December 25th - The Big Day

The Cat woke me up at 6:45 am...

She must have been lonely - and ready for The Big Day to begin!

I remember the excitement of early morning Christmas Days - in the past!  My children were always up early when they were younger.

One special year - when my daughter and son-in-law and grandson were living with us while building their house...

It was so exciting to see the face of a 2 year old as he rounded the couch into the living room and saw...

The Tree!  ALL LIT UP and Beautifully decorated!

What JOY on the face of that little child!

What JOY we all shared just watching his excitement!

This year is a bit different; it's always different when you are "empty-nesters"...

No Good Morning or Merry Christmas...

but then...

In my heart - it is Christmas - and there is JOY to be found with family and loved ones!

May you also share that JOY this Christmas Day - and all the days of the new year and beyond!


One last linkup for Blogmas 2014.  Hope to join other bloggers next year - same time same place - for Blogmas 2015!!

December 24 - Christmas Eve

Normally - Christmas Eve day finds me...
wrapping...wrapping...wrapping!
This year - only three gifts left to wrap!

Picture found on Pinterest

Normally - Christmas Eve day finds me...making a big pot of chili for dinner!
This year - it's leftovers or nothing for me!
I don't think chili would work well for a tummy that's not quite right!

Normally - Christmas Eve finds me...
attending our Candlelight Service at church;
but with the rain and not feeling "quite right"...
This year - I am thinking a night at home may be what I need!

So, as I spend the evening at home; perhaps watching another Christmas movie...
I'll listen for the sounds of sleigh bells ringing -
and maybe even a distant "Ho, ho, ho"...

as we come to the climax of celebrating the Birth of Our Savior...

and continue to rejoice in a New Year with Him!

Wishing you and yours

a Blessed Christmas

and a Happy New Year

2015!

Linking with other bloggers for Blogmas 2014

December 22 and 23 - Preparing and Favorite Stories

The BIG DAY is almost here - and if we aren't prepared for it yet, there is only ONE MORE DAY LEFT to buy and wrap those VERY LAST MINUTE GIFTS!

Missed yesterday with my Blogmas posts; so I am attempting to merge the two: Day in the Life as you Prepare for the Big Day and Favorite Christmas Story.

Today was spent with my daughters, sons-in-law and grandchildren baking and decorating sugar cookies!  I stayed longer than I had originally planned because of needing to wrap all the gifts I had stashed away at home.

But, after dinner and cleaning up the kitchen, I managed to wrap all but three before my back gave out on me...

I will finish those in the morning!

Camera batter is "exhausted"

so I found these beautifully wrapped gifts

on Pinterest!

Now, to share favorite Christmas stories!

First, an old favorite:

...and so the story continues!

Then a new favorite:

I watched The Polar Express a few years ago with my older grandson and enjoyed it so much that I watched it multiple times since!  The movie was a bit "scary" for a 3 1/2 year old; so I haven't watched it with that grandson and know there will be many more times available for me to watch it again with him and his younger siblings!

But, the most wonderful story, and the REASON we celebrate the SEASON - 

...the story we read in the Bible - Luke 2 - the story of the Birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

"She gave birth to her first child, a son.

She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth

and laid him in a manger,

because there was no lodging available for them."

Luke 2:7 NLT

Linking with other bloggers for Blogmas 2014 - 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day will be posted...but I am not sure exactly when that will be posted!

May you all have a Merry Christmas Eve and Day!!

December 21 - Christmas in Florida

Well, living in Florida, it seems a bit weird to sing about Winter Wonderland or I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas - unless you consider the waves at the beach as a "white" Christmas!

In fact, there have been very few Christmases spent in a snow-covered landscape, with sledding down the hills and building snowmen and throwing snow balls!

As someone who has been a Floridian for most of her life, either as a second home or as a current resident...you just get used to what the weather brings for a holiday such as Christmas.

