Happy New Year

"Yet the old house, the room, the merry voices and smiling faces,
the jest, the laugh,
the most minute and trivial circumstances connected with those happy meetings,
crowd upon our mind as if the last assemblage had been but yesterday."

~ Charles Dickens

Wishing all my friends a Happy New Year, with thanks for all your wonderful comments throughout the year!

Hugs,

Home at Christmas Time

"My favorite place in all the world
Is home at Christmas time,
For there is where we gather near
The precious ones we love so dear,
And hold them in our hearts once more
To last throughout the coming year."

~ Nancy Nowiszewski,
Better Homes & Gardens Christmas Keepsake, 1984

A Special Tree

For the last three years my homemaking list has participated in a homemade ornament swap. It's been so much fun to think of projects, and then make one for each member participating. This year we were up to 12 participants!


I have a small "Charlie Brown" tree that sits on a chest in the front window here in the office, and that's the one that gets decorated with all the handmade ornaments from my list friends. I also have 24 tiny books from an Advent calendar that tell the story of Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Those, too, decorate the branches of this tiny tree. As you can see, I think I'll have to use a larger one next year!

Advent - Day 24

The Visit of the Magi - Matthew 2: 1-12

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.'

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 'In Bethlehem in Judea,' they replied, 'for this is what the prophet has written:

'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.'

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route."

Advent - Day 23

I love today's passage! As a mother, I think my favorite verse is the one that says, "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." That's just what moms do... remember all the special times in their children's lives so they can save those precious memories and think of them throughout their lives.



The Shepherds and the Angels - Luke 2: 8-20

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angels said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
'Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.'

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."

Oh, Come, Oh, Come Emmanuel

This is one of my very favorite songs during the Advent season. Since Christmas is almost here, I thought I'd share it with you today.

"Oh, Come, Oh, Come Emmanuel"

Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high,
Who ordered all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, oh, come, our Lord of might,
Who to your tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times gave holy law,
In cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come O Rod of Jesse's stem,
From ev'ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow'r to save;
Bring them in vict'ry through the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, O Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, our Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by your drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Oh, bid our sad divisions cease,
And be yourself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Translated: John Neal, 1818-66
Author: French Processional
Tune: Veni Emmanuel
1st Published in: 1854

Advent - Day 22

Birth of Jesus - Luke 2: 1-7

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."

Advent - Day 21

The Birth of Jesus Christ - Matthew 1: 18-25

"This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.'

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel -- which means, 'God with us.'

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus."

Advent - Day 20

Zechariah's Song - Luke 1: 67-80

An Excerpt...

"And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.
And the child grew and became strong in spirit;
and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel."

Luke 1: 76-80

Advent - Day 19

Birth of John the Baptist - Luke 1: 57-66

"When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, 'No! He is to be called John..'

They said to her, 'There is no one among your relatives who has that name.'

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, 'His name is John.' Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God. The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, 'What then is this child going to be?' For the Lord's hand was with him."

Advent - Day 18

Mary's Song - Luke 1: 46-56

"And Mary said:

'My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me --
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers form their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
even as he said to our fathers.'

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home."

Viennese Crescents

I received this recipe from my mother-in-law several years ago. My husband remembers these cookies from his childhood, and they were always his favorite Christmas cookies (although nowadays he prefers chocolate chips). This week we're busy with Christmas decorating, and my stepdaughter (she's 24) is visiting with us for the week. In addition to trimming the tree (does anyone still say that, or do us modern-day people just say decorating??)... I'll be baking some cookies. Usually that's something I do with our daughter (22), so it will be especially fun to have two daughters to bake with :) I think this recipe from their grandmother will be perfect.



VIENNESE CRESCENTS

1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans or almonds)
1 teaspoon vanilla

~ Mix all ingredients together with a spoon. Don't use an electric beater or hand mixer.
~ Shape into crescents and roll in powdered sugar.
~ Bake in a 300 degree oven for 35 minutes.
~ Remove from cookie sheet and roll again in powdered sugar.

Advent - Day 17

Mary Visits Elizabeth - Luke 1: 39-45

"At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb,
and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
In a loud voice she exclaimed:
'Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the child you will bear!
But why am I so favored,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears,
the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!' "

Advent - Day 16

Birth of Jesus Foretold - Luke 1: 26-38

"In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.'

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. he will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.'

'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?'

The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.'

'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered. 'May it be to me as you have said.' Then the angel left her."

