Happy Christmas 2024 - Peace and Goodwill to All.

Well this old world may seem a very strange place to inhabit at the moment for many of us, and I have a feeling it is going to get even more interesting in the coming months and year, but at times like these it is important to take the time to celebrate the blessings in life and to send out as much happiness, joy and goodwill that we can to counteract all the other stuff and remind those less fortunate that there is a much better and kinder way to live, with a focus very much on the inconsequential and daft aspects of it, such as our hobby, married with a celebration of the people and places that make life worthwhile.

Carolyn and I enjoyed a wonderful week in Madeira this year with some much needed winter sun in Funchal, February 2024.

With Christmas fast approaching my, and I suspect many others, focus will be elsewhere for the next few days as celebrating the joys of appreciating family and friends takes precedence over other aspects of our lives and the pleasure of socialising, overeating and possibly drinking, take precedence over the normal daily routine, leaving many of us including me, very happy to have had the pleasure of spending time with very important folks, but looking forward to a return of the routine.

The Northern Lights in Iceland this October 2024, an amazing and stunning country to visit.

This year has been a great one despite other goings on and has allowed Carolyn and me to enjoy several wonderful holidays to, new to us, parts of the world, that saw us visit Madeira in February and Iceland in October, with a big family wedding in the summer for my eldest son Tom and my new beautiful daughter-in-law Beth, to complete a memorable 2024.

Carolyn and I enjoying the delights of the Stuðlagil ravine in Iceland

Alongside the travel and family celebrations I have enjoyed a vintage wargaming year with friends in the hobby, painting, modelling and getting the toys on the table coupled with some good old fashion socialising, banter and good company

The Battle of Camperdown enjoyed with friends at this year's NWS Yeovilton

In addition to this I have enjoyed sharing all the fun with readers of JJ's Wargames and getting your comments which just adds to the pleasure, even more so when activity posted here on the blog inspires others to get stuck in to their own hobby plans, and thank you to everyone who has taken the time to comment.

More fun, more friends, at this year's Clotted Lard

My header for this year's Xmas Greeting follows on from last year, putting the emphasis very much on the All at Sea, Age of Sail theme I have been running these last few years, with the odd break for a few months to travel to the antipodes; and that is set to continue with the work planned for my Revenge, War of 1812 collection, the Single Ship/Small Squadron collection and my newly announced Nile/Algeciras fleet project build, with a return to a Nelsonian theme.

As usual I will be working on my Year End Review and Plans for 2025 post to publish on New Year's Eve with a few additional ideas to add to those mentioned here, as well as noting what has been completed from this year's game plan, but until then JJ's Wargames will be taking a break to enjoy the Xmas holiday and thus I will wish all my readers, contributors and followers of the blog a very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful, as well as an Exciting New Year.

JJ