I came across this adaptation of Winter Wonderland:

Another fun way to share how non-winter our Wonderland in Florida can be at this time of year!

So, as we come quickly into those last few days of the Advent/Christmas season...

Let me wish you all:

From Sunny Florida!

Linking with other bloggers for Blogmas 2014 - 

for just a few more days!  I will miss you all greatly; and hope we connect through other sources!

December 20th - Last Minute

LAST MINUTE?!

Yes...that is definitely ME!!  Even when I was working...last minute!

Now that I am retired...

Last Minute!!

Why?  When there is soooooo much time available...24 hours in one day...take out sleeping (or trying to sleep); and eating; and shopping; and crafting; and having FUN with the kids and grand kids...

Well, that would give a reason - maybe!

It seems as if no matter how hard I try to get things done ahead of time -

I always end up doing them at the last minute!

So, what does this mean for the Christmas holiday that is just around the corner...like FIVE DAYS from today will be Christmas Day!!

Most of my shopping starts around November; after Halloween.  We wait for our paychecks to come in (once a month for each of us!) in order to know how much we can spend.  And, NO Black Friday shopping for me!

No Christmas Club accounts to make life easier...that would be easier for sure...maybe next year?!

Most of the time I shop according to what I need first; example - I do an exchange with my scrapbooking friends.  We have two dates for sharing through "Elfster", an online Gift Exchange (see Elfster for more info).  The first exchange is in November; the second near the beginning of December.  So I have to buy gifts according to my person's Wish List by those exchange dates.

This year I bought gifts for my son, daughter-in-law and grand daughter for Thanksgiving since they would not be able to come back for Christmas.  And we celebrated our family Thanksgiving/Christmas together!!

So, with our November and December paychecks, I concentrated on the 5 remaining grandkids!  And, depending on how shopping goes...for the "kids" as well!

And that leaves me shopping this afternoon to finish the grand kids' gifts and decide on the kids' gifts, too.

Busy, Busy, Busy!!

* * * * * * * * * *

These 20 days in December - linking up with other bloggers for Blogmas 2014 - 

have been so rewarding...

searching my memory for favorites and special times during the Advent/Christmas seasons of the past; and sharing memories other bloggers have written.

These last few days have been so busy that I haven't done as much reading as I'd like...but I do plan to return and continue reading and sharing!

Thank you to ALL who have read and commented on my posts!  Thank you to ALL who have read!

May you ALL have the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of New Years!

December 19th - Preparing for Christmas

What do we do to actually prepare for Christmas?

Shopping for special gifts

Baking delicious desserts and food for the holidays

Cleaning the house for Company

Decorating the house

Spending time with our family and friends

Wrapping all the gifts we have purchased

Sending out Christmas cards to family and friends

Stressing over getting everything done...

And I am sure this is not all that is on our to-do list before the BIG DAY - in just a Week...

Wait!  A week from TODAY - it will all be over!!

But, have we really prepared for Christmas?

Have we prepared a place in our hearts for our Savior, Jesus Christ - the one who was born in a manger?  The one who was sent by His Father - God, our Heavenly Father who sent His ONE AND ONLY SON...

ARE we prepared to receive that special gift...

to leave all the stress behind and open our hearts to receiving Jesus Christ?

IS there a place in our hearts for Him?

It's not too late to receive that special gift; 
that perfect gift!

The Gift of Jesus Christ;

The Gift of Eternal Life.

Are you prepared?



Connecting with others for Blogmas 2014!

December 18th - The Stockings

Today's prompt for Blogmas 2014 is "Stocking Stuffers for the Family; Ideas".  There are a variety of links on Pinterest that give ideas: for boys; for girls; for men; for women; for anyone!  Just put in the words Christmas Stockings and you will have a lot to choose from!

The Stockings were hung...

