COSY AT CHRISTMAS...

Readers tell us about their festive footwear... Christmas socks or toasty-warm slippers? You show us your faves!

Kerry says:
My slipper socks are from Peru or somewhere I think... they look handmade anyway, and I absolutely love them! The colours are green and red which makes them Christmassy - in my book, anyway! When I get in from school I get changed (because who wants to slob around in their uniform?) and putting these on makes me feel happy and excited about the whole Christmas thing. And cosy, obviously, because they are so warm and toasty! They came from a local hippy shop and cost about £8, and because they're more slippers than socks I think that is a total bargain!

Jen says:
Socks with Christmas trees on... you don't get much more festive than this! I saw them in the shops and I couldn't resist. They're 'happy' socks - they make me smile every time I put them on. A lot of the time I put them on over my tights or over other socks, instead of slippers, to keep my feet extra warm. My main problem will be not being able to wear them anymore once January arrives!

Kayleigh says:
I love my Santa socks, and I plan to keep wearing them inside my boots until the weather warms up again... why should they be just for Christmas? We have a bit of a tradition at our house about getting silly Christmas stuff... jumpers, PJs, socks, etc. It makes the run up to Christmas really special but it's hard to leave all the silly good humour behind once January arrives! These socks are OK though because most people will only see the top part of them with the stars, and that's fine... only I know I have 'Secret Santa' toes!

Cathy says:
Love this... and I love the 'snuggle up' ethos of the week between Christmas and New Year too! Did YOU get cosy socks or slippers this year? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

DECK THE HALLS...

We asked you to tell us about your favourite Christmas decorations... and the stories you shared are just gorgeous!

Ali says:
These decorations have been on various trees of mine since 1985! They were bought on a school exchange to Hanau, near Frankfurt, in what was then West Germany (the Berlin Wall didn't come down until 1989!). We took an excursion to a nearby town which had a Christmas shop. I remember walking in and standing on a balcony which overlooked a whole floor of twinkling, sparkling, glitter decorations - it was magical! I bought these three things, all of which have seen better days. My nutcracker, now missing an arm, and two smaller decorations which have lost their loops - I balance them on the branches now! I would encourage anyone in their teens to buy a small decoration every year and take a photo of yourself with it, so that one day you can look back on them and share your memories!

Vikki says:
My dad started a tradition of buying one special tree decoration each year for my daughters - this is just one, pictured left. Holly has seventeen now and Alex eleven! When they each leave home, the idea is that they can take their tree decorations with them - the only problem will be that out tree will be bare!

Maisie says:
It's not my favourite exactly but every year we put a salt dough Santa decoration on the tree, which I made in Year Three at primary school. I remember making it really well - the salt dough was sticky and strange to work with, and the teacher took them away and baked them and then we painted and varnished them. It was my mum's Christmas present that year. Now I am sixteen, but that wonky salt dough Santa comes out every single year, and goes on the tree along with the posh decorations. My mum loves it.

Marti says:
I don't know what to say about this - see right - apart from that it is an acquired taste! The thing is, I don't have a clue where this decoration came from or why it's even on our tree in the first place. One day it was just there, along with all of Mum's beautiful decorations. That vile pink THING has pride of place every year! I mean... why? Is it a pig? I literally cannot tell!

Lauren says:
My favourite Christmas decoration is a soft snowman with a purple scarf. We've had it for more than three years now and it's technically my mum's, but but this year I get to have it on MY tree!

Louise says:
One year when I was little my big sister made me a strange dog-shaped tree decoration out of cardboard and tissue paper and glitter. It was the year I really wanted a dog for Christmas and we couldn't have one then, so the dog decoration was sort of to make up for it. It looks mad but it will always mean the world to me. My sister is away at uni now - but we DO have a real dog at last!

Alice says:
These are the baubles (see left) I bought for the first Christmas of my children - they will always be very special!

Hannah says:
My ballerina decoration is my favourite because I love ballet as much as Summer Tanberry!

