Merry Christmas

 Our nativity at home.  One of the loveliest and most special wedding gifts we received.

I was proud of my kids for remembering to place Baby Jesus in his manger first thing this morning.

 One of the nativity scenes at our parish.  

Our grade school's Christmas card, designed by a class of fourth graders.  I just love it.

Finally, a poem that I discovered earlier this year when my daughter was on a poetry reading (aloud) kick.  I can envision a sweet heart-shaped Christmas ornament with the poem on one side.  Will file that idea away in the room mom folder in my brain.  Here's the poem ...

MY GIFT

What can I give Him,

Poor as I am;

If I were a shepherd,

I would give Him a lamb.

If I were a wise man,

I would do my part.

But what can I give Him?

I will give him my heart.

Christina Rosetti

Gift Idea -- Nora Fleming

 

That's our elf, JJ, sittin' pretty on a pile of cinnamon-scented pinecones in the middle of my Nora Fleming salad bowl.  Nora Fleming, you say?  Tell me more.  If you are seeking a gift for a woman who loves to entertain and collect, a woman with a soft spot for cute stuff, consider Nora Fleming serving pieces.  All the pieces are simple and cream colored with a little beaded detail.  There's a little hole in each (I should have photographed this) where you can stick an adorable mini--like the woody wagon with tree on top featured above--to suit the occasion.  Having made it known that I am a woman who likes to entertain and collect, I have received some Nora Fleming pieces (platters, bowl, napkin holder, cheese board) and minis over the past five years.  I have also treated myself to some more minis now and again.  They are so cute that it's hard not to.

See what's I'm talking about?  So stinking cute.  

 

Fun, fun, fun.

Where to find Nora Fleming platters and minis?  I'm lucky because the best gift shop here in Pleasantville (Uptown Shop, Elmhurst, IL) sells them.  I believe they are also available at Von Maur.  Nora Fleming lives in a neighboring suburb, I think, and must be a generous lady as I have also seen Nora Fleming gift collections on auction for good causes (one of which I won -- woo hoo!).  

I totally get it that this kind of thing is a "me me me!!!" for some and an "eyeroll" for others.  Some like the idea of basics that can be jazzed up.  Others are not at all tempted by more stuff.  We all like what we like and do what we do.  I'm just sharing this gift idea in case you need something to add to your own Christmas list or need inspiration for someone you love.  I seem to have aged out of the wedding shower circuit and didn't know about Nora Fleming back when I was on it, but for the "me me me!!! I love cute stuff" bride, I think a basic platter and a couple minis would make a great gift.

My Tree of Treasures -- New and Fair Trade Additions

Inspired by Bonnie Mackay's Tree of Treasures, I'm going to share the history of two of my tree treasures.  I'm kind of cheating because I bought both ornaments just last weekend, but why not start with a task that won't task my increasingly iffy memory? 

The gorgeous cardinal ornament above now has a perfect eye level spot on my beloved cardinal tree.  Made in India, the ornament was purchased at our parish's free trade artisan market, which takes place each year in December.  The purpose of the market is to bring a variety of artisan goods to buyers who pay fair prices for them and help support artisans and families all over the globe.  It's made of fabric, and I fell in love with the cording and beading details.  With many cardinals already perched on my tree, new additions have to be very unique and beautiful (see above) or welcome gifts from friends.

This beautiful ornament featuring the Holy Family was (surprise surprise) also purchased at the fair trade artisan event.  If I could get a decent photo of our family tree, you'd see that we need another ornament like a hole in the head.  However, I fell in love with this nativity tucked inside a hollowed out gourd from Peru.  Who can argue with a new and beautiful reminder of the true meaning of this Christmas season?

Both ornaments were purchased from the vendor Gracias Free Trade.  I know they'll grace our trees for many years.

Tree of Treasures

I'll save my November NaBloPoMo wrap-up for another day.  Here's a sneak preview for December here at Books and Carbs.  I found Bonnie Mackay's Tree of Treasures on a new release kiosk at the library.  It's the perfect library book, not something I need to own, but something I am so glad to have read.  Mackay owns many, many ornaments and has been in the ornament business for much of her professional career.  

The book pairs photos of some of her favorite ornaments with stories about their origin and significance.  As her subtitle promises, it's "a life in ornaments."

I want to write about some of my favorite ornaments this month (not every day, I promise).  Mackay's book made me think of how cool it would be for adult children to photograph and write about some of their favorite ornaments for a family ornament book that could be given to parents as a keepsake gift.  Maybe I'll take some pics of my parents' tree when we're home for Christmas and recruit some writers of all ages.   

What if I could get my kids to write about one ornament each year starting NOW and collect the photos and write-ups in an album?  Am I getting carried away?  We'll see.

Lights Out

You may recall my riveting account of composting our rotten Halloween pumpkins earlier this month.

Here's another exciting tale of conscientiousness and follow through. 

On Monday morning, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bin at our community workout facility when I was there for tennis.  The bin seemed to be filled with Christmas lights.

I arrived home a couple hours later and noticed the pile of non-working Christmas lights on the floor of our garage.  My husband had placed the lights (and some other get-rid-of-them-please items) in my parking spot in the hopes that I would get rid of them.  A quick google search revealed that I could recycle Christmas lights at a variety of community locations, including the place where I play tennis.  In an amazing feat of memory and follow through, I moved the lights from garage floor to passenger seat, then remembered to carry them into the building and drop them in the bin when I went to tennis today.  Lights out success.

I successfully parked in the garage this evening.  I'd tell you what I did with the other get-rid-of-them-please items, but I don't know if you could handle the excitement. 

Cardinal Tree, 2016 -- Hope!

We have an artificial tree that we inherited when my in-laws were downsizing their own Christmas decor.  It's covered with colored lights and every imaginable kind of ornament, chaotic and perfect in the way that family Christmas trees ought to be.  

When we moved to our town five years ago, we started decorating a real tree each year as well.  We had a perfect front window for it, plus our kids' school has a Christmas Tree lot as a fundraiser.  The first year, the real tree had some random decorations and kept falling over (including onto my friend and her son while she was changing his diaper during a preschool lunchtime playdate -- those were the days!).  

I found some cardinal ornaments at Target, Kohl's, and Walgreens on deep discount after Christmas that first year.  Combining the bargain cardinals with the cardinal ornaments my mom had been gifting me ever since my oldest was born, a vision was born.  I could imagine the cardinal tree and knew it would be spectacular.  And it is.  I take pleasure in seeking and finding cardinal ornaments to add to my collection and have been lucky to have friends and family help the cause. 

Cardinals are my reminder that all is well in my world.  For me, cardinals are peace, joy, and, always, hope.  It feels right to write about this cardinal tree on the first Sunday of Advent, the season in which we wait and hope.