When I was growing up, our stockings usually would have fruit and nuts or candy, and maybe a small gift or two.  I'm not really sure what it would be...but, stockings were opened first!  And, since my parents and grandparents would stay up late Christmas Eve to finish the tree and putting presents under it...their socks (they used their own socks instead of "regular" stockings) would have some of the fruit and nuts or candy - maybe the wrappers, too!  But, they would always hold an empty can or bottle, or two!  I don't recall exactly what kind of drink it would be; my parents would have a beer once in a while, but were not drinkers!

With my children, we would fill their stockings with smaller gifts - like toy cars (Hot Wheels!), or a new toothbrush, or hair supplies (barrettes, headbands, etc.) or nail polish and small perfumes.  My "children" follow that tradition, too, with their own children.

The stockings - THEN and NOW - were similar to these, but with our names in glitter across the top:

The stockings hung at our house

Christmas 2007

Stockings have become fancier through the years!  Some are handmade; some are store bought; some frilly or soft or satiny - all meant to be hung and ready to hold those little treasures we find to fill them with.

Browsing Pinterest for pictures of stockings, it was difficult to find any of the old "traditional" ones - like the ones we had from 2007!  Here are a few of the hand made ones I liked:

And, of course, we can't forget the Disney stockings for those little (and big!) Disney lovers!

A couple of the handmade stockings that I especially liked were the two below, one using an old sweater and one using and old or out-grown pair of jeans:

http://anextraordinaryday.net/from-sweater-to-christmas-stocking-in-12-easy-steps/

http://nebraskaviews.blogspot.com/2010/11/christmas-stocking-fun.html

Whatever type of "stocking" you hang this year, hoping yours is full of fun things!!

Connecting with others for Blogmas 2014!

December 17th - Christmas in the USA

COMMERCIALIZED!

That is what Christmas is like in the U.S. - but it is up to us to keep remembering:

The Reason for the Season...

Why DO we celebrate Christmas?  What IS the Reason for the Season?

On this day - December 25th - we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ who came to us in a lowly manger inside a dirty stable surrounded by a variety of animals.  Do we get it right with the nativities we display during the Advent/Christmas season?  Maybe - or maybe not!

When my children were growing up - I always had a nativity placed under the tree.  Later, when I became more aware of the season and the real reason behind our celebrations, I started displaying the nativity - without the Baby Jesus...He wasn't born yet, according to how we celebrate.  Whether the date is correct or not, that is when we celebrate His birth.

Over the last few years, I have collected nativities from around the world - an Indian one; an Eskimo one; many ceramic painted or plain white ones.  These are proudly displayed every year - some have been handed down to my children now; but I keep about four treasured ones.  (Can you imagine a drawer full of many different little baby Jesuses?!)

Other traditions we have at my church is our annual Live Nativity - complete with the Angels, Shepherds, Kings, Mary and Joseph and the Baby Jesus (somebody's treasurer baby doll!).  The set is outside our church, with a variety of beautiful music in the sanctuary, crafts for the children downstairs in the fellowship hall, people handing out hot apple cider and cookies (even if the weather is more tropical and warm!) - and children lined up to see Santa...

SANTA?!

It seems to me Santa gets more glory and honor than Baby Jesus does.  It is up to us as parents and grandparents to KEEP JESUS CHRIST IN THE FORE-FRONT of our celebrations!

But, where does this tradition come from?  I found this great post "Who Is St. Nicholas?" HERE that gives a great history lesson on who St. Nicholas was - and how St. Nicholas Day is celebrated around the world.

Quite a different view of "Santa Claus" - but...look at the similarities!

I find this tradition of St. Nicholas much closer to the real reason for the season than a jolly, fat Santa that lives in the North Pole and has little elves who work in his toy factory to make toys for all the little girls and boys; and who has a list of naughty and nice children.

The tradition of Santa Claus continues - and there is much controversy as to whether or not we should teach our children about Santa Claus - or the Tooth Fairy, or the Easter Bunny...or or or - I am not going into that controversy!  I don't "debate" very well!!

