Happy Christmas!

"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man
the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home!"-  Charles Dickens 

God Bless You

"Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat.
Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny, a half penny will do.
If you haven't got a half penny, then God bless you."   -   Traditional English Christmas rhyme

 "May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope; 
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love."-   Ada V. Hendricks 

The Lord of Misrule

"The Lord of Misrule - December 17th.  This is the first day of the Roman festival Saturnalia.  It was a period of great
feasting and festivity, with a lot of drinking and eating.  Slaves would become masters for the festival, and everything was turned upside down. This part of the Roman festival survived into the 17th Century."  

I need to remember this little fact for next year's advent and declare a topsy-turvy day.

Vintage Paper

A few summers ago I stopped at a yard sale.  This elderly man was selling a bunch of stuff including some amazing vintage Christmas items. I've since used a lot of the paper, tags, and cards. This particular box of paper I could not bring myself to use. 

The packaging is so sweet.

 And, it's made in the USA. 

It is now used as decoration.  Why not? It looks quite nice next to my boxes of vintage ornaments.

The Year of the Giant Tree

The year of the giant tree. When the size compared to the open sky seems like it should be just right. And then you realize as you are dragging this green monster that it is heavier then any tree you've ever hauled. And then get it to your truck and realize it might not fit!

 Four hours of lugging, pushing, pulling, tugging, balancing, trimming...

A tree that will be remembered.  Our 12 foot ceilings are keeping company with the star.  The girth of this jolly fellow is impressive. I'm guessing it's at least 6-7 ft in length.  We may have had to put it smack dab in the middle of the dining room to allow for optimum branch stretching.  We removed all the leaves from the table and squished it in a corner (as much as a circle fits into a square). 

It's impressive, and memorable, and...it makes me happy every time I walk into the room and see the giant glow of this Christmas tree.

Belated Dinner Post

Pork and Deer tenderloin, brusselsprouts with roasted chestnuts, citrus and rosemary squash puree.

Merry Christmas Eve!

From our family to yours, we are wishing you the happiest of holidays.  May it be full of friends and family, laughter and memories, peace and goodwill.

Fancy Hot Chocolate

The Mix: 3 C sugar, 2 1/4 C Cocoa Powder, 1 Tbsp Salt

combine and store in an air-tight container

To Make: heat 1 Cup of milk and add 2 Tbsp cocoa mix

Rub a thin layer of honey around the rim of your mug, dip into sprinkles or colored sugar.  

Add your hot cocoa to the mug and top with homemade whipped cream.

Drizzle with chocolate or caramel if you've got it (sadly we did not)

Lego Christmas Village

We are huge fans of Lego's in our household.  My son has an embarrassing amount of them.  In fact, we always joke that if we ever put an addition onto our house, it will have to be made of Lego's in order to store his ever growing collection.  Anyhow, we decided to make a Christmas village of sorts.  We had a lot of fun creating our own little scenes and stories to go with them!

 This customer is "one of those people" who can't be pleased and throws a tantrum in hopes of getting a free meal.  You know the ones I'm talking about.

 The toy store is stocked full of a variety of gifts for your loved ones.

 Cathy and Janet are gossiping over a cup of coffee.

 Eddie likes Samantha and can't wait to make small talk while ordering some hot cocoa.

The line for Santa is long (as usual). Frankie (the boy in the white hat) has to pee, but doesn't want to lose his place in line!

The tree lot

 Home - Sweet-Home.

National Christmas Center

This summer, while on an adventure with Heidi, we stopped at The National Christmas Center in PA.  This was my first time visiting here and it did not disappoint.  There is a 1950's Woolworth's store complete with original stock (non of it is for sale - but there are so many adorable items).  

If you are ever close to the Hershey, PA area you should add this stop to your road trip.  Looking back at all the photos I took, really gets me in the holiday spirit.

Christmas Memories

"Children are irresistibly attracted to old drawers, or to the opening of receptacles usually closed against their inquisitive examinations. And mothers usually have places where memorials and tokens of the past, little trifles once the property of the departed, and articles reminding them of their girlhood and youth, are carefully deposited. There is a melancholy pleasure in examining these stores of things which affection has consecrated. The mind is busy with the past, and the thoughts retreat amid the dim and shadowy recollections of other days." - Rev. H Hastings Weld from The Star of Bethlehem, 1851.

This is exactly how I feel when I open up our Christmas boxes full of items that have been given to me through the years. Ornaments given to me by my granny, red lights from my grandmother (which I am terrified to use since they are so old, but can't seem to throw them away either). Ornaments from my childhood and ones made by my son.  The memories of each Christmas where we remember the past and create memories for the future.

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Our wreath is hung.  Our advent activities have started.  There has been hot cocoa with sprinkles, fireplace cracklings, and carol singing.  Let the festivities begin!

Advent: 2013

1. Bake cookies and watch The Elf
2. Put together a Christmas puzzle
3. Family game night - and the boys went and cut down our Christmas tree, so we also strung the lights
4. Decorate the tree and make "Snowflake Quesadillas" for dinner
5. Watch Charlie Brown Christmas with a cup of hot cocoa (don't forget the cookies)
6. Holiday cookie exchange party at Heidi's
7. Bundle up and head to the Christmas Parade it town
8. Make gingerbread
9. Put together "Santa s Holiday Workshop" (this is a paper craft)
10. Dress warm, we are going to Washington DC to see a hockey game
11. It's "Red and  Green" dinner night - where all the food is festive!
12. String popcorn and cranberries outside for the birds (and the chickens)
13. Winter Walk Scavenger Hunt
14. Grab our "Toys for Tots" gift to use as admission to The Opera House for a screening of Star Wars
15. Jingle Bell ornament craft
16. Cut out a paper doll santa
17. Decorate gingerbread house
18. Look through old photo albums
19. Dress your best, we are going to a Christmas play
20. Watch old home movies of Christmas' past (and go to the hospital to meet your new cousin)
21. Read holiday stories by the Christmas tree
22. Holiday coloring sheets and a drive around the neighborhood to look at lights
23. Rock around the Christmas tree - Holiday dance party with your cousins
24. Christmas Eve - head over the hills and through the woods to celebrate with Nana, Pap, and the rest of the family.
25. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

A Very Merry Advent that Saved Christmas

This weekend I need to get serious about the upcoming holiday.  Specifically our advent activities.  Normally I have these planned way in advance.  November is quickly coming to a close and I have nothing put together.  Luckily,  Heidi and Amanda created A Very Merry Advent which is just perfect.  Thanks girls, you may have just saved Christmas!

Peace on Earth

Oh Christmas Tree

you fill my heart with music

and from each bough a tiny light

adds to the splendor of the sight

How Brightly Beams the Morning Star

Santa Mouse

So this year, when it is Christmas, and you decorate your tree,

Why not put one light upon it thats as high up as can be?

You may find a tiny present, Christmas morning in your house,

If it's tied with yellow ribbon, then who brought it?

SANTA MOUSE!

-by Michael Brown

My Granny always made walnut mice for her tree and gifts.

Christmas on the Shelf

...and six years later I have a TEN year old boy who has that same sweet smile.

The gingerbread man was an early Christmas advent project from toddler years.  It is one of my favorite decorations.