Advent - Day 15

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold - Luke 1: 5-25

An excerpt...

"Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous -- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord'."

Luke 1: 11-17

About the Candy Recipes...

I received a question or two about the candy recipes...

I think it's fine to leave out the liqueur to make them alcohol free. I'd just add a drop or two of an extract similar in flavor :)

Advent - Day 14

Introduction - Luke 1: 1-4

"Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us. Just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught."

A Few Favorite Candy Recipes

CREAM CHEESE MINTS
(Yield: 3-4 dozen)

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
3-1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2-3 drops food coloring

~ Beat cream cheese with milk until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and beat till well blended.
~ Press small amounts of mixture into candy molds. Remove from molds and allow to air-dry at room temperature 4 - 6 hours.
~ Store in airtight container.

~ Note: If you don't have candy molds, these can be rolled into small balls and then flattened with the bottom of a glass to make a round mint. Use the tines of a fork to decorate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHOCOLATE CREME DE MINT TRUFFLES
(Yield: 3-1/2 dozen)

One 11-1/2 ounce package (2 cups) milk chocolate morsels
1/4 cup sour cream
2-1/2 tablespoons mint flavored liqueur

~ Melt chocolate morsels over hot (not boiling) water and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream. Stir in mint-flavored liqueur.
~ Transfer to small bowl and chill till thickened -- about 30 minutes.
~ Fill pastry bag fitted with decorative tip; pipe 1-inch candies onto foil-lined cookie sheet. Chill till ready to serve.
~ Keep refrigerated.

Note: Can also be made into small 1-inch balls and then rolled in cocoa powder, powdered sugar, or light green sprinkles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CHOCOLATE AMARETTO TRUFFLES
(Yield: 2-1/2 dozen)

One 11-1/2 ounce package (2 cups) milk chocolate morsels
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons almond flavor liqueur
2/3 cup finely chopped toasted almonds

~ Melt chocolate morsels over hot (not boiling) water. Stir till smooth. Remove from heat. Blend in sour cream. Add almond flavored liqueur and mix well. Transfer to small bowl. Chill until firm.
~ Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto waxed-paper-lined cookie sheets and shape into balls. Roll in chopped almonds.
~ Chill until firm -- about 30 minutes.
~ Store in refrigerator.

Advent - Day 13

The Genealogy of Jesus - Matthew 1: 1-17

An excerpt:

"A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham...

...and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ."

Matthew 1: 1; 16-17

Advent - Day 12

The Word Becomes Flesh - John 1: 1-18

An excerpt...

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it....

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth....

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known."

John 1: 1-5; 14; 16-18

Advent - Day 11

The Day of the Lord - Malachi 4

The last chapter of the Old Testament...

"Surely the day is coming: it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the Lord Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them. But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. Then you will trample down the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I do these things," says the Lord Almighty.

"Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel."

"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers: or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."

Malachi 4: 1-6

Advent - Day 10

A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem - Micah 5: 1-5

An excerpt...

"But you, Bethlehem Ephratha,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times."

Micah 5: 2

Advent - Day 9

The Servant of the Lord - Isaiah 49: 1-7

An Excerpt...

"I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.

This is what the Lord says --
the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel --
to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation,
to the servant of rulers:
Kings will see you and rise up,
princes will see and bow down,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."

Isaiah 49: 6b-7

Traditions

I've been spending a lot of time this month thinking about traditions. In fact, I can't think of Christmas these days, without the word "tradition" sneaking into my thoughts. Every family has their own ~ probably started years ago by an ancestor who brought their customs over from another country ~ and carried on from one generation to another... cherished ornaments, wonderful family recipes, favorite songs and stories. We remember the holidays of our youth with fondness, and wish we could share the same celebrations with our own children and grandchildren. But, in so many families things have changed... the older generations who are no longer with us live only in our memories, and other loved ones have moved away. While we can't have the same celebrations with our own children, we can still carry on the same traditions.

In my family, the one I always loved the most was the candlelight service at church on Christmas Eve. As a child it was fun and exciting to stay up late and get dressed in my new Christmas outfit, and to sit between my two grandmothers at church ~ to listen to the pastor tell the Christmas story from Luke, to sing favorite Christmas carols, and to end the service singing 'Silent Night' as the inside of the church was aglow from the candles ~ the light being passed from one person to the next. For me, it ended the evening in a most wondrous and magical way. This is still one of my favorite traditions ~ along with the Christmas plays or pageants.