When my children were growing up - there was a present (or presents) from Santa; as well as those from mommy and daddy.  The Magi did bring gifts to the Baby Jesus; so we give gifts to those we love in celebration of His birth!

As my children grew up, they figured out on their own that mommy and daddy were "Santa Claus", or maybe their friends told them the truth.  I never had any negative feedback from my children over my "lying" to them...perhaps others have...

One of my favorite decorations for this season (now displayed at my daughter's house) is a ceramic piece with Santa kneeling at the manger of the Baby Jesus - similar to this:

Perhaps ALL of our traditions have blended together afterall!!

So many other traditions!  I have shared Favorite Holiday Traditions; Favorite Movies and Music and Food; Decorations; Hand-made Favorites; the Christmas Tree...and so much more during Blogmas 2014!

Earlier this morning I was reading another blogger's post, iwillbloom.wordpress.com, on the traditions in the UK.  Amazing how much their traditions are like ours in the USA...

but then, I started thinking - we do have a "melting pot" of people from all over the world!  It's no wonder our traditions for this special celebration become blended as we blend our families together!

Wonderful to be connecting with others for Blogmas 2014!  Thank you for joining us!!

December 16th - Christmas Tree Reveal

Well, I almost finished this in time to post it on December 16th!!  But, here is my post - it's actually 12:07 a.m. EST - can't seem to get the time away from Pacific Standard Time!


It's unclear to me exactly what we did as far as decorating our tree, or any special reveals when my brothers and I were growing up.  What I do remember is when we would be at my grandparents' house for the holidays, we went to bed on Christmas Eve -

and the tree was completely BARE.

This picture is just an example of how bare the tree was!

I found it in clip art on the computer...

Christmas morning, when we woke up - usually quite early in the morning! - the tree would be completely decorated and lit up for us!  My parents and grandparents would stay up late to make sure everything was "just so" - and they must have actually stayed up all night long to be able to turn the lights on before we made our early appearance!

Once I had my own children, our trees were usually the "fake" ones.  It just wasn't in our budget to purchase a "live" tree; so we focused on decorating the one we had.  I remember how much I hated our "fake" tree - until all the decorations were placed around the branches; the garland and lights and all of the special ornaments...then, we would stand back and admire our beautiful tree!

Our decorated "fake" tree

a few years ago

One year was an especially hard one for us, and I had not planned to put a tree up at all.  The only people at home were my husband and I, and one of my daughter's friends who was living with us - and she wasn't around much.  But, she decided we needed a tree and bought this fiber-optic one!

The fiber-optic tree

a few years ago

One year we were trading trees with my parents; they had a 6 foot tree and we had a 4 foot.  After church that Sunday, we went to my parents' home for dinner and to spend the afternoon with them.  I put the 6 foot tree in my car and left for choir rehearsal at the church.  Later, when I walked out of the church...

My CAR was not in the parking space where I had left it.
There were pieces of glass on the ground where the car had been parked.

I went back inside the church and called the police - and had to wait for them to get there and then be taken home.

The next day, I received a call that my car had been found, just a few blockes from the church.  I knew I didn't have much gas, but enough to get me home and to work the next day when I'd be able to fill up the gas tank.  The back seat of the car was full of glass where the thief had busted out the back window.  The steering column was busted from trying to get the car started...and the tree was gone! a bag of candy cane shaped pens and some paper for making cards were also missing.

Word travels fast within the community of a church!  When I came home from work that Monday (yes, just the next day after the car was stolen!) - propped against our second floor apartment...

was a beautiful 6- or 7-foot tall LIVE Christmas tree with a big red bow!!  Members of our church had pitched in and bought us the tree!

How blessed we felt!

For years after the "stolen car incident", we managed to put aside enough money to purchase a real tree, and put that big red bow on top of it!

And, a look at the trees from my daughters' homes, and one from our first Christmas in our down-sized apartmemt.

The Tree at my oldest daughter's home

A REAL tree!

