Snow is in the air. The fire is crackling. And the decorations are up.
The above picture is of nativity characters I painted when my children were younger. Each year I set them out arranging them a little differently. I find holiday decorating to be a bittersweet time as many of my decorations are cherished gifts from my mom who passed away when my children were babes, and from my dad who passed away more recently.
So I have to admit that I was having trouble getting into the Christmas spirit this year.
With our children grown, traditions are changing. This will be the first year that I don’t share either Christmas or Boxing Day with my sisters and their families. Like my own eldest daughter who has married and had a child, my sisters’ eldest children have also started families, which makes arranging a get together far more difficult.
But… we’re looking forward to new traditions.
This will be my grand daughter’s FIRST Christmas. And it will be so much fun to enjoy Christmas through the eyes of a child once again.
So these days I’m happily sewing a cuddly flannel quilt for her, while listening to Christmas carols, and dreaming of snuggling up with her to read Christmas stories.
Your Turn: What are some of your favorite “preparing for Christmas” traditions?
One thing I did with my children every year was bake and build gingerbread houses. This was a several day affair of shopping for the candy decorations, preparing the dough, rolling and shaping and baking it the next day, assembling and admiring, and then finally on Christmas Eve, nibbling. ~grin~
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Our Christmas traditions have hardly changed since I can remember. We celebrate in the same way every year, despite the fact that my elder sister doesn’t live at home any more. This will be our first proper Christmas without her, but it’ll be her first Christmas with her new husband so that’s one good thing.
We bake…and bake…and bake.
Everyone in the house has a favorite cookie, and we make a batch of each. That’s seven different cookies to bake.
Oh Imogen maybe in another year or so you’ll be an aunty and then Christmas will really be different. 🙂
Loree, your house must smell wonderful with all that baking…How do you stop yourself from eating too much?! I put my cookies in the freezer, but I still pinch them. I’ve actually decided that some taste better that way. LOL
Hmmm, don’t have many. I like decorating the tree with the boys. Now that I’m reading about everyone baking I’m thinking I should start?
I’m sorry to hear about your parents, Sandra. *hugs*
I hope this first Christmas for your granddaughter is magical and special for YOU. 🙂
Thanks Jessica. 🙂
Thankful for better health of hub this Christmas….last year we were kinda confined.
Merry Christmas to all!
Jackie, glad to hear that! Merry Christmas to you, too, and I continue to pray for you to find the right church etc since moving.
Kids make Christmas magical – how neat it’s your granddaughter’s first and you can start or carry on traditions with her! We’ve done the gingerbread houses the last couple years and had fun.
Kids love those houses, don’t they, Stacie? 🙂