I think this is just about the strangest year I have ever experienced. so many people started decorating for Christmas back at Thanksgiving, well that would be me in an average year, and this surely isn't an average year. Anyway I am still decorating my tree. Decking my halls, but no baking this year, I am just plain tired of homemade goodies. Did I really just say that?? I fear so. There used to be a shop like this on the way to the Mall...yes there was a time when one had to drive across at lest two or thee counties to get to a Mall, Always stopped here on the way, there were walls of cookie cutters, a pickle barrel with real good pickles in it, random wood turnings, penny candy and Christmas decorations on the second floor all year long. There was something refreshing about going there, even though it didn't have air conditioning, it did have a bench on the front porch with a donkey painted on it also one with an elephant painted on it. On top of my kitchen cupboard is a red and white tin cup, that i bought there and I still use for coffee.
Those summer drives seem decades away, probably because they are.
I love to see Christmas lights. Snow just makes the evening more perfect, well for those of us who aren't traveling anyway. Traveling on Christmas Eve is exciting, seeing friends and family, and sliding down the highway sideways, and don't forget the beautiful light displays...and the presents are pretty nice too.
This year Christmas Candoliers are in all of the windows in our house, each is on a timer. Watching the snow start to fall as night overtakes the day is my reward. Watching the Christmas lights come on across the valley in our tiny town is my delight. the winter ahead is gray and cold, but tonight filled with sparkles.
Finally I want to share a version of my favorite Christmas story with you. Wish I could remember the name of the book that I first learned about this legend in. It's subject was a collection Christmas trees with decorations inspired by different countries. Paging thru it I noticed that the tree from Czechoslovakia was covered with beaded spider webs and spiders. In that version the spiders decorated the tree, while the impoverish family slept, with strands of silver and gold webs.
Do I have a spider or two on my tree? Of course, beaded spiders and beaded webs, and toward the end of the season may-be a real spider or two.
