Tuesday, November 21, 2006

FILLING THE STOCKINGS

Christmas is almost upon us and with it the “what on earth can I get him/her” question. This year the big stuff is already taken care of. Well, mostly.

Which just leaves the stockings.

I don't know about you, but I love Christmas stockings! Finding special little gifts to tuck amongst the nuts and oranges is, I think, just about my favourite part of the season. An excuse to potter about in shops I’d never normally visit. Spend giggle money.

Last year, the pink “girl” toolkit – screwdriver, tape and pliers -- was voted “the coolest thing ever” by my handy dd. Topping that this year was always going to be tricky, but I think I might just have managed it.

Hands up all the pre-Cindy baby-boomer generation of girls who played with paper dressing dolls? Spending hours dressing them in all their outfits. Every day clothes. Coats. The riding outfit. The nurse uniform. The party dress. All those little hats and shoes and boots. Hours of bliss.

Well this year I’ve found a grown up version produced by Celia Birtwell, although this doll isn’t card and her clothes aren’t paper. And there are none of those little fold-over tabs to get torn off.

This dressing doll is a fridge magnet and so are all her clothes and accessories and I’m seriously tempted to buy another set for the white board in my office – playtime for those moments when the muse has gone out for a long lunch. (I was going to put a picture here but can’t grab one off the website – but you can see the doll being dressed in all her outfits if you go there yourself.).

Oh, and just in case I’ve stirred a hankering for the real thing -- for some “little” girl you know, or even your own inner child -- a quick Google revealed that there are dozens of sites on the internet that sell them. Brilliant.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I used to absolutely love the dress-up dollies on the back of Bunty comic so this post took me back awhile. Tried to have a look at the link but the site isn't working at the moment. Just my luck, that!

Liz Fielding said...

You may have to download Flash, Sharon. It only took a minute.

Donna Alward said...

My girls got something similar a few years ago, Liz. 2 dolls, and a variety of outfits to mix and match, all magnets. It is the cutest thing.

One thing we always stick in the grownup stockings is scratch and win lotto tickets for some christmas morning fun!

Kate Walker said...

I love making up stockings - better than real presents in so many ways. My son may be 'grown up' in so many ways but not when it comes to a Christmas stocking. I know I've succeded in getting some great silly things when he looks at me and says, with laughter in his voice 'Mum, how old am I?' Never too old for a lovely Christmas stocking - is anyone?

And I love the dressing doll magnets - I used to love the paper versions but these are so glam!

Liz Fielding said...

I find that the "sherbet fountains" always go down a treat! And as for the kids never growing up -- I'm there with them. Or maybe, in my case, it's my second childhood!

Anne McAllister said...

Liz, love the fridge magnets. She might have to come and be a companion for David (Michelangelo's, complete with jeans and chaps and cowboy hat) and Venus (in fringed buckskin) on our fridge. They could use a new friend!