Violet says:
I love the faux icicle decorations we bought from a shop on Well Street. Firstly, they look pretty and classy, almost like real icicles... very wintry! Secondly, they're clear so they go with any colour scheme! One year I asked if we could have a silver and blue theme as opposed to our usual red and gold - and we could still use the icicles. Lastly, whenever I think of these, I think of our cat Caramel who went to the Rainbow Bridge nearly eight years ago... once she casually sauntered up o the tree, grabbed one of the icicle decorations off one of the lower branches and sprinted off with it in her mouth. She was like a dog with a stick and wouldn't let us take it back! Awww.

Cathy says:
I LOVE these posts... so many lovely stories! Have YOU got a favourite Christmas decoration? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more!

LOST & FOUND AT CHRISTMAS!

A brilliant LOST & FOUND Christmas fanfic from talented NZ reader Katie... find out what Lexie, Marley and their friends are up to in this gorgeous festive short story!

Katie says:
The Lost & Found have just played the last not on their Funky Carols Concert. With a triumphant 'Thank you and goodnight!' from Marley, they disband in a frenzy of noise, hugs and music stands stabbing into their sides. Lexie, Bex and Happi break off into a huddle against the cold, and with one last look at their band they skip off to their practice studio, the old railway carriage at Greystones. Jake was off at Tanglewood for the Christmas holidays, but Louisa Winter always greeted the Lost & Found warmly, even on the coldest days.They were all set up in the garden, and Bex and Happi wrapped themselves in the blankets and started batting baubles around like kittens, trying to stay warm. Lexie's mind was on the letter she had sent; she was waiting for one more special guest.

'Yoohoo!' Someone was clanking at the Geystones' gate. Someone... new... who didn't know the special trick to get the gate to slide open with a clunk...

'MISS WALKER!' Lexie cried joyfully, brushing herself off and running to meet her favourite librarian. Miss Walker's bubblegum pink hair was a beacon in the softly falling snow. She placed herself down with elegance on one of the abandoned blankets and produced a bundle of books.

'Every good party needs reading materials!' Miss Walke smiled, and as she say back Lexie noticed the librarian was wearing another of her trademark book-themed dresses, this time patterned with icons from harry Potter.

'This is officially a book party!' Lexie declared. 'And you're the life and soul of it, Miss Walker!'

The rest of the afternoon was spent reading and playing in the snow, until it got too cold and Miss Walker headed off to meet the bingo group at the library and Lexie, Bex and Happi traipsed inside for hot chocolates with Louisa Winter.  They toasted both Christmas and the Lost & Founs, and the hot chocolate warmed everything from their chattering teeth to their curled toes.

Cathy says:
Awww... what a fab, feel-good story! Have YOU read LOVE FROM LEXIE yet? Get to know Lexie and her friends in the first of my new LOST & FOUND series! COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

A CHRISTMAS STAR...

We asked you to share your memories of taking part in a Christmas play… and we got lots of lovely replies!

Lauren says:
I love being a performer because I get to put on someone else's shoes and walk in them for a while! I love being a part of a community and making friends with people I wouldn't normally have met. I've been in a few Christmas shows... Dracula The Panto; The Three Musketeers; and A Christmas Carol (the pic is from that one!). Christmas productions are always special as you get to help spread a bit of Christmas cheer and it makes Christmas that little bit more magical!

Yasmine says:
Christmas is always a special season for my family. Every year, my Hiphop Dance Academy performs in Christmas Spectacular, an event we have in New Zealand. Hundreds of thousands of people come to see the exciting shows, carols and fireworks! I love dancing so it's fun to take part in such a special event. Usually my friends and family are watching so it can be scary sometimes too! Each year we choose a new song to perform... a few years back it was Greased Lightning, and we had cool 50s outfits and red ribbons in our hair as you can see from the photo! As well as the Christmas shows, I do lots of community productions which help to build my confidence in the run up to the Christmas Spectacular. It's loads of fun and I love doing it every single year!

Georgia says:
Christmas is approaching - what better way to celebrate than with an end of term Christmas show? As a performer, I love being on the stage, so I was over the moon when college announced the show with just two weeks to prepare! It was very tough, but something a performer needs to be able to do. the excitement began here! Teachers began choreographing their numbers and it is honestly such an amazing feeling being put at the front - it shows that hard work does pay off and you get noticed by the teachers! When the big day arrived we had last-minute run throughs, polishing everything with the lights and surround sound. Everyone had their costumes on - a sea of red, white and silver flooded the college and as we topped up our make up and fixed our hair we knew it was almost SHOWTIME! The studio lights dimmed, bright lights flashed and it was time to hit the stage! I've been doing dance shows since I was two, so I don't really get pre-show nerves any more, more a buzz of energy ready to put my all into the piece. We were just about bouncing off the walls when we came off stage to a massive cheer from the audience! There truly is no greater feeling than doing what you love best, surrounded by the people that you love too!

