Season’s Greetings, All!

/ December 16, 2014

Dear friends, readers, fellow well-wishers,

the twelve days of Christmas have started, and with it the trickle of Christmas cards. Even packages containing gifts have arrived in Guylty Towers, would you believe, and the festive spirit is blowing hard in my not-so-hallowed halls. As is the custom, I would have loved to send Christmas cards to all my dear sisters-in-RA, seeing that I have so many addresses, that I love letter-bombing, and that I owe so many of you my best wishes and heart-felt thanks. For reading here, for supporting me in my blogging and crafting endeavours, for interacting, for meeting me in London and elsewhere, for presents, and for your unforgettable gift of compassion at the passing of my father earlier this year. Alas, I have decided against sending a Christmas card to each of you, whose addresses are kept safe in my secret notebook. There are simply too many letters to be sent to the fandom, never mind family and RL friends – and I am currently saving *every* *single* *penny* I have for my upcoming trip to NZ (February 2015). I am going the cheap skate route, forgive me, and am posting my best wishes for you here, now, electronically.

So what to give my fellow shippers electronically? A ship, I suppose.

IMG_0207

 OhIMG_0242IMG_0241,

but look,

this

ship

has got

a load

…

IMG_0230

It’s Father Christmas Richard in all his beardy cheer! If you think that’s all, look again. Mr A is in full Christmas mode.

IMG_0221

The RAMBO (RA Matchbox Ornament) may not contain the trademark disco ball no such frippery – this is Christmas, after all, but in true RAPS-style it comes with a couple of adjustable options: Non-believers, who are in no danger of being excommunicated for blasphemy, may attach a halo to his holihollyness. Those who prefer not to meddle with religious imagery, may stick on Rudolph’s red nose.

You can see the little holder for the halo (a bit of straw – organic, of course) better from this angle:

IMG_0229

Both optional attachments are contained in the box – your decision. And Father Richard has brought his colourful sock especially for you!

IMG_0239

IMG_0224

For added Christmas cheer – or as a signpost such as the original Star of Bethlehem – you can stick the enclosed larger star into the little slot on top.

To tell you the truth, the hardest bit of work for this RAMBO was the tiny writing to label the little slot on the top of the box… I may be a wiz with scissors and glue, but when it comes to free-handing tiny letters I am all a-quiver…

So,   M E R R Y   C H R I S T M A S  and season’s greetings to you all. Richard is smiling at YOU!  

IMG_0230

When I planned RAMBO, I thought it was going to be a quickie. But as usual I was thinking too big small. Fiddly! So this is but the poor cousin of a RAPS, RAPSi or RAPS pro, but if anyone wants it for Christmas, leave me a comment and I’ll raffle it off – the winner will receive it on behalf of all of you who have been giving me so much fun, joy, support and consolation this year.

Let’s make it a quick one, so I can send the envelope off in time for Christmas Postal Service willing – comments until 11.59pm, Wednesday 17th December 2014.

Oh, and if you’re not in luck but you want to try you own hand at a RAMBO – well, I’ve prepared the instructions for you…

Christmas ingredients

Last but not least the obligatory Christmas message to Richard himself:

Dear Richard,

what a wonderful year – for you, for us as your fans well-wishers!

We had you back home for Urban, you blew us away with your acting in The Crucible and made many a fan happy with your gracious behaviour at the stage door. You provided us with opportunities to connect amongst ourselves – in London for the play, at premieres for Into the Storm and The Hobbit. You started out on Twitter and created a new medium for the display of your talents – such as inventive hash-tagging and masterful selfie-snapping. You proved that some men one man can look stunning no matter what length of hair, be it Crucibly-cropped, Urbanny-bobbed, Thorinny-locked – or Richardy-mopped. You gave us insights into your life and work as an actor in many an entertaining, self-aware and articulate interview. And you totally wiped the floor with us when you gave us your portrayal of Thorin in the last instalment of The Hobbit.

I cannot imagine a better time to be your fan – or a better actor man to be a fan of. Thank you!

Fond Christmas greetings, and ever yours,

Guylty ❤

Related posts

58 thoughts on “Season’s Greetings, All!”

