Christmas Comes in a Book

I am sure you have been doing the same things that I have the last week--helping all the pumpkin decorations and their friends pass the Christmas tree lights in the hallway as they are making their way back to their storage place for the next year.  My house looked like it had been raided with everything out all at once and the glitter from ornaments, fake snow and Fruit Loops from the grandchildren having a grand time on the floor.  The bed linens are still being laundered but Christmas is taking over the decorations now and I love it. I have finally gotten out my old faithful--my Christmas book.  It is where I keep all my ideas, notes, card list, menus, cookie recipes, that help make the worldly Christmas what it is to me.  Of course, the real meaning of Christmas cannot be put in a book because it is in my heart but this is one of my favorite Christmas items.

I made it about 20 years ago and have used it every year since.  It has paper sack pages which are nice because each page is a pocket to keep items.  I began with very nicely printed labels on each sack but have since just printed with a pen other categories as they have been needed.  Some of the categories are:

Holiday Tips-Organizing Christmas

Menus Christmas Eve, Christmas Day

Christmas Prayers

True Stories

Gift Ideas for Those Who Have Everything

Christmas Eve Program

Favorite Cookies and Candy recipes

Decorating Ideas

12 Days of Christmas

Games and Quizzes

Summary of Happenings Year by year

Craft Ideas

Tips for Photography Christmas

As I find ideas in magazines, or see something I like I put the ideas in this book. If I was a perfectionist, everything would be in a pocket, but over the years I have just stuck things in and not "filed" them so it is a bit messy.  The best part is I remember what I have put in it!  So it works for me. If you haven't yet started a place where you can put your favorite ideas to use at Christmas, I would suggest that this year would be a good one to start a book.  It could be a big binder that you buy with see-through sleeves that you can add as you need  or a commercial book that is made for this purpose.  Mine has been a wonderful book that I cherish and use each and every year.  May we each enjoy this special time as we prepare our homes and hearts for Christmas.

Aprons and Cookies

I have some great friends who cook! I decided to make aprons for some of them this Christmas. I delivered their aprons to them yesterday in our 3 hour window between a snowstorm and dusk when black ice forms on the roads. Here are four of them in their new attire ready to show the world their newest cuisine. I am hoping they will share their deliciousness with me soon.

Since we had a major blizzard today, Ella and I decided to make Spritz cookies.

The first batch came out perfect. (except that about half of the sprinkles ended up on the floor!)

The second batch--our pink princess flowers all melted together because as it turned out, I was trying to mix the second batch, timing the first, and trying to keep all the pink sanding sugar on the cupboard and not join the sprinkles on the rug and floor, at which time I lost track of the flour amounts I had added and was 1 cup short. And so, the beautiful pink flowers all melted into one large mass on the cookie sheet. Does this ever happen to you? (The whole thing went into the garbage when it cooled.)

My last attempt- I was vacuuming up all the teeny, tiny, multicolored sprinkles and the pink sanding sugar and by so doing, didn't hear the timer go off (or didn't set it at all, I don't know) and so that batch of lovely, lemon stars that Ella called 4th July (meaning fireworks) burned! At that point I gave up on the cookies, put what I had in a jar, and called it a day!

T'was the time before Christmas

I just love this time of year. I really like the time before Christmas maybe more than the actual day of Christmas. Here are 10 reasons why:

1. I love going to the elementary and middle school music concerts where the 4th graders all have on Santa hats and play their recorders as if they were in a famous Symphony (so cute), and the 7th graders play their flutes like they have really practiced.

2. I love to find at the store that my regular milk and yogurt have been replaced with seasonal ones like Pumpkin Spice and Egg Nog.

3. I love to see the children trying so hard to be on their best behavior leaving little notes saying "You are the best mother/grandmother in the world".

4. I have been listening to Christmas carols since October when I got a new CD for my birthday. Need I say I love them?

5. I love making just the right gift for someone and the anticipation of their response when they open it and see it for the first time. My sister always makes the neatest gifts for me so there is a lot of pressure on me with her gift.

6. I love a good party and it seems that everyone is having one at this time of year. Why not when your house is decorated with lots of twinkly lights on the mantle and candles everywhere?

7. Did I mention candles? I visited a friend's home today and had to see what candles she was burning-- Cranberry Wreath and Christmas Tree, it smelled so good!

8. There is nothing like seeing an envelope in the mail with familiar penmanship and you can't wait to read all about her year since she last wrote to you. You can reread it over and over again if you want.

9. When I make green Christmas tree Spritz cookies I have fond memories of my Aunt Ramona who always had them on her table for all the guests at Christmas time. Although none of my children like them, It wouldn't be Christmas for me without them. (I have not made them yet this year).

10. When I walk through my house at night with just the lights in the garlands glowing, the carols in the air and fireplace and candles burning, I just love it. I see my old stuffed dog from my childhood with a red bow around his neck, the ornaments we bought so many years ago along with crystals from a chandelier (we found in the attic of a previous home) on the tree and it makes me happy. I feel so cozy and content with everything the way it is right now. I will leave Christmas morning for the children, I don't need more than I have right now.