Paddington, Scout, Little Ladybird and the Christmas Cards

LITTLE LADYBIRD: *Flies and lands on the dining table before picking up a Christmas Card, holding it upside down.* "Ooooh! Pretty."

 

PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, BOGART, JAGO and DAISY-MAUD: "HulloLittle Ladybird!"

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: &Gasps"Oh! Hullo Paddy, Scout, Rosie, Bogart, Jago and Daisy-Maud!" *Blushes.*

 

DAISY-MAUD: "Are you hoping for a cuddle, Little Ladybird!"

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: "Thank you Daisy-Maud! You give the best cuddles, but I was actually concerned."

 

PADDY: "Whay are you concerned, Little Ladybird.?" *Worried.*

 

BOGART: "What is troubling you, Little Ladybird?"

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: *Blushes again.* "Well, I heard a scratching noise, Bogart, and then my concern became so big, that I had to be brave and see what it was, in case it was a monster with big metal teeth, come to chew up Daddy\'s house."

 

SCOUT: "A monster!?!" *Alarmed.*

 

ROSIE: "Eeeeekkkk!" *Screams.* "Where?"

 

BOGART: "Oh I\'m scared of monsters!" *Trembles.*

 

JAGO: "Please stay calm, little ones!" *Soothingly.* "There are no monsters here, and that noise certainly wasn\'t any monster with metallic teeth or otherwise come to chew up Daddy\'s house, Little Ladybird."

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: "There isn\'t, Jago?" *Relieved.*

 

JAGO: "No, Little Ladybird." *Shakes head.*

 

SCOUT, ROSIE and BOGART: *Breathe a sigh of relief.*

 

PADDY: "That scratching sound that you heard is just us, Little Ladybird! You don\'t have to be scared. We are writing Christmas cards."

 

JAGO: "I am writing to Otis, Pat and Ruta veebruar , wishing them a merry Christmas."

 

DAISY MAUD: "And to Odessa, for whom you have some special soft snuffly Christmas kisses, Jago." *Giggles.*

 

JAGO: "Well, I..." *Blushes pink beneath blue mohair plush.* "I am!"

 

PADDY, SCOUT, ROSIE, BOGART and DAISY-MAUD: *All giggle kindly.*

 

DAISY MAUD: "I am writing a Christmas card to Mummy June junibears, which Jago, Danny Boy, Orson and Algie can all sign, amongst everybear of course!"

 

BOGART: "I am writing a Christmas card from everybear to Mama Kim BKHagar *Kim*, all the Riversong and Lagniappe Bear Clans, and the Gypsy Bears down by the Elk River in Alabama."

 

ROSIE: "I am writing a very special card for mijn handsome prins Peter Marian Kloon (on and off)!" *Sighs.* "I am including 10,000 soft snuffly kisses for him!" *Blushes red beneath pink woollen plush.*

 

SCOUT: “I will write to mijn beste vriend Peter, sweet Aurora and Mummy Marian Marian Kloon (on and off) in a separate card."

 

PADDY: "I need to sign that card too, Scout! I need to write to mijn beste vriend Oleg!"

 

JAGO: "And so do I, Scout! I need to write to my best friend Benny, and I\'m suire Daisy-Maud would like to write to Benny too, wouldn\'t you Daisy-Maud?"

 

DAISY-MAUD: "Oh... oh... oh..." *Blushes pink beneath mohair plush.* "Only if it isn\'t too difficult, Scout!"

 

BOGART: "And I need to add that I love my best friends Fuzzy and Danbo! Bleep... luv Danbo!"

 

PADDY: "And Emmett will want to write to Funky and Nutmeg."

 

DAISY-MAUD: "And Cornelia will want to write to Moesje!"

 

SCOUT: "Alright Rosie, Paddy, Bogart, Daisy-Maud and Jago." *Scratches head with paw.* "I do hope there will be enough room! I am adding lots and lots and lots of kisses!"

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: *Scratches head with paw.* "What is a Christmas card?" *Perplexed.*

 

ROSIE and SCOUT: *Giggle.*

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: *Blushes.*

 

ROSIE: "What do you mean, what is a Christmas card, Little Ladybird?"

 

SCOUT: "Where have you been living, Little Ladybird, under a rock?"

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: "No Scout." *Shakes head earnestly.* "I was living in a lovely old tree with Bumble... that is, until the monsters with the big snapping metal teeth came and chewed it all up." *Trembles.*

 

PADDY: "Scout and Rosie, shhhh!" *Puts paw to mouth and gives both of them a hard stare.* "Don\'t be rude."

 

BOGART: "Don\'t they have Christmas where you come from, Little Ladybird?"

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: "I... I don\'t think so." *Blushes again.* "What... what is Christmas? Does it taste nice?"

 

ROSIE and SCOUT: *Giggle.*

 

PADDY: *Puts paw to mouth and gives both SCOUT and ROSIE another hard stare.* "Christmas isn\'t a food, Little Ladybird. It\'s a special time of year, when all little bears and their mummies and daddies celebrate and eat lovely food and exchange gifts and write Christmas cards, like the one you are holding. That\'s why we are writing to all our friends. Beyond those we have mentioned, we also have to write cards to Sweety, Tandoori, Pezi, Luis, Bärbel, Granny Ursula and Grandpappa Rudi ursula.valtiner, Bruno and Mummy Kat saltwood67"

 

SCOUT: "Oh yes, and to my nephew twice removed and once added, Marvin and his Mummy, Auntie Sky CooperSky"

 

JAGO: *Whispering to DAISY-MAUD: "I still don\'t understand how Scout can be the nephew of Marvin, twice removed or otherwise. Cousins maybe."

