General Chat

Lots and mostly from places I have visited here or abroad or hubby has brought back from his trips abroad. Does anyone else have lots of souvenirs from trips they made anywhere?

OH came from a family which travelled a lot for work.
In-laws' house was full of all manner of things, especially from their time in Far East.

Once we started travelling, we realised it was easy to get swayed by what we saw abroad, just because they were different.

We made a decision eventually not to buy random items and instead started looking out for small Christmas tree decorations.

Now, when the tree is decked, it's good to recall those happy holiday memories.

Gwyn, that's a lovely idea and I bet your Christmas tree looks lovely.

Unfortunately I have a bit of an aversion (not exactly a phobia but getting there) about travelling so it wouldn't work for me. Now if only I had a relative who travelled a lot they could look for tree decorations for me - however I haven't :-(

Kath. x

Now that is a good idea re the Christmas tree decorations.

Oh lor, I have an enormous bag that I keep the rest of the bags in. Mostly cotton or linen bags, that I thought was a good idea at the time. :-D ;-)

I have relatives abroad who send me decorations from their part of the world, and I send them London memorabilia.

Nothing like a London Cab hanging on the tree.

We collect thimbles and we have loads from all over the place. Not a nice job cleaning them all though :-D :-D

Do you have them in those little wooden display cabinets, LG?

A friend of mine has the china ones.

Yes I have MG and they are mostly china but I do have some silver ones too

Ah pretty. She is very proud of hers, and her husband buys her one on special occasions too.

The family have bought us some from abroad as they are well travelled :-D :-D

The tree ornaments are a lovely idea, but we don't travel and like Kathleen no relatives that travel either. I don't have a Christmas tree anyway lol.
I do have a few things from when daughters went abroad but that's only about 6 items in my cabinet.
I don't collect anything as I don't like too many ornaments about and my cabinet is as full as I like it to be.

I do seem to have a lot of Iceland bags though as if I do a online shop everything gets delivered in plastic carrier bags but they do get reused not just binned.

Gwyn, we've always bought tree decorations as reminders from everywhere we visited too. In Athens, however, we came across some lovely needlework so bought a tree skirt and table linen from there too. They come out every year.

We continued to bring tree decs back for grandchildren too - until the last few years when we've stayed in the UK. Now, I fasten a new tree ornament onto their presents every Christmas.

When I was at Uni, I started collecting naff religious icons. The naffer the better!!
As I was studying Religions, when I found a new one, I took it in, and did a short 'show & tell' (I was also studying Education) during 'lulls' in the lectures.
This led to my fellow students searching them out for me - they found the process as fascinating as I did.

I now have a wooden wine crate - suitably labelled 'Beaune Greves 1990, Vigne de L'enfant Jesus'. full of icons, on top of a cupboard

This started when I used to visit my mum in Portugal,and saw a very expensive , large, porcelain flashing monk in a religious gift shop! I didn't buy that - I bought a small copy.

The best ones were in the funeral director's in Almancil. I'd gone there with my mum when her husband had died. I didn't buy anything, as it wasn't the right time.

During lockdown a local furniture and houseware shop had a large, brightly coloured bag with a crab on and a logo saying "crabby old bag". When restrictions were eased I risked all and bought one for a friend with a sense of humour. The bag now hangs in full view of everyone coming in through her kitchen door. The bag has many admirers and all enjoy a good laugh.

Jacqueline
I have a hessian one given to me by my daughter, it has raised many a smile when people read
'Take an old bag shopping'.

At the local shop they always ask if I want a bag, and I tell them no, I've left the wife at home !

I hope she has a heavy handbag to clout you with, Andrew. ;-) :-D

Bags of room for more!