  1. WAAAAAAAAHNSINNNNNNN! Selten einen soooo netten Weihnachtsgruss erhalten. Und dann noch mit Bastelanleitung. Klasse, dass du meinen Geschmack als “neuerweckte” Bartliebhaberin so komplett getroffen hast. Und wie du wieder diesen Spagat zwischen profan und religiös hingekriegt hast: Halo runter, Nase rauf oder umgekehrt, bestens! Well done Guylty ❤
    Also, wenn du schon so fragst: ich würde den kleinen RAMBO gerne in meinen Haushalt aufnehmen: Biete freie Kost und Logis und immerwährende Aufmerksamkeit. Wenn diese Kriterien ausreichen, dann bitte ab mit meinem Namen in die Lostrommel 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Any comment is in!!! 🙂
      Freut mich, dass der Schnell-Schuss gefällt. Eigentlich wollte ich nur was haben, womit ich meinen Weihnachtsgruß illustrieren konnte. Ist kein Kunstwerk der Schreinerei, und kann eigentlich den RAPSen auch nicht das Wasser reichen. Aber als Beigabe reichts gerade noch…

      Like

      Reply

    • Hehe, quite uncharacteristic for me, the beard-hater. But I carefully selected this slightly bushier example, combined with the slightly longer, luscious mop of hair 😉 Glad you like it 🙂

      Like

      Reply

  3. Omg! You are such a dork! Even bigger than Richard 😀 This is perfect. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family, and may you have a wonderful trip to NZ. Hugs from Nottie 😀

    Like

    Reply

    • Hej Anja!!! Lovely to see you here!!!
      Ha – I take the “dork” as a compliment (especially as I am in good company with that one…)
      God jul to you, too, my dear. xx

      Like

      Reply

  4. This is a beautiful Christmas gift/card. I cannot believe you found a “ship” matchbook. How appropriate. I am heading down to the harbor to see if I can find one too. Just in case I don’t win the raffle, with your helpful instructions, I can make one for myself! Who am I kidding? I have about as much talent for crafting as …. Richard for swimming?

    Like

    Reply

    • Ha – you know what? I actually nipped out yesterday to buy a box of matches. And when I looked for something to empty the matches into, I found the “Ship” matches. Much better!!!
      LOL your simile re. crafting… Poor Richard and his water phobia 😀 Somehow the universe is trying to tell him something with all those jobs that end with water.

      Like

      Reply

  7. RAMBO ist besser als jede! Christmas-card ❤ Vielen Dank für den herzlichsten smile des Abends 😉
    und Crucibly-cropped, Urbanny-bobbed, Thorinny-locked – or Richardy-mopped – waaah!
    guylty in bestform! Nein, ich möchte nicht in die Lostrommel, zuviel Bart für mich, obwohl ich die red nose und den Heiligenschein zum schreien finde.
    Da wir uns bestimmt nochmal sprechen, äh schreiben vor Weihnachten – ich wünsche noch eine kreative Woche beim Geschenke kaufen, einpacken……. und eine schöne 12 days Vorweihnachtszeit!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • 😀 Das war mal wieder eine kreative Sturzgeburt von mir, bei der alles irgendwie zusammenkam, vom Acronym bis zur roten Nase (mit der perfekten Perle in meiner Sammlung). Und ja, die verschiedenen Haarlängen des Jahres 2014 haben mich zutiefst beeindruckt. Hab allerdings vergessen, dass ich auch die aufregende Hosenmode erwähnen wollte. Those crotch buttons, my-oh-my… 😀
      Geschenke verpacken, da sagst du was… Das sollte ich besser angehen, bevor die Ferien anfangen und ich nicht mehr unbeobachtet bin…
      XXX

      Like

      Reply

  8. Awwww, Merry Christmas to you too! (and to Rich of course) what a year, eh?
    Oh, had Richie had too much eggnog and gotten into a pub fight? he’s got quite a shiner.. 😀 sorry, red nose :-p
    Love the shippy card, cute as a button! 🙂 Thanks for the great idea, lovely wishes and never-ending crafty entertainment and joy 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  9. You did it again. A shipatage with the Armitage .Merry Christmas to you.Has the coffee table book been sent to the main man yet???.Keep up your good work and your ability to make us smile…

    Like

    Reply

    • Shipitage – haha. Armitage is just the best prompter there is…
      Re. the book aka Thorin Project: Yes, that was sent off at the end of November in time for RA’s visit to London. Unfortunately there never is any way of knowing whether letters etc. make it to him, but I assume he’ll get his fan mail when he’s home for Christmas the latest…
      Thanks for your support, dede – I love making you all smile. There’s nothing better than that! xx

      Like

      Reply

  10. OMG you kill me…so funny. And thanks for the how to instructions! Merry Christmas to you and your family and thank you so much for always sending a smile, a laugh and good cheer with everything you send our way.