Emily says:
For the last few years I have performed as a juvenile dancer at the Oakengates Theatre and the Theatre Seven in the pantos Cinderella and Aladdin. I've danced as a villager, a dog. a skeleton, a mummy, a fairy and partygoer at the ball. It has been a great experience, and I got to meet lots of famous people, which was fun! I will definitely audition again next year - I've loved every minute of it and hope to do more in the future! In the picture, this is me on the right in blue… as a villager in the panto Cinderella!

Cathy says:
I LOVE this! Thanks so much to all who contributed... you're right, too, it isn't Christmas without a show! Have YOU been to see a Christmas production this year? Or even been IN one? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more!

A CC BOOK TO READ AT CHRISTMAS...

Readers recommend their favourite CC books with a festive theme... pick up a copy and get yourself some Christmas spirit!

Deborah says:
ANGEL CAKE is by far my favourite CC book! I love the story and how Anya adapts to life in Liverpool. My favourite element of the book has to be the description, especially when Christmas comes around! I find it amazing that I am actually able to see the scenes as if they are actually happening in front of me... and feel the snow as if it's falling all around me. I enjoyed reading about the Polish traditions for Christmas and seeing how different they are to English traditions. Books that master imagery reel me in every time, and ANGEL CAKE is definitely one of them!

Abigail says:
ANGEL CAKE is an empowering book for anyone who has ever felt alone, and it has a great Christmas theme too. Anya, a Polish girl who moves to the UK, feels lost until she meets Dan - an angel to his mum, a bad boy to the teachers and a hero to his mates. Anya's friends warn her off Dan but they can't help falling in love, even when the world around them gets seriously complicated - Anya's family may be on the move again, and Dan is trapped in a tangle of lies. The whole Christmas theme makes this a perfect book to read in December, to capture the magic that many families find at Christmas!

Tania says:
MARSHMALLOW SKYE is my favourite CC book to read at Christmas. I love hearing about the Christmas parties and traditions of the Chocolate Box Girls and I go back to read the Christmas chapters over and over. My favourite is the bit where Coco gets her pet lamb, Humbug! The book has all the magical wintry background I absolutely love, like Alfie and Skye watching the snow fall on the steps of the gypsy caravan and going sledging on the hill... those bits are wonderful to me because I live in Australia where we don't have snow, and where Christmas comes in the middle of summer!

Kris says:
It's my favourite CC book and not especially a Christmas book, but it DOES have a bit of a Christmas flavour - the book is SUNDAE GIRL. I love the part where Jude and her class go carol singing in the snow and then she gets to walk home with Carter, and they get snowflakes on their lashes. It's romantic but also very funny! I also love the sound of Jude's dad's New Year's party - mad! I totally recommend this book to all CC fans! And the last and final reason it's my favourite book at Christmas time is that I got it as a Christmas present, five years ago now. I was nine then and I am fourteen now, and I still love it just as much as when I read it the first time!

Cathy says:
Aww, love these posts! Do YOU have a fave CC book to read at Christmas? If so, which one, and why? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

MOLLY: CHRISTMAS MEANS STRESS

It's problem page time again on DREAMCATCHER and reader Molly has a dilemma for troubleshooter HONEY TANBERRY to solve...

Molly says:
I am actually dreading Christmas. Last year was horrible... my mum and dad had a big row on Christmas Day because my dad had drunk too much to help in the kitchen and my mum got really stressed and burnt the roast potatoes and dried out the turkey and forgot the gravy. My gran and granddad made some nasty comments about the dinner and after they'd gone home there was a huge, huge row. My mum was screaming and crying and my dad said some terrible things and stormed off, and he stayed away until Boxing Day. I hated it. They did patch things up but I am dreading this year. Mum and Dad have both said it will be fine and gran and granddad aren't coming, but I feel sick every time I think about it.