The tree at my youngest daughter's home

A REAL tree!

My Angel Tree

A FAKE - but BEAUTIFUL tree!

So much for Christmas trees - tomorrow I'll share more Christmas traditions from my country!

Linking up for Blogmas 2014

December 15th - Christmas Decorations

Christmas is all about traditions - and what better way to highlight those traditions than to share the holiday decorations we use during the Advent/Christmas season!

On December 1st, I wrote about our holiday traditions - but mostly highlighted some of the ways we celebrate Christmas; such as visiting the local florist that decorates their windows and inside the store; or gathering after Christmas with those who couldn't be with us on Christmas Day - or even before Christmas, as we did this year for our Thanksgiving/Christmas.  To read that post from December 1st, click here!

Today I want to share "things" -  ornaments, holiday decorations, the tree...

Every year - when my children were younger - I would buy them each a new ornament for the tree.  As the years went on, they would make ornaments, either at school, or church, or some other event; or we would pick out a new one together.  Most years, if I remembered to do so, I would put their names and the year on the bottom of the ornament!

Years later, as they left home, married, had children of their own - they continue the tradition of buying (or making) a new ornament every year.

When I was cleaning out our decorations - I made sure they each received ornaments for their own collections!  Downsizing from a four-bedroom/two-bathroom house to a two-bedroom/two-bathroom apartment makes you clean out as much "stuff" as you can; so my children each also had their pick of other items - like Christmas dishes, snowglobes, and other decorations.

My brother and sister-in-law gave me a two sets of Christmas dishes for a gift one year; I purchased two more sets so we would have a 12-piece serving.  We used the dishes for many holiday dinners until we outgrew our home and needed to get rid of excess stuff...and they were then passed them to my oldest daughter (my youngest daughter received the china my parents bought from Bavaria - they agreed on their choices!!!).

This cute Nutcracker (the larger one) came all the way from Germany - back in 1973 when I traveled back to the USA with my 6-month old son.  My youngest daughter, a music teacher, "borrowed" it Christmas to teach her students about the Nutcracker Ballet. She still displays it at her home, and teachers her own children now!

 It's a little hard to tell from this picture, but this is a big plastic ball of mistletoe with an elf hanging on the end of it.  It belonged to my parents and was passed down to me when they were downsizing!  We had loads of fun getting people under the mistletoe so we could give and get kisses!  My oldest daughter proudly displays it at her home every year now!

 One year I went crazy - or "cra-cra" as my grandson would say! - and purchased a lot of decorations, nativities, salt and pepper shakers, knick knacks, and other things from a company called "Christmas Around the World".  I loved decorating and displaying all of these wonderful treasures.  This snowglobe now sits in my oldest daughter's home during the holidays.

 This may be another of the "Christmas Around the World" items; but is one of the many decorations that my oldest daughter still uses!

This cute little Santa candle holder was a find while shopping one year; this must surely be how Santa looks after all of his hard work!  My oldest daughter has added him to her collection.

And this Santa, checking his list, is another decoration I found one year that my oldest daughter uses.

Since I am playing "catch up" - and tomorrow's topic is the tree...I will save the rest for tomorrow!  Many of the ornaments my kids put on their trees now are some they "inherited" from their "growing up" years; in addition to the new ones they buy each year with their own children!

Hope you'll come back tomorrow to see the tree -




Linking up for Blogmas 2014

December 14th - Childhood Christmas Memory

One memory that always sticks out in my mind is when we lived in Germany with my parents (the "we" would be me and my two brothers - or is that - my two brothers and I?!).  It was not unusual for us to host several of my father's "buddies", those who didn't have any family they could share the holidays with.

The Christmas memory I am sharing is when I was around 12 years old.  Before the holidays, my parents asked us for our Christmas wish list, reminding us that we would not get everything on that list!  My list was pretty simple:

Barbara's Christmas Wish List

A New Bicycle!

 A New Pair of Skates!