Other traditions I grew up with are still being carried on... the way we decorate our tree (tinsel must always be put on "one strand at a time", as my grandmother always said), the foods that are prepared, and the little things... wrapping packages the way my mother did and stacking them on the dining room chairs, driving around to look at Christmas lights and decorations, and watching all the favorite Christmas movies.

One thing I wish I still had was a wonderful tree stand that was handmade by my paternal grandfather. He was a steelworker and learned his trade from his father, and his grandfather, who were blacksmiths. The stand was actually a house... not elaborate, but a simple looking house with a door and windows cut out in the front. In the center of the house was a large chimney, and this is where the tree trunk was inserted. I loved that stand and always watched with anticipation as it was pulled out each Christmas season. I don't know if it was something my grandfather made when my father was a boy, or if it was a gift to my parents when they first married. After years and years it began to show signs of age, and my parents were never ones to keep things that had no further use.... maybe that's why I'm just the opposite and keep everything. I would have kept it and used it as a decoration... just because it was made by my grandfather, and just because it was an important part of our tradition.

Advent - Day 8

Comfort for God's People

"A voice of one calling:
'In the desert prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.

And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken' "

~ Isaiah 40: 3-5

Advent - Day 7

A Branch of Jesse ~ Isaiah 11

An excerpt...

"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit."

~ Isaiah 11:1

Advent - Day 6

To Us a Child Is Born

"For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called,
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."

Isaiah 9: 6-7

Advent - Day 5

The Sign of Immanuel - Isaiah 7:14

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."

Mulling Spices

MULLING SPICES
(Yield: 3/4 cup mix)

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

~ Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

~ Place mix in airtight container and give with recipe for Mulled Wine (or Cider). This mix will be enough for three servings of the mulled wine or cider.

~ Recipe: To make mulled wine or cider: Combine 1/4 cup mix with 1 cup red wine (or 1 cup apple cider) and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Makes one serving.

Advent - Day 4

Psalm 132

An excerpt:

"The Lord swore an oath to David,
a sure oath that he will not revoke.
'One of your own descendants
I will place on your throne --
if your sons keep my covenant
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne for ever and ever'."

Psalm 132: 11

Advent - Day 3 and Christmas Windows

Psalm 110 ... especially verse 1, which Jesus quotes later in Mark 12:36

The Lord says to my Lord:
"Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet."

Psalm 110: 1


CHRISTMAS WINDOWS

Here are some ideas for decorating your windows for the holiday season...

~ Line up some small potted evergreens on the windowsill and add some tinsel, white mini-lights, and artificial snow.

~ Use evergreen garlands to tie back drapes or curtains. Decorate them with Christmas lights, miniature ornaments, ribbon, and pinecones.

~ Put leftover ribbon to use by tucking some colorful bows on your window sills... hang some ribbon as streamers from curtain rods... or use it to hang pinecones, holly or Christmas cookie cutters.

~ Pin some bright and shiny Christmas balls to your drapes or valances.

An Elegant Christmas Tea

"Be merry all, be merry all,
With holly dress the festive hall;
Prepare the song, the feast, the ball,
To welcome merry Christmas."

~ W. R. Spencer

A tea is a such a nice way to entertain friends, especially during the holidays. You can serve your favorite small sandwiches, muffins, scones, or just keep things simple and serve your homemade Christmas cookies. Here are some ideas...

~ THE TEA ~

I love looking for different teas this time of year, when many companies offer their holiday special blends. Taylors of Harrogate has Spiced Christmas Tea, which it refers to as "a warming blend of tea with lemon, orange and cinnamon", and it's very good! With their attractive, yet simple, packaging, I like to think of this as my "elegant" Christmas tea.

Celestial Seasonings now offers several different holiday teas, and their boxes have the prettiest designs and sayings. Nutcracker Sweet, which was their first holiday tea, is a caffeinated tea flavored with vanilla, nutty flavors, and cinnamon. Sugar Plum Spice became one of my favorites and I quickly bought several boxes when it appeared on the shelves so I'd have it to enjoy during the entire year. This is a fruitier herb tea and is flavored with ingredients such as hibiscus, rosehips, chamomile, plum and cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. I love it with a little brown sugar! Gingerbread Spice, also herbal, is flavored with ginger and cinnamon. In addition to those three, they've added Candy Cane Lane (a decaf green tea), Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride (an herb tea), and Rudolph's Rockin' Raspberry (a caffeine free kids' tea).