Honey says:
Even the most perfect of parents mess up sometimes, and the stress levels last year were clearly sky high in your family. This year should be better as both your parents are clear that they don't want a repeat of that. The fact that your grandparents aren't coming for Christmas Dinner may help - perhaps their unkind comments were the last straw last time around? You can help by taking the pressure off wherever possible - clear up discarded wrapping paper, make cups of tea without being asked, help with washing up, and offer to take on simple tasks in the kitchen like making gravy or keeping an eye on the veggies. It all helps! Try to let go of your anxiety, as that will just make for a tense atmosphere... not what anyone needs. It's hard to accept that our parents aren't perfect, but that's the way it is... yours deserve a chance to out things right after last year's meltdown. Good luck... I hope it all works out!

Cathy says:
Christmas can be a VERY stressful time, and when you add extended family into the mix, things can get tricky. If things have been calm since then, I agree that there's no reason to think this Christmas will be a repeat performance! Have YOU ever experienced a stressy or nightmarish Christmas? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

CHRISTMAS CARDS... YES OR NO?

We asked if you still send Christmas cards to friends and family near and far - or if you prefer to send your greetings via the internet! This is what you said...

Violet says:
I don't send cards. If words are from the heart, they are meaningful no matter how they are transmitted - Christmas card, Facebook message, trained parrot, elaborate codes scribbled in the back of library books. It's the friendship that's important, not the mass-produced tree pulp. If my friends think I don't care about them because I don't send them the same glitter-coated, insipid, printed rhyme that I'd have to send to my other friends too, then they don't know me as well as they think they do. Some people give cards. Some don't. Everyone should do what they feel comfortable with, not what society tells us is the done thing.

Hollie says:
I do! I bought a pack of NSPCC charity Christmas cards this year. Technically I wrote them, but they're not from me... they're from my pup Boris, each containing a cheese pun Christmas message such as 'Eat, drink and Brie merry,' or 'You Cheddar watch out, you Cheddar not cry,' and complete with a Christmas photo of the beautiful puppy himself, with a Santa hat on and fairy lights draped over him. That, my friends, is what makes Christmas great!

Kym says:
If the person lives far away and I'm sending a gift, yes, otherwise no. If we do buy them, we buy boring ones that can be recycled, usually charity ones. We don't use proper wrapping paper either, just brown paper and twine - a ribbon or tissue paper if I'm feeling fancy!

Catherine says:
I love making Christmas cards and people love getting them - how can anything else replace a homemade card? Buying cards is a cop out if you can make them instead! I've kept old Christmas cards over the years and have a collection of nativity, robins and Santa cards. It's beautiful to know that each one was chosen for me!

Rowan says:
I bought charity cards from the hospital where my mum was treated for cancer last year. The right chemo and surgery has meant she has survived a rare type of cancer and the hospital were amazing. I think charity Christmas cards are wonderful!

Jade says:
I am old fashioned, not all of my friends bother, but I give out cards and they are home made ones too! I love Christmas and it makes me happy to make something a bit different for my friends. I think we live in a world of technology and it's rare to have something made by hand!

Lara says:
My family are not sending cards this year, we have made a donation to a local homeless charity instead. I think it has taken a lot of stress off my mum and saved a bit too, and we still feel like we have done something good that has the spirit of Christmas in it. But now my friends are starting to give me cards at school and I feel bad - dilemma!

Cathy says:
I love sending cards - I buy charity cards, this year from Survival International and Side by Side for Refugees. Do YOU still send cards - or do you think it's old fashioned? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

ANIMAL MAGIC AT CHRISTMAS!

We asked you to share your stories of animal antics at Christmas... this is what you said!

Hollie says:
This is our dog Boris... he had to be bribed with significant portions of turkey and cranberry biscuits to sit for this photo! Boris is spoiled at Christmas, more than anyone in the family. Don't tell him, but this year he has already been bought a sock monkey, an activity mat and some treats to go in it. And he's already had an antler chew! They've all been wrapped as we've discovered wrapping paper is the one thing he'll put in his mouth but not swallow! He's already torn an angel off the tree and eaten a few pine needles but we wouldn't have him any other way! (Apart from possibly sitting on all my homemade prezzies and crushing them!)