I was assurred I would NOT get BOTH of these "large ticket" items; well, the bicycle would be quite pricey.  So, the request was there; so...

What would I get for Christmas?

Well, as kids are known to do once the gifts are wrapped and placed under the tree...

I found a box about the right shape to hold a pair of roller skates!  

It was heavy enough for it to be skates, too!

So, I accepted the fact that I DID get a new pair of skates; but would NOT get a new bike!

Christmas morning came and we gathered in the living room to open our presents.  Sure enough, there were my skates (I am sure we had a few other little things to open, too!  But the main ones I remember are the bicycle and the skates).

A couple of my father's friends had joined us for Christmas and dinner.  After all the gifts were opened, my mother sent me into the dining room to get a cup of coffee for one of our guests.

Rounding the corner, into the dining room...

I spotted it leaning against the wall...

"Whose bike..." I started to say before realizing it was...

a girls bike...

and MUST be MINE!! 

I looked around to see the smiles on my parent's faces - how hard they had worked to buy BOTH of the gifts I had requested - 

and to keep the bike hidden!!

Actually, I have had many very happy and fulfilling Christmases - but this one memory stays with me; reminding me of the blessings my parents were to me and my brothers.

I rode this bicycle for many wonderful "play days", sometimes pulling my friends along behind me on their skates; or they pulled me.  THOSE WERE THE DAYS!

Linking up for Blogmas 2014

December 13th - Counting Down to Christmas

I don't really remember, as a child, the actual "counting down" to Christmas.  I'm sure we didn't have anything such as an Advent Calendar.  In fact, I didn't know what Advent was until I became an adult and started attending the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

While living in Germany with my first husband - and my son, where he was born June 1973! - I purchased an Advent Calendar similar to the one pictured above.  This Advent Calendar was used for many years with my children as they were growing up.

Later, I purchased a new one which was used for many years before it was handed down to my youngest daughter (more about that and other traditions and items that have been "handed down" in my post for December 15 about Decorations).

Now that I am retired, the days just run from one day to the next and I have to ask - "What day IS it, anyway?"  It's hard to keep up with the days, much less the date without some sort of a calendar - which is usually our wall calender or my pocket planner.

This year, I am doing a better job of keeping up with the days - especially since I joined with other bloggers for December 1 - 25 for Blogmas 2014!  Each day, using the prompts that were given at the beginning of the month, I write my post and link up with the others at Blogmas 2014 for our daily posts.  By reading others' blogs and following along with the prompts, it has helped keep me on track for what things need to be done during this season of the year.

Checking Pinterest as well as reading some of the other bloggers' count down traditions, I may be onto "making" something to be used for next year!


Linking up for Blogmas 2014

December 12th - Winter Wonderland

While I love to see the beautiful snow scenes - the Winter Wonderland type of winters - and would love to spend a Christmas in the mountains, enjoying something like this...

and take a stroll, or maybe a sleigh ride, across a beautiful bridge like this...

or spend an afternoon creating a snowman in the yard...

The reality for one who lives in the Sunshine State - Florida - is more like this...

This picture was taken in November, 2013; but that is what our Autumn/Winter usually looks like here in Florida!  This year there is actually more green...

Today's weather is around 50ish and sunny; not too chilly.  It was cool enough this morning for me to wear a long-sleeved shirt and a light-weight hoodie - without the hoodie!

And, it is not uncommon to find people walking along the beach at this time of year!  The week of Thanksgiving, my son and daughter-in-law took my granddaughter, grandson, and a friend to the beach for a photo op - to "recreate" photos from 10 years ago...

Granddaughter Sophie (7)

Grandson Shayne (5)

Family Friend Emily (6)

January 2004

10 Years Later

December 2014

Perhaps one year - and this should be on my "Bucket List"! - I will spend the holidays in NYC and in the mountains where I may be able to enjoy the snowy weather!

Blogmas 2014

Linking up December 1 - 25