Perhaps my favorite winter tea is one I received in a "tea swap" several years ago when I was on a tea and quilting list. This particular tea was sent by a woman in Germany, and I tried to find it ~ even writing to the company in Germany ~ only to find that they don't offer it in the United States. It's called "Winterzeit" and is from the Teekanne company in Dusseldorf, Germany. I don't know what the exact ingredients are, but it's a fruity, spicy tea with the most wonderful aroma. I was really excited when my friend Heidi in Holland was able to buy some for me on a trip to Germany. I made the boxes last and last so I could enjoy them for a long time :)

Of course, you'll find several other holiday teas from different companies, or you could use one of your regular favorites. And just in case you don't like tea, make a pot of hot cocoa and serve it in a pretty tea pot... and don't forget a dish of freshly made whipped cream and some shaved chocolate.

~ THE DECORATIONS ~

This tea will be an elegant celebration. Use a white tablecloth as your base, and white candles in various sizes and heights as the centerpiece. Sprinkle gold confetti stars or angels on the tablecloth, and use a gold star garland (the "twisty" kind) or a gold wire-edged ribbon to "weave" around the candles for a dramatic effect, including some greenery "here and there". For a token gift, place a small crystal angel ornament at each place setting.

Gently roll the napkins into a scroll effect, and tie loosely with a pretty gold wire-edged ribbon, tied in a bow.

Advent - Day 2

Psalm 89: 3-4

"You said, 'I have made a covenant with my chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant,
I will establish your line forever
and make your throne firm through all generations'."

Advent - Day 1

Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

(Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel ~ Verse One
Translated: John Neal, 1818-66)

Welcome to the 1st day of the Advent season! Last year I posted a different scripture reading for each day of December. I'm going to include the title of each reading this year, and if you click on the Bible reference, it will take you to last year's writing. I'll also be including a verse from one of my favorite hymns of the season, "Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel".

God's Promise to David - 2 Samuel 7:1-17

In one of my favorite Christmas books, 52 Simple Ways to Make Christmas Special (by Jan Dargatz, 1991) it suggests keeping an Advent Diary. Here are the author's suggestions:

~ You may want to keep the diary active from year to year, making only a few entries each season.

~ You may want to have a diary for just one year. You can add entries for Christmastide and Epiphany to encompass the full scope of the holiday season.

~ You may want to create a family Advent diary, inviting each member of your family to make entries.

~ You may want to illustrate your diary with cutouts from favorite Christmas cards.

~ You may want to invite each of your children to keep a Christmas diary. Encourage your child to record her favorite memories, her Christmas prayer list, perhaps even a letter to the baby Jesus.

~ You may want to include mementos of the holiday season in your Advent diary ~ a sprig of pressed holly, a program from a special event, a photograph or sketch of a winter scene.

Keep your diary personal. Let this be a place where you express yourself in a private, intimate way. Use your diary as a means of recording:

~ your insights into the Christmas story and the Advent season;
~ your spiritual longings and desires;
~ your hopes and expectations for what Christ will accomplish in and through your life; and
~ your reflections on the symbols of the season.

Welcoming the Holiday House Guest

"Gifts of time and love
are surely the basic ingredients of a truly
Merry Christmas."

~ Peg Bracken

I'm really excited because we'll have a house guest for a week before Christmas. My 24-year-old stepdaughter will be here visiting us from December 16th to the 23rd. She lives in Kentucky where her mom and other family live, so it's always special when she gets to visit. She's busy finishing up her college degree, and working as well, so doesn't have a lot of free time.

Our daughter (22) and I always have a lot of fun getting the guest room ready for visitors, and it's especially fun at Christmas time when you can include holiday decorations. No matter what time of year we have guests, we always prepare a basket full of goodies for them to enjoy. When guests come during this season, they'll find a small decorated Christmas tree sitting on the table next to the basket of treats. I'm always looking for new ideas, and here are a few things I've copied down in my notebook over the years...

~ Decorate the guest room door with a wreath.

~ If you have enough space, place a small Christmas tree in the room... even a tabletop tree makes a welcome addition.

~ Set out a basket with some fresh fruit, nuts, candy, and homemade muffins or cookies for a special treat for your guests. Don't forget to add a few bottles of water, or a carafe and glass (and some holiday napkins).

