The elves are shifting operations into high gear in the Grand Duchy of Stollen!

This is, I think, my favorite image of Santa Claus/ Father Christmas this season due to the wonderful red-brown robes and the fact that he is on skis. Some of you Stollen regulars my recall, while I am by no means an expert Nordic/Cross-Country skier, and I have more than my share of face-plants each time we have been lucky enough to get out on skis, I am an enthusiastic participant. Now, if Mother Nature would just send about 6"+ of the white stuff to our neck of the American Midwest!

Things are clicking into high gear fairly smoothly here at Stollen Central this early afternoon. The Grand Duchess is off to have lunch with a friend from school and then to the supermarket to shop for Christmas Dinner. Meanwhile, yours truly has been busy folding and stowing clean laundry and ironing a few things to wear on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I am nothing if not a thoroughly domesticated male. Thank good ol' Mom, who once told me while demonstrating how to wash clothes and then iron them when I was about twelve, "Pay attention! Someday, your wife will appreciate this."

In a little while, Young Master Paul will have lunch and then a nap. Then, onto a little gift-wrapping, ordering a Christmas centerpiece for my sister and brother-in-law, and a couple of Amazon online certificates for Mom and Step-Dad. Oh, and I managed to get the two-part process on the red coats of the current batch of ten RSM95 musketeers early yesterday evening. Be sure to check back for a photo update later today! Tonight, it's onto the browns: musket stocks, hair, and mustaches.

A rather cheerful representation of the Big Man. The basket of fruit on his shoulder is a neat touch, and of course I'm a sucker for the purple robes and wreath of holly that adorn this particular Santa Claus/ Father Christmas.

Comments

Bluebear Jeff said…

Well, while I'm sure that it is nowhere nearly as good as that made by the Grand Duchess Sonja, one of our local bakeries had stollen for sale . . . so I got some and my wife and I both liked it.

-- Jeff

4:54 PM

tidders2 said…

Stokes

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

-- Allan

7:42 AM

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The Grand Duchy of Stollen

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