    Like

    Reply

    • You are more than welcome, sparky! I enjoy creating these little, whimsical boxes as much as I enjoy sharing them with you. In fact, they’d only be half as fun if I kept them to myself.
      Happy season’s greetings to you, too! xx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    • Hehe, great, someone has spotted my little asides in the instructions… 😉
      Glad you like my message to RA. Mind you – he’d probably be embarrassed about the praise. But well, I am sending it to the universe, hoping that the universe will reward him.
      Buon natale xxx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  14. Merry Christmas my dear Guylty and all Father Richard’s fans worldwide! It has been an incredible year, some of us (the very lucky ones) had the wonderful opportunity of seeing him live on stage, an once in a life event I will never, ever forget. And what a year for RA… Who would have guessed, just on February, that he would have walked the stage again AND joined twitter? That he would have become King of Selfies? Not me for sure. So, thanks to Richard for a stunning year and the big surprise of getting in touch with us. He deserves all the best in this world. Including all the awards for his Proctor and Thorin.

    May you all have a great holiday season and a spectacularly happy new year! 😀

    Like

    Reply

    • You are so right, Micra – back at the beginning of the year NO ONE would have imagined what was in store for RA and his fans this year. Amazing – I don’t think it will ever be surpassed, and while that makes me a little bit sad, I am also really happy to have been part of it, somehow.
      Buon natale to you, cara. And thanks for your support, your comments and for being there! xx

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  15. Hi Guylty,

    Thanks for your nice X-mas gift!
    I wish you and your family a merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
    Not long now before you’re off to NZ. Lucky you. I look forward to reading about your travel adventures.

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you Emma – and best wishes for Christmas and the new year back to you 🙂
      Six weeks to go until NZ – Guylty will be on hiatus, but I’ll probably update on my dedicated NZ blog.

      Like

      Reply

  17. RA and his Magic Circus. Lol ! I like your letter to him. A lot. It’s perfectly saying what we are thinking too. It’s true that this year has been a great one for him and consequently for all of us. I don’t think 2015 will be similar. All I know is that RA is saying good bye to Middle Earth and specifically to Thorin. I will miss this character more than any others, may be, because it’s Thorin who introduced me to M. Richard Armitage and just after I discovered your blog ! Please let me add something of my own. I would like to tell RA that, everytime and everywhere, behind the door of his heart, there will be all his well-wishers waiting for him and telling him with a smile :
    “FOR EVER, WE WILL BE…
    AT YOUR SERVICE…”
    To you Guylty and all your family : Best Wishes, Auguri and Meilleurs Voeux from Katia.

    Like

    Reply

    • Thank you Katia ❤ I'm really chuffed if my little message of thanks finds the approval of my fellow fans.
      I share your expectations re. 2015. Mind you, it could, no, it *will* be interesting, with Urban coming up, new projects on the horizon, and Twitter now firmly established as his connection to his fans.
      Many happy Christmas wishes to you, too – Joyeux Noel etc. and lots of love. xx

      Like

      Reply

  18. Season´s greetings to you and your family.
    The RAMBO in all his wonderful variations…, so kann “jeder nach seiner eigenen Facon selig werden”.
    A big thank you for the instruction, maybe I´ll try one of my own 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  19. Wishing you a wonderful holiday, Guylty! Looking forward to your photos in the upcoming year. ..still love the Berlin classics you shot! Your “Ooofs” have been one of my “guilty pleasures.” May 2015 give you many more opportunities for inspiRAtion!

    Like

    Reply

    • Hello Chazak, and thank you for de-lurking here, too 😉 Wishing you a nice holiday, too, and thanks for your lovely compliments. Let’s make 2015 another year to remember! xx

      Like

      Reply

  21. Pingback: Season’s Greetings, 2016 | Guylty Pleasure

Let me know what you think!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.