lots of story time, games and films to watch like Equaliser 2, Ant Man and Wasp! Molly’s Game, John Wick, and Changing Lanes (as you can see we are outnumbered by boys), we also went to the cinema to watch the new Mary Poppins which I loved so I got my own back.
      Have a fabulous New Year.
      All my best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

  31. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Charlotte! It looks like a wonderful holiday for you, your mum and the family!
    Yes, we eat lots right through the New Year, then comes all of the walking to get back into shape. 😀 I decided to make all of the gifts for my small family, this year. It took me weeks but everyone got something I made from beaded lace Victorian lingerie bags to sketches of my niece.
    I also wish you 💥💥☄️HAPPY NEW YEAR 💥💥☄️

    Reply

    1. Merry Christmas my friend I hope you had a happy time and a marvellous New Year.
      All my best wishes
      Charlotte

      Reply

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