 

DAISY-MAUD: *Whispers back.* "I\'m sure you are right, Jago, but let us not interrupt Scout\'s enthusiasm." *Nods seriously.*

 

SCOUT: "Oh! Oh!" *Jumps up and down with exitement.* "I also need to write to Spencer and his Mummy FinouCat, and Tiny, Tinica, Baby Bear and the Welsh Wild Garden Bear Clan CarenPolarBears, and Jeanne Jeanne1931 and Karen, Miss Morgan and Merlin pkwebb70!" *Enthusiastic.*

 

ROSIE: "And Sky, Bertie and Posh fenman_1950 and Mr. Doug and the Texas Bear Clan dougrrose1966!”

 

BOGART: "And Sebastian and Pound Puppy A n t o i n e t t e, and Anne-Miek and the Bibbe BearsAnne-Miek Bibbe.”

 

SCOUT: "And Bernie, Radcliffe and Little Darla veephilion and to Caesar and his Jackie and Dennis Jackie & Dennis!"

 

DAISY-MAUD: *Whispering to JAGO.* “I do decare, Scout has a little bit of a crush on little Darla.” *Giggles.*

 

JAGO: *Whispers back.* "I think she may have been supplanted by Aurora." *Giggles.*

 

PADDY: “And ever so many more, Little Ladybird! All our Teddy Bear Tuesday friends, in fact! And that’s a lot of cards to write!” *Sighs.* "Perhaps you\'d like to try writing a Christmas card, Little Ladybird." *Encouraging.*

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: *Blushes again.* "But Paddy, who would I write to? I don\'t know all those bears."

 

PADDY: "Well, why don\'t you write to Bumble, and Little Bee then. I\'m sure they would love a special Christmas card from you."

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: "No!" *Anxious.*

 

PADDY: "No? Why, Little Ladybird?"

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: "Because... because..." *Blushes more and lowers voice.* "Because I... I... I don\'t know how to write, Paddy."

 

ROSIE: *Gasps.* "Not write, Little Ladybird?"

 

SCOUT: *Gasps.* "Not at all, Little Ladybird?"

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: *Shakes head shyly.*

 

PADDY: "Well don\'t worry, Little Ladybird. I can teach you how to read and write, and Scout and Rosie can help."

 

SCOUT and ROSIE: "Yes we will!" *Clap paws with happiness.*

 

PADDY: "And until you learn how to write, You can just tell me what you would like to say and I will write it in that card you are holding... err... upside down."

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: "Really, Paddy?" *Smiles shyly.*

 

PADDY: "Come and sit in my lap, Little Ladybird."

 

LITTLE LADYBIRD: "Oh thank you, Paddy." *Flies over with card and settles in Paddy\'s lap.*

 

The Christmas Cards are special "Classic Paddington" Christmas Cards of Peggy Fortnum illustrations. They come as a box set of twenty made up of four designs, published by Museums and Galleries in the United Kingdom.

 

This beautiful nursery rhyme tea set was made in England by the Shell China Company in the 1930s. It features cups, saucers and plates as well as a teapot, milk jug and sugar bowl. Each piece is gilt edged and decorated and feature different nursery rhymes including: "Ding Dong Dell Pussy’s in the Well", "The Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe", "Old King Cole", "Pat a Cake Pat a Cake Baker’s Man", "Little Tommy Tittlemouse", "See Saw Margery Daw" and &This Little Pig Went to Market" amongst others. The set I acquired from England, and it is a sister set to a 1920s Shell China Company nursery rhyme tea set and a 1920s faerie tale tea set. There are also doll (bear) sized tea spoons which are sterling silver salt and mustard spoons.

 

My Paddington Bear came to live with me in London when I was two years old (many, many years ago). He was hand made by my Great Aunt and he has a chocolate coloured felt hat, the brim of which had to be pinned up by a safety pin to stop it getting in his eyes. The collar of his mackintosh is made of the same felt. He wears wellington boots made from the same red leather used to make the toggles on his mackintosh.

 

He has travelled with me across the world and he and I have had many adventures together over the years. He is a very precious member of my small family.

 

Scout was a gift to Paddy from my friend. He is a Fair Trade Bear hand knitted in Africa. His name comes from the shop my friend found him in: Scout House. He tells me that life was very different where he came from, and Paddy is helping introduce him to many new experiences. Scout catches on quickly, and has proven to be a cheeky, but very lovable member of our closely knit family.

 

Rosie is Scout\'s cousin, because like Scout, she is a free trade knitted bear from Africa. She was made in Kenya by one of the Kenana Knitters, Martha Wanjira. She is made from home spun and dyed wool. She was a gift to me from two very dear friends, includng the one who gave Scout to Paddy.

 

Bogart has travelled all the way from Georgia, via Alabama as a gift to me from a friend. He has lovely Southern manners and seems to be a fun and gentle soul with an inquisitive nature.

 

Jago was a gift from a dear friend in England. He is made of English mohair with suede paw pads and glass eyes. He is a gentle bear, kind and patient who carries an air of calm about him. He is already fitting in with everyone else very nicely.

 

Daisy Maud is Jago\'s little sister and was made by the same friend in England who made him. She is made of German mohair with floral fabric cotton paw pads that match her pretty sunhat, and glass eyes. A sweet and loving little girl bear, she is happy to be reunited with her big brother, Jago, and enjoys being spoiled by her Daddy.

 

Lovingly handmade in Merrythought’s historic British factory in Ironbridge, Shropshire, Little Ladybird’s creation has been inspired by the English country garden. Crafted from the finest black and white short mohair and featuring a pure wool felt ladybird ‘shell’ adorned with embroidered spots, she a pair of ‘antennae’ to finish her off. Little Ladybird is number 3 of a limited edition of 300 issued worldwide.

Done