...AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT

I hope each of you experienced a very Merry Christmas and I trust Santa was good to you. Our celebration began on Sunday with 18 family members here at my house. I loved having them come and they seemed to enjoy being here. Our newest addition, five-day-old Penelope Grace, was here and slept peacefully while being passed from one family member to another. My sister Linda, Penelope's grandma, remarked that the baby was surrounded by love that day, and so she was.

My angst the past few weeks about not feeling "in the spirit" to decorate the house or put up the trees was soon replaced with the urge to get it all done. I decorated a little differently from last year but even subtle changes can be good. I learned that I can't wait until the week before Christmas arrives to begin holiday baking and gift wrapping. Why hadn't I learned that lesson years ago? This year, there were many things going on the week before Christmas, and I had to put baking on hold and delegate gift wrapping to Glenn. As it turned out, my daughter brought peanut butter fudge and Spritz cookies to the family gathering, which are two of the things I'd always made at Christmas time but hadn't taken the time to make this year. Others brought treats as well, so everybody had plenty of snacks and I need not have worried about it at all. I plan to do some baking and fudge making this week so I can share some treats with the neighbors.

Maybe I try to do too much at Christmas time. I know that one tree and a few decorations would suffice, but decorating my home for friends and family to visit makes me happy. I enjoy getting out all my gingerbread men and vintage ornaments. I like having a decorated primitive tree in the guest room and I love trimming the one in the sun room with ornaments I made myself. I'm sure there will be a time when I'm ready to let go of much of my Christmas decor, but that time hasn't arrived yet.          

 

Today I fixed brunch for my daughter, son-in-law, and the grandkids, and we had a very relaxing day of visiting and exchanging gifts. We visited my mom in the assisted living facility and wished her a Happy Birthday and a Merry Christmas - she turned 89 on the 25th. Other family members stopped in to see her throughout the day and she said she hadn't been lonely. Tonight I'm tired but I feel very blessed to have my family and friends, and this wonderful old house which has become a gathering place for the holidays. All in all, it was a good season of celebration.   

 

FAMILY ROOM TREE

FIREPLACE IN FAMILY ROOM

HOOSIER IN THE FAMILY ROOM

LOVE THOSE GINGERBREADS AND CANDY CANES

PRIMITIVE TREE IN SUN ROOM

PRIMITIVE BROWN TREE IN GUEST ROOM

GINGERBREAD TEA SET ON HUTCH IN DININGROOM

TABLETOP TREE IN PARLOR

Merry Christmas to all....and to all a good night.