~ If you have a small coffee maker, this can be a nice addition to the guest room for guests who rise early, or who might like an afternoon or late evening beverage. Be sure to include packets of cocoa, apple cider, teas, special coffees, as well as some sugar (or sugar substitute), creamers and spoons. Some special additions would be most welcome, too... cinnamon sticks, candy canes and chocolate spoons all make perfect 'stirrers'.

~ Provide an alarm clock, radio, and some stationery or note cards with envelopes, stamps and pens (and maybe a few holiday stickers). You might want to add a few other items just in case they need to wrap some last-minute gifts... scissors, tape, to-from tags, some pretty paper and ribbons.

~ A pretty journal tied with a ribbon and a pen tucked in would be a perfect gift for your friends who love to write. Place it on a bedside table, or right by the pillow. Write a special message or Bible verse on the front page!

~ If you have an extra CD player, place one of these in the guest room with a few favorite Christmas CDs for your guests to enjoy.

~ A large basket on the floor can be filled with an assortment of books and magazines... make sure to include some holiday editions!!

~ Add a pretty fleece throw, a quilt or an afghan in the room for your guest to cuddle under while they read, write or enjoy some music.

~ There's nothing better than the aromas of the holidays! Use some seasonal potpourri or candles in the room.

~ Place a special basket in the bathroom for your guests. Include small sample sizes of personal care items they might have forgotten to pack... some special soaps, bath oils, and lotions.

~ Provide nice, lush towels ~ and include a bath sheet for them to wrap themselves in (or a robe) after their bath or shower.

~ Don't forget to include an extra blanket or two, and plenty of pillows!!

Victorian Crocheted Beaded Garland

I love to crochet with bedspread weight cotton and made several of these crocheted garlands a few years ago. I bought some packages of the beaded garland and then crocheted around the beads using the white cotton. This one has the silver beads, but I also did a few others using pearls, gold, and crystal. They really look pretty on the tree, and aren't difficult to do (once you get past the first few beads). No matter what I did, I wasn't able to get a good close-up picture, so I apologize for the blurriness.





VICTORIAN BEADED GARLAND

1 beaded garland
Bedspread weight cotton (size 10)
Size 7 crochet hook

Side One:

~ Working loosely around the garland in spaces between the first and second bead, join thread with a single crochet.
~ Chain 4.
~ DC in 4th chain from hook.
~ SC in next space.
~ Repeat till you reach the end of the row; don't finish off.

Side Two:

Row 1:
~ Chain 1. You'll now be working in the spaces between beads on the opposite side of the garland, and after the single crochet you worked for the first side.
~ SC in first space, chain 4, sc in next space.
~ Continue in this pattern across the row.

Row 2:
~ Chain 4, turn.
~ 4 dc in first ch-4 space, chain 2
~ *4 dc in next ch-4 space, chain 3, sc in next ch-4 space, chain 3, 4 dc in next ch-4 space, chain 2*
~ Repeat the pattern between * * to the last ch-4 space. Then 4 dc, chain 1, dc in that space.

Row 3:
~ Chain 1, turn.
~ SC in the first ch-1 space, chain 4, (sc, chain 1, dc, chain 1, sc) in next ch-2 space, ch 4,
~ *sc in next ch-3 space, chain 3, sc in next ch-3 space, chain 4, (sc, chain 1, dc, chain 1, sc) in next ch-2 space, chain 4*
~ Repeat the pattern between * * to the last 4 dc, skip last 4 dc, sc in last space.
~ Finish off.

Thanksgiving Wishes

"Over the river and through the wood,
To grandmother's house we go;
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh,
Through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river and through the wood,
Oh how the wind does blow;
It stings the toes
And bites the nose,
As over the ground we go."

~ Lydia Maria Child

I remember singing this song every year in elementary school when it was close to Thanksgiving. It was always the perfect song, since we did go to grandmother's house ~ although it wasn't by sleigh, nor over the river and through the wood :) I still find myself singing it "in my head" each November.

Today will begin with one of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving traditions ~ the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Since I'm originally from New York, it's a highlight of the holidays for me. AND... Christmas officially begins (at least for me) when I see Santa coming down Broadway at the end of the parade.

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Hot Buttered Cranberry Cider - for Thanksgiving

"Apples and cider, chat and singing, finished the evening, and after a grand kissing all round, the guests drove away in the clear moonlight which came just in time to cheer their long drive."