Katy says:
Well, there was the year our dog Scooby ate two selection boxes from under the tree! He looked so guilty, but I knew he'd probably do it again given half a chance! Chocolate is supposed to be poisonous to dogs but Scooby was fine, thankfully. Needless to say, we always leave chocolate prezzies on a high shelf now!

Bev says:
Severus, or Sevvie for short, really loves the run up to Christmas - there's always lots to play with in the apartment, as you can see in the picture to the right! He's like a mischievous toddler really, always looking for trouble, and the tree gives him he perfect place to lie in wait for any unsuspecting human passing by, ready to pounce out and nip their toes. He has his own stocking on Christmas morning, full of new toys and treats, and is allowed two sachets of his favourite soupy cat food instead of the usual one. Sevvie is very much a pampered pet but so darn cute and easy to love!

Holly says:
We have a great pic of our cat Lister from about seven years ago, venturing out into the snow. Lister's black... he ended up looking like a reverse Dalmation, all speckled with snowflakes!

Michelle says:
The pic on the left shows my three year old lop rabbit Silver... I made him some white wings and a sparkly halo so he can be an angel for Christmas. The wings and halo are just made from pipe cleaners and paper, and rested gently on him... how adorable does he look?

Jan says:
I am SO not impressed with our cat Lucifer this year. THREE times he has knocked the Christmas tree down! We've had to start keeping him out of the room. He thinks it's one big adventure game specially for him, with every bauble a cat toy!

Saffy says:
On the right is a pic of my lovely old cat snuggled up under the Christmas tree... she's not with us any more, sadly, she passed away last year, but I love this pic. Christmas won't be the same without her!

Sonia says:
This is a bit gross, I warn you! We had a real Christmas tree for the first time last year. It looked really pretty but after a while the room started smelling a but funky - and not in a pine-needles kind of way. Then one day my dad caught our dog Pie actually using the tree as a toilet! Urghhh! We had to get rid of it. This year we have a fake tree placed on a high table, and Pie is not allowed to be alone in the room with it!

Cathy says:
Aww, great pictures and fab stories! Do YOU have any stories of animal antics this Christmas? COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

CURL UP WITH A CLASSIC... A CHRISTMAS CAROL!

Reader Jodie-Mae shares her favourite classic read... and it just happens to have a Christmas flavour! Make yourself a hot chocolate and dive into A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens!

Jodie-Mae says:
If there is one story that sums up the festive season to me it has to be A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens. I admit I knew the story long before I ever read the book... the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his miserly ways has been popularised with several film versions! I first read the book this time two years ago, when I was off school after an illness My gran came to visit and she'd just borrowed a copy from the library. I could not resist having a look, and she decided to leave it with me! It seemed the perfect thing to read before Christmas, and I loved it so much my lovely gran actually bought me a copy of my own for Christmas!

So I am guessing we all know the story of how the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet To Come (as well as the ghost of his old friend Marley) visit Scrooge and show him the error of his ways... and what he's missing out on. It's an uplifting story of how kindness, love and generosity make the world a much better place... and how mean mindedness only turns a person sad, sour and lonely. I never tire of the message, but also love the way a Victorian Christmas is conjured up. The book does not shy away from describing how hard life was for those living in poverty, and that is a message I think we can still learn from.

The short book was first published on 19th December 1843, and the first edition had sold out by Christmas. By the end of the following year, thirteen editions had been printed and the book was well on the way to becoming a classic. The book was written at time when Christmas trees were just becoming popular and carols were having a revival, and some feel the book's celebration of Christmas actually helped to shape and cement the way we celebrate. The book got me interested in reading Dickens and finding out more about his life, and I liked that he often wrote about injustice and inequality and tried to do something about it. I am in Sixth Form now and studying both English and History, with a special interest in Victorian novels and history. It's an area I would love to study at uni one day, and I have A CHRISTMAS CAROL to thank for that!

Cathy says:
Brilliant... like Jodie-Mae, I read this novella as a teen and loved it! Do YOU have a favourite classic read? COMMENT BELOW to tell us more, or email if you'd like your suggestion to feature on a future DREAMCATCHER post!

