Oh bring us a figgy pudding...

Well, once again we seem to have missed Stir Up Sunday. the Sunday before Advent which is traditionally the day set aside for making Christmas Puddings. It is a time when traditionally the whole family would come together to take a turn to stir the pudding mixture in the bowl, make a wish and a charm or coin to the mix. Finding the coins or charms on Christmas Day would bring weallth, health, happiness and a little caution to the pudding eating! Traditional tokens would include silver coins for wealth, a thimble for thrift, a tiny wishbone for good luck and an anchor to symbolise safe harbour.




We do love a tradition and one that brings the whole family together earns extra brownie points too. Neither of us have made the Christmas Pudding this year and might have to resort to adding the odd sprig of holly or two to the few remaining custard creams in the biscuit tin for our staff Christmas treat!
We have had fun, however, sifting through old recipes for Christmas puddings and cakes. There are plenty to be found over here if it's a true 1940s flavour you're after. Milly went to a workshop one year on Christmas in the 1940s and it was fascinating to hear of the spirit of Making Do and Mend coming to the fore at Christmas. A time of true resourcefulness..



.If you fancy making your own mincemeat this year, we have this Victorian recipe for you, just click on the image to read it clearly.

And here is one from the 1940s for Wartime Mince Pies, issued by the Ministry of Food, (again please click on image to enlarge). Let us know if you have a go!



Rachel, one of our visitors to the Emporium recently bought lots of our jelly moulds. She contacted us to let us know that she intended to make quince cheese in the moulds. Always eager to see some photos, we asked her if she would let us see the results and she has kindly let us share them here. Aren't they gorgeous. They look so pretty too! Please read her wonderful blog to find out more. It's wonderful stuff!



So if any of this takes your fancy amongst all the other Christmas doings that we find ourselves knee deep in at the moment, the best of luck. Stir well, don't forget the brandy, mind those silver coins and douse liberally with wishes.

All that Glitters..

You may be mistaken in thinking that we have been idle of late, all being quiet on the blog front, but this could not be further than the truth. M & D have been busy dusting down the shelves of their new department to welcome early bird shoppers for the Christmas season.
We are delighted to find ourselves between the pages of the BBC Homes & Antiques Magazine this month where they feature all manner of delicious twinkly glittery decorations including our own vintage Christmas collection of nostalgia.



So if you fancy a vintage flavoured Christmas, grab your hat and coat and come along with your baskets to browse our exciting Christmas Grotto...

You can choose from jaunty reindeer and jolly Christmas wrap ..



Flirty fairies and happy snowmen ...



Nostalgic Christmas cards and forests of miniature trees or bright beautiful baubles..



We have oodles of gift ideas in all departments..



Jolly good reads in the library, great graphics on vintage posters in the attic, wooden dolls for little girls or big ones in the nursery, Make do and Mend for Auntie Maud in the sewing room. Why not say it with vintage this Christmas!

Sowing the seeds...

At the beginning of one of our very favourite books, The Diary of a Provincial Lady by E M Delafield, our heroine writes in her diary that she is planting her indoor bulbs. It is November 7th and she is interrupted by a visit from Lady B, who is quick to inform her that September or even October at a push is the best time to be planting them...
Well, unlike Lady Boxe we seem to be siding with the Provincial Lady - do we dream of having a house full of sweetly scented bulbs? Yes! Do we know that bulb planting time is amongst us? Yes! Have we done anything about it? No.
But today we found this vintage seed and bulb advertisement that made us want to rush for our pens and request a catalogue. It's hard to say what we most like about it. Perhaps it's the fact that the orders will be "executed with the utmost despatch." Perhaps it's the fact that we would have to write to request a catalogue, a good old fashioned letter. But do you know what? The thing that gets us really excited is that the offices are in Covent Garden, the old flower market and our heads are full of Eliza Dolittle and posies of violets...

A Pitter Patter Day...

Well it's a "batten down the hatches" kind of day here in the Emporium and we've forgotten our galoshes and souwesters. No splishing or splashing for us. The ducks will have to play without us and we'll just have to do our ever so hardest to stay out of mischief.



Maybe we'll just get on with a spot of painting...

Just another day ..

It's never a dull moment here at the Emporium . We thought we would give you a peek at the every day goings on in our busy lives. Oh where would we be without dear Mrs O, forever plying us with her Bourbon biscuits and gingerbread and witty anecdotes.
Well it's business as usual.. so if you will please excuse us we have customers to attend ..

It's Dottie's Turn!

Dottie dear, will you please leave the washing alone! It's time to get ready...



No I'm not going to tell you, just run along, put your best frock on and favourite hankie in your handbag...



My, you do look ever so pretty!
Just sit in the parlour for a while whilst I go and fix in the music - don't get into trouble and promise you won't get your frock dirty, keep away from the choccy biccies....
Ready? Steady? Surprise!



Happy Birthday Dottie dearest (I hear it's quite the done thing to have a birthday this week!).



Come on then, I'll help you out of the chair... sort your frock out and pull up those socks of yours
Because it's time to have some fun!



Happy Happy Birthday and oodles of custard creams
xxx

It's jelly and ice cream time ...

Yes.. it's time to dust down your frocks again and put on your silly party hats



Please gather round and join me in singing Happy Birthday to dear Milly....



We won't talk about age or anything like that.. though Milly might need some help with all of those candles!!!



Happy Birthday dear Milly.. have a wonderful day!