'Tis the Season

'Tis the season.  Christmas is one of the holidays that I truly enjoy and get enthusiastic about.  I don't mind admitting that I start listening to Christmas music, Handel's The Messiah being my favorite, right after Thanksgiving.  I enjoy the more traditional sounds of Christmas, but I throw in a bit of the more modern music for the kids.  I love the lights and festive decorations, although, I do prefer to keep things simple, and like making what we can from the resources we have around us.

I asked my teenagers not to make any plans this weekend because we were going to haul out the Christmas decorations, find and cut a tree, and make things festive at Front Forty Farm. Hubby picked up hot chocolate and vanilla cappuccino for the merriment, and I gathered up all our Christmas Cd's.  Friday after lessons, my eldest girls donned their orange caps, and set out for the woods, saw in hand, to find the perfect Christmas tree.  As of last year, they have assumed the responsibility of being the "official tree hunters". As always, they added their own little drama to the event.  About a half hour after leaving, two of them came breathlessly into the house  reporting that they heard a very strange noise in the woods, and that the eldest wasn't scared at all and had actually stated she was going to "investigate".  They needed Dad's help right away!  They didn't think it safe for their older sister to be in the woods at the mercy of some wild creature. Dad stopped what he was doing in the barn, and obligingly set off with the girls.  Not worried in the least bit, I continued my job of cleaning, preparing, and rearranging for the Christmas tree.  Little #6 was not as confident as I that all was well.  She lingered around the front windows watching for her big sisters to come home; I kept reassuring her that all was okay, but she wasn't so sure.  If only I could explain her exuberance when she heard her sisters' voices and saw them coming up the driveway with a beautiful Christmas tree in tow.  She exclaimed, "I don't know what I would have done if they didn't come back!"  The drama quickly faded, and excitement took its place.  Hot drinks were made, and the Christmas tree was brought to its place of honor.

On Saturday, Little #1 (almost doesn't seem right calling her "Little" as she is now 17) and I made a wreath and garland for the front door out of a mixture of fir, spruce and pine tips that we collected, finishing with a few bittersweet berries. I liked how the pine added a rustic, more organic touch to the decorations.  We dressed up the inside of the house as well. The pictures on the piano were temporarily replaced with candles and a favorite St Nick, a vintage mistletoe ball was hung (we have yet to fill it with mistletoe), and we set up a little winter village in the library.  I will pluck away, as time permits, with a few more things, but we have a good start on preparing our home for the wonderful season of celebrating the birth of our King.

I hope you all had a great weekend and will be blessed by the joy of the season upon us.

Linked w ith Thirty Handmade Days,