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It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
December 7, 2012
It's nearly 3pm on Friday afternoon. I'm drinking my friend's herbal tea mix (she grows the plants in her garden and it's fabulous) and watching the sun set over the mountain. The birds are jockeying for position at the feeder and as I type, out of the corner of my eye, I see the wing span of the gray jay as he swoops in for a landing.
I have to go start a load of laundry so it will have time to hang and dry by the wood stove this afternoon and evening. And in just a few minutes we'll put on our jackets and boots for our walk by the river while there is still some light in the sky. Though the sun sets early behind the mountain there is still light in the sky till the sun truly sets on the horizon (which is not visible from our home).
I've had the strong urge this week to connect with family - grandparents, aunties, cousins. My Skype account has been busy.
We took out our one bin of Christmas decorations yesterday. A hodge podge of mostly folksy handmade art that has grown meaningful to us over the years.
My favorites are the things my grandmothers have made and given me. Colorful crocheted doilies, quilted hot pads and a welcome sign for the wall.
The kids have their own favorites - the stuffed snowmen their grandma gave them many years ago on a Christmas trip to our "home" province of Alberta.
We started a Jesse Tree. Our first ever. We're using Ann Voskamp's free devotional. It's perfect for families with kids our age. Any younger and I think most of the prose would whoosh over their heads.
I bought Steve Bell's Christmastide album. If you celebrate the Christian meaning of Christmas I think you would like this album. I'm enjoying it and my favorite song so far may be Descent.
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Sara on Dec. 7, 2012, 10:56 p.m.
It doesn't feel like Christmas in our part of the world of South Carolina. We do not have much of a winter here....feels more like a warm fall. We have the hodge pod of handmade ornaments as well. They are my favorite. Spent my afternoon hanging our ornaments. Feels like displaying our family history on a tree. :)
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Jill Foley on Dec. 8, 2012, 12:27 a.m.
Our tree is up, our lights are up, our nativity scene is out, our Christmas books are out, the Christmas music is playing, cookies are baking....it's looking, smelling, sounding and feeling like Christmas here.
We don't have snow or typical winter weather, but the constant rain is a sign that winter is here.
I tried doing Ann's Jesse tree with my girls the past two years and it was just too much for them. So I'm enjoying it on my own this year. And together we are doing Truth in the Tinsel.
Best to you, Renee
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Ruth on Dec. 8, 2012, 4:26 a.m.
Outdoors is extremely Christmasy as we've had heavy fog and the trees are laden with hoarfrost - where there's Christmas lights, the shine on the frost is absolutely stunning!!! Makes me feel slightly compensated for the deepfreeze we've been in for a few days....
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Carolyn on Dec. 8, 2012, 11:06 a.m.
We had a 37deg C day here last week, mostly low 30s, the pool is sparkling, and we have to wait till around 7.30pm for it to be dark enough to see the Christmas lights! We love love love our Aussie christmas (we will be at the beach) but yours looks so beautiful, so cosy!! Cheers!
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renee on Dec. 8, 2012, 2:19 p.m.
I have wondered what Christmas in the southern hemisphere must feel like. I have only ever experienced cold and dark myself. Enjoy that pool, my kids would love that.
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Kim on Dec. 7, 2012, 9:19 p.m.
It all sounds so lovely, especially that walk by the river. And yes, it definitely looks like Christmas here and we are enjoying every minute of it.
Happy weekend!