T Minus Twelve Hours

At twenty-one hundred hours tonight, the entire Viernes clan will descend upon our two-bedroom hall flat laden with presents, home-cooked food and matching appetite to go with it.

Filipinos traditionally celebrate on Christmas Eve with a (close to) midnight dinner with the family followed by exchanging gifts. Christmas Day is when we go to church to give thanks and ask for blessings. For the past 8 years it also meant celebrating my nephew’s birthday.

When I was younger, Christmas Day was when our parents would take us around to most of our other relatives to share a meal with them and exchange more gifts. Christmas and New Year week is one long festival of food and gifts. A little girl could only eat so much traditional desserts and ham.

The only sad note to this year’s Christmas is that my first born is away in Manila. I will definitely be on the phone to her tonight. Sure there might be tears (I’m choking up a bit as I type!) but she is with family so she is well looked after. Next year, I plan to take the family back to Manila and have a reunion of sorts and let the kids experience a proper Filipino Christmas.

And yes, I have photos. The mini-sock now hangs in the tree along with the mini-sweaters. Next year, the tree will have a knitted skirt.

The Thujas are coming along very well, thank you very much. This was last night just before I went to bed. A couple more inches to go before the toe decreases, which I am now doing, sneaking into my knitting bag when no one is looking. I am in the office by the way. Not by choice, mind you. The boss needed me here so I am here but we have an accord so I will be off by midday to get back home to start on the ham and the cheesecake for tonight.


I don’t think the Thujas will use up all 3 skeins of the yarn so I will have almost a full skein leftover when both socks are done. I haven’t decided what to do with leftover yarns just yet so they sit in one ziplock bag waiting for the decision on their fate.

Confession time. I was supposed to be on a yarn diet back in late October. But I have been a very bad girl and have been buying up yarn from other people’s stash as well as signing up for yarn clubs left, right and centre. For most of 2009, I have exactly 7 yarn clubs scheduled to deliver sumptuous, exclusive colourway yarns to me. Here is the complete schedule:

  • Blue Moon Rockin Sock Club (Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sept and Nov) – I am most excited about this one!
  • Sundara Seasons Collection (Feb, Apr) – I have received two mailings so far, read further below for 2nd mailing details
  • Sundara Sweater Collection (Feb) – just one mailing but it’s quality Sundara yarn in sweater quantities!
  • Sundara Lace Collection (Jan, Mar and June) – I have never knitted in lace but feel the great need to covet lace yarn
  • Pride and Prejudice Club from Etsy (Mar, May, Sept) – I chose the Liz Bennett and Mr. Darcy colourway
  • Madeline Tosh Magnolia Club (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr) – The colourways look absolutely amazing!
  • Yarntini Happy Hour Sock Club (Jan, Feb, Mar) – I think I chose the “appletini” colourway

Add to this the recent slew of purchases made which have yet to be delivered to me, including one knitter’s entire stash! Yes, I am weak. No wonder my bank called yesterday to confirm if I have been purchasing through Paypal. My credit card statement has nothing but Paypal transactions on it.

I am never one for New Year’s Resolutions but I talked myself into making one for 2009 and that is to not buy any more yarn. Do not laugh! I have so much in stash and so much more to come as the above list shows so I should have no reason to covet any yarn right? Right. I need a mantra that I can chant to myself to remind me of this.

Back to the Sundara Seasons Collection, my second mailing arrived the other day. It’s Fingering Silk Merino in the Flaming Flamingo colourway. Five hundred yards of 50% silk, 50% merino. It is amazing! I compared this skein with the sock yarn I received in the first mailing and the addition of silk does make a pronounced difference. The yarn is much smoother to the touch and the sheen is amazing. Here it is in it’s loveliness.

With that I leave you with warmest wishes for the best Christmas and New Year.

Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones!

Posted in UncategorizedBy Jocelyn