~ Louisa May Alcott, from "An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving"



Hot Buttered Cranberry Cider
(Makes 10 servings)

1/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 48-ounce bottle cranberry juice, or cran-apple juice, cocktail
1 quart pasteurized apple cider
cinnamon sticks for garnish

~ Blend softened butter, honey and spices and set aside.

~ In large saucepan combine cranberry cocktail and apple cider, and bring to a boil.

~ In each mug place one teaspoon of honey butter and fill with the hot cranberry cider. Add a cinnamon stick to each mug, and serve.

Cinnamon Garland

"It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air."

~ W. T. Ellis

CINNAMON GARLAND

Thin rope
Brown floral tape
#20 wire
3 inch cinnamon sticks
2-1/2 inch wide ribbons

~ Cut the rope long enough to drape over the window and cut 2 pieces of the rope for the drop at each side.

~ Loop a 12 inch piece of wire through each cinnamon stick, twist the ends together, and cover with the floral tape.

~ Wire 5 to 6 cinnamon sticks to make a cluster, then wire the cluster to the rope. Repeat this until the garland is full.

~ Tie bows with the ribbons and fasten them, with streamers, to the side of each garland.

An Award

Thank you to Julie at Nunnie's Attic for passing on this award! I love Christmas so really appreciate receiving this :) Thank you Julie!

I'm going to pass the award on to my friend Heidi at Celebrate the Seasons. She makes all the seasons jolly *big smile*

Answering a Few Questions :)

About cranberries... I'm not sure how long they last in crafts, since it depends on whether the item you're making is for outside where the cold weather would help preserve them, or if they're for inside where it's warm ~ or for that matter where they might be in the house. I would think that there'd be a difference in how long an item would last if they're placed near a fireplace or wood-burning stove, compared to being placed on or near a window where they might still get some cold.

One of my favorite things I've ever seen with cranberries is a wreath that was featured on the cover of one of the older Martha Stewart Living Magazines. She's since done the same wreath using red beads, so it lasts for more than one Christmas. You can find the directions for that one here :)

About the applesauce ornament garland... I have a few different directions for making a garland or swag using the applesauce ornaments. I think they were in a couple of the Leisure Arts Spirit of Living books (those are my all-time favorites, and I have one for each of the last 20 years!). One of my favorites was where they strung them on a coarse jute cord and between the applesauce ornaments they added wooden beads and strips of homespun tied on to the cord.

New England Decorations

"The simple things that bless our fireside,
The peace and joy we shared, the love sublime,
The heritage of home at Christmastime!"

~ E. Sherman Smith

"Years ago, Portuguese families living on the New England coast, placed a candle in each window to welcome visitors to their homes. Modern New Englanders of many backgrounds do the same, but with electric candles."

~ From 'The Time-Life Book of Christmas' (1987)



"Not everyone has last-minute shopping to do. In a Maine farmhouse, preparations for Christmas are all but complete. The tree is decorated, presents are wrapped and in place. Cranberry bread, a special holiday recipe, bakes in a cast-iron oven, its sweet aroma spreading from the kitchen through the house. Wood has been cut and stockpiled; already a small blaze dances in the fireplace. In front of the fire sit the providers of this scene of peace and plenty, quietly watching the flame and enjoying its glow. Tomorrow will bring children and grandchildren, laughter and a hearty dinner. But as evening descends over the snow-covered hills the words of the old carol could not be more true: 'All is calm, all is bright.' "

~ From 'The Time-Life Book of Christmas' (1987)



Decorate your home with...

~ pine branches (swags, wreaths, or homemade garlands)
~ pinecone wreaths...
~ bowls or baskets filled with pinecones and some cinnamon sticks for a pleasant aroma
~ make cranberry wreaths, small cranberry trees, or string cranberries for the tree
~ use seashells, sand dollars, or star fish to make ornaments or wreaths.



A BOOK RECOMMENDATION

'A Yankee Christmas' by Sally Ryder Brady (1992) is a great book for anyone who loves New England. It's full of traditions, crafts, and delicious recipes. It was published by Yankee Books, Emmaus, Pennsylvania.

A Pine Cone Wreath and a Cranberry Tree

PINECONE WREATH ~

These wreaths really hold up well if you take care of them. I still have one I use each year that my mother made in 1967 ~ 40 years ago! I've needed to fill in a couple of places and add a different bow, but it still looks wonderful!

