Wishing you all a Happy New Year

So here it is, my last post for 2017. I've got a lot to tell you so it may be a long post! First, Christmas. On December 23 we took John's grown-up children and their partners to a Christmas Carol singalong at the Royal Albert Hall, followed by lunch. If you live in or near London, I'd highly recommend the Raymond Gubbay Christmas series. The carol concerts are really magical.

Ultra Violet: the 2018 Colour of the Year

The Pantone Institute has chosen this colour, ultra violet, as its colour of the year.  Expect to see this variation of purple in home decor and fashion.

5 Over 50 Challenge: Christmas Jumpers

Christmas jumpers tend to be associated with the brazen, colourful Father Christmas embellished affairs with flashing lights, but they come in four different varieties. Laurie's challenge for the 5 0ver 50 for December is styling a Christmas jumper and it's interesting to see that three of the boxes are ticked. Fortunately no-one chose to wear the overtly ugly version of a Christmas jumper!

Christmas traditions from around the world

How different is a Christmas in Alaska from a Christmas in Stockholm? Or Canada? Or Spain or Germany?
As Is This Mutton? discovered, there are lots of similarities - but also some unique cultural traditions.

I do love a patterned skirt!

I've been very consistent over the years in loving a patterned skirt with colourful tights and jumper/sweater. I have several from Boden including my beloved green skirt and I used to have a permanent search on eBay for Boden skirts.

The Tailor who Discovered Tanzanite, birthstone for December

There's a clue to where the gemstone Tanzanite comes from, and it's in the name. Tanzania is the only place on earth where this gorgeous deep blue / violet stone is mined.

In our continuing series on the birthstones, Is This Mutton? explores Tanzanite -one of the birthstones for December, discovered just recently in the 1960s.