Tag: Christmas tree

12 Days of Christmas – Nature

I am undertaking a new challenge of sorts.  It is leading up to Christmas with the 12 days beforehand with some of the things that make Christmas what is so magical for me.  I will try to match a photograph with each as I go. I hope you enjoy some of these same things no matter what holiday customs you celebrate.

How can you go through Christmas without thinking of nature?  After all a lot of people decide to make a tree a focal point in their houses this time of year.  Wreaths and pine garlands add a fresh scent of pine to homes.  And every office I walk into has at least one poinsettia plant.  Who can say they have not tried to capture a little mistletoe kiss?

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So many people will do things like sledding, snowmen building and yes, even shoveling snow… I have spent my life in Iowa so I don’t really know what is the norm for a green Christmas in a warm climate.

I hope in this last week and a half or so until Christmas you take a minute to see the moon’s glow (we just had another super moon), watch for a shooting star, soak up the warmth that the sun offers and even admire natures beauty of snow or rain from the warmth and comfort of your home.  Admire that tree, not just the lights and ornaments.  Breathe in the scent of pine, even if it is only from an air freshener scent.  Nature is a part of my 12 days of Christmas… how about yours?

Day 90 – 100 Days of Happiness

This morning started out with a shock.  I awoke to the sound of keys in the lock.  The next thing I knew my daughter had walked in.  It was a nice surprise visit.  She had come to help put decorations on the Christmas tree.  So while she was here we watched a few of the soap episodes off of the DVR and had some laughs.  She did have to leave after an hour or two so she could go to work, but it was sure nice to see her.  Now that the tree is up and decorated my next step is to get those Christmas cards done… as long as I put them in the mail box before midnight on Christmas Eve they are technically  sent before Christmas…. LOL.

Day 89 – 100 Days of Happiness

Hard to believe today is only 2 weeks until Christmas.  Growing up we would start to decorate after Thanksgiving.  We had a big 7 or 8 ft artificial tree that would take us days to decorate.  The lights and ornaments were easy… it was the individual placement of the tinsel one strand at a time draped on one side of the branch all the way around to the other side.  I recall as kids me and my sister would get bored with decorating and Dad would end up doing a majority of it.  I am still not sure how Mom got out of doing much decorating.

Later on when I got married there was a new tradition to follow.  Since my then husband had his birthday on the 11th it was always his family’s way of making his birthday special by putting the tree up and decorating it that day.  We followed that for many years.  Now it is whenever my boyfriend has the day off.  Last year it was hard to get a time to get everyone together.  This year we have the tree up and lights on only waiting on the decorating until my daughter can get here to help.

Once the tree gets up I get a lot more into the spirit.  I now have Christmas music playing while I write this and the lights on the tree flash.  I have decided what to do with my Christmas card and hope to have most of them out by the end of the week.  I like the put letters or at least short notes in most of them.  Nothing better than getting a little good news in a letter instead of another bill showing up in the mail.

So tonight I sit in the wonder of the Christmas spirit… I love this time of year.  Not real wild about the crowds shopping, but the pretty decorations, the giving, the family together, the kids joy… it really is a magical time of year.  Do you have your tree up yet and does it take long to decorate it?