Christmas 2016

I love Christmas - I love the music and decorations and mostly playing Santa. Laugh if you want, but I'm still a beliver in the magic of Christmas.  Last year, we moved just before the holidays, so we had a more stripped down version but there was still a tree, lights and some decorations.  This year, we were just really run down from a tough year so while we had trees and lights, we were pretty sparse on decor.

We actually had 3 trees - a real table top tree I purchased at the grocery store and kept in the bedroom.  It was decorated with red lights and ornaments inspired by Frida Kahlo. Made ornaments I made, but many I purchased of artisans at many Etsy shops.

​The second tree was a tall, slim faux tree that I dubbed 'Under the Sea'. It was decorated with Mermaids & Mermen, star fish, sand dollars, messages in little glass bottles (I made those) and white balls I thought looked like bubbles.  At the bottom I placed shells and plastic gold coins (think pirate booty).  The tree came strung with white lights, but I added 2 strings of blue and I placed it in the balcony hall on the second floor.  It was my first faux tree and I think it came out ok!

​The final tree was our 'official' tree - grown and cut in Schuylkill County, it had long soft needles and smells amazing (because yes, all the trees are still up)!  We covered it with white lights, crochetted snowflakes, and tons of glass icicles. There are some other glass ornaments on the tree and 2 birds (high up so Luna doesn't get any bright ideas).  This year, I purchased some hand made tin silver icicles from another Etsy shop and they look terrific! 

Althought we had a more subtle version of Christmas this year, we still kept the important traditions which include sponsoring a wreath at Arlington National Cemetary, decorating family graves at 4 separate cemetaries, baking home bread (both sweet & savory) for family, cookie baking at the farm, and the sending of holiday cards (for both work and personal!)!  It is my tradition to watch a lot of holiday movies and specials but again - didn't see the bulk of them except for the classics:  A Year Without A Santa Claus, Scrooge, A Diva's Christmas Carol, and of course, the Dr. Who Christmas special!

I was speaking with my partner last night about how when I was a kid, my parents used to make the holiday last longer then just one day through the traditions of the Godmother Lunch (where all are Godmothers & kids came to lunch) and dinners with various other relatives (I learned to love pate at my Aunt Ginny's!). The Christmas music played through New Year's Day and the tree stayed up for what seemed like forever! As we got older, friends created the tradition of Three Kings Day party which extended it all a little bit more. I think I will have to spend this year creating a few more traditions to help extend our Christmas celebrations a wee bit longer, too.  Why should kids have all the fun? 

That reminds me - TODAY is Three Kings Day!  I'll have to go light some of my Three Kings incense and bake a Three Kings cake!