THE REAL MEANING OF CHRISTMAS...

What does Christmas mean to YOU? CC readers share their thoughts and beliefs about Christmas...

Deborah says:
Christmas for me is the day that Jesus was born - hence the name CHRIST-mas. I believe our gift to Jesus on his birthday is to give gifts and goodwill to the people around us. To do something loving and considerate to mark the birth of our Saviour.

Isabelle says:
To me, Christmas is about having fun with your family. On Christmas, the whole family comes to our house and so do friends as well. Then in the day we go to the beach! It's really windy and cold, but it's a Christmas tradition for us! Christmas is all about being with friends and family and being happy!

Melissa says:
Christmas is about hiding away from the world and its stress - locking the doors and playing games with the kids and making them feel special, showing them how important they are to us.

Cheryl says:
I use Christmas as a milestone to assess where my life is and what I want to achieve in the coming year. Just seems like a good time for gratitude and new wishes!

Harley says:
My family aren't religious, so for us it's about spending time together, eating good food and giving gifts. We still go to carol services, look at the lights and join the Christmas Eve street party for the local children's hospital, but that's part of the tradition of it all.

Bob says:
Peace on Earth. Can it be?

Jessica says:
Christmas is what it is... and different for everyone! For me it's a time to give and receive, to sing carols with your friends, to remember the nativity. It's about seeing family and friends, being thankful for what you have, reflecting on the year past and looking forward to the year ahead!

Kate says:
I love so much about Christmas. The smell of the pine Christmas tree, the twinkly lights, the presents - and you may not believe it, but I like giving much more than I like getting. It's a time to show people that you care. I like going to church, even though we don't go much the rest of the year, and I love that it brings families and friends together. It's special - it's Christmas!

Cathy says:
Awesome comments... but what does Christmas mean to YOU? Tell all - just COMMENT BELOW to have your say!

KELLY: TEN THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO THIS CHRISTMAS!

Reader Kelly has a list of ten things to do this festive season to get the very best out of Christmas... how many can YOU manage?

1: Make a snowman! If it snows, you just have to do it... there is nothing like a bit of snow to bring out the kid in all of us! Don't forget to add a hat and scarf and a carrot for the nose!

2: Go to a carol service! This is a great way to get a taste of the real meaning of Christmas and remind yourself what we are actually celebrating. 

3. Eat too many mince pies, chocolate coins, tangerines and peppermint candy canes... and then on the day itself, pig out on Quality Street and roast dinner followed by turkey sandwiches and trifle for tea. It's Christmas, it's allowed!

4. Do some baking. Whether it's making a gingerbread house to ice and decorate or helping to stir the Christmas pud, it sets the scene perfectly. Who knows, you might decide to do some cooking on the day itself too!

5. Take a little brother or sister to see Santa in his grotto. Remember how magical that felt when you were little? Hanging out with the little kids will make sure you don't miss out on that Christmas magic!

6. Go to a Christmas market - buy a hot chocolate and browse the stalls with your friends! You'll find interesting and unusual things to buy and better still, soak up a real flavour of Christmas. The lights, the smells, the music... Christmas shopping has never been so much fun!

7. Go ice skating with your besties... the perfect winter day out, followed by hot chips and and a gingerbread latte...

8. Think about those less fortunate than yourself this festive season - and make a shoebox for charity, or donate toys, books or warm clothing for local homeless families or refugees. It's all part of the Christmas spirit!

9. Christmas Eve special by putting on new PJs and snuggling up with your family to watch a favourite Christmas movie. Make non-alcoholic mulled 'wine' by adding cinnamon sticks, orange slices and star anise to a carton of grape juice, and heat gently in a pan until warm... the house will smell super Christmassy!

10: Hang up a stocking and remember to leave a glass of whisky and a mince pie for Santa and a carrot for Rudolf! All that's left now is to enjoy the day itself!

Top photo by Jess Goode; bottom photo by Ellie Ogilvy. Thanks to our two fab photographers for their help!

Cathy says:
Love this... I try to do most of these (except for the turkey sandwiches, of course - I'm veggie!). What is YOUR must-do ritual or tradition at Christmas time? COMMENT BELOW to tell all!