About 50 large pinecones (about 5-6 inches)
About 30 medium pinecones(about 4 inches)
About 20-25 small pinecones (about 3 inches)
About 12 of the "fat" rosette cones
Assorted tiny pinecones, milkweed pods, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves
A triple wire wreath frame
Glue gun
Spool of thin-medium gauge wire
Bow (optional)

~ Soak the large and medium pinecones in warm water for a few hours to soften and open.
~ Insert these large cones around the outside of the wreath frame, keeping them close together, and secure with wire (wrapped through the cone and onto the frame).
~ Insert the medium cones around the inside of the frame. Let the wreath stand in a warm room for a day or two, so the cones open up and become tightly fixed in place.
~ Using a glue gun, or wire, fill in the middle strip of the wreath frame with the small cones and the rosettes.
~ When the wreath is full of the pinecones, use the tiny cones, pods, cinnamon sticks and cloves to fill in any empty spaces. The cinnamon sticks and cloves also add a nice scent to the wreath.
~ Attach a wire on the back for hanging, and a bow on the front, if desired.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A CRANBERRY TREE

1 styrofoam cone
Fresh cranberries
A few boxes of wooden toothpicks
Sphagnum moss
Glue
Sprig of holly leaves

~ Glue the moss to the cone to cover.
~ Break the toothpicks in half, and insert one end into a cranberry, and then the other end into the cone. Continue until the cone is full of berries.
~ Attach the holly leaves at the top of the cone using glue.

A Year Older...

The Keeping of Christmas turned one year old on November 1st! I was so busy with things that I didn't even realize it, although I should have remembered, since I started this blog just a few weeks after I began Joyful Blessings.

The reason I noticed the anniversary of this blog is because I came across an email I sent to one of my lists last year on November 2nd. It included things on my to-do list for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I really had to smile when I noticed that it's almost exactly the same as my to-do list this year. I guess some things never change :)

So, since I'm a big list maker, here's my letter that I wrote last year on November 2nd. No need to re-do it since everything seems to still apply!


How can it possibly be November??!! I have too much on my "to do and make" list, and it's never going to get done. So, the rest of this week I'm concentrating my efforts on organizing myself for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I'm working on some lists:


THANKSGIVING:
Menu
Shopping List
Table decorations
Serving dishes used only on special occasions
Linens for the table



Next is Christmas. Lists there are:


GIFTS:

~ Refine my gift list of people that I keep on the computer (as an email in my drafts folder ~ I check it often throughout the year and update things by using different colors)
~ Items still needed to purchase (I've been shopping throughout the year so I'm already finished with a few people)
~ Items still to be made. I'm afraid this will be cut down from my original plans. I've been spending too much time cross stitching and not working on gifts, lol.


CARDS:

~ I've had all our cards since the spring (when Lang had a really great online sale!). I need to go over my list and will start addressing envelopes next week.
~ Decide on a photo to copy and include.
~ Start writing notes and letters. I like to make them personal and handwritten, so I'll pull out my holiday stationery and start working on them. If I find myself running short on time, I can always type up something for the ones that are left.


BAKING:

~ I want to go through my books and pull out the cookie recipes to make this year. I'm hoping to get lots of extras done, to use as gifts. Since we mail most of our gifts around the country (due to several moves, lol), I'd like to get this done early and mail them just after Thanksgiving.
~ So, that means I'll make up shopping lists this week. I've already begun adding items to my regular weekly shopping so it's not such a big amount all at once.
~ I also need to purchase some more tins for shipping the cookies.


MEALS:

~ Finally, I need to go through favorite cookbooks and come up with meals for the holiday. Since we'll have a houseguest for a week, I want to come up with some special meals for that time, as well as for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day.

I also want to come up with some meal ideas/menus for the next several weeks, up to the holidays. That way I don't have to think, and can just look at my list of ideas :) DH travels often, so it's difficult to plan too far ahead of what I'll make each night. As long as I have a list of menus and all the ingredients in the freezer and pantry (which I normally do), life will be
easier.

And.... since we'll have a houseguest, I need to make a list of things to do in the guestroom
to make it welcoming. I love to put up a small tree, add a basket with goodies, and use pretty linens.

I know I'm probably forgetting something, but that's a good start :) I decided to go ahead and tell all of you my plans, so that I can be held accountable as we go along. I've pulled a few books off my shelves which have some wonderful ideas for the holidays, and I hope to get those shared with all of you. Now, I'm off to start those lists!!

~ Joanne

PS Since I've been in a Christmas mood, I couldn't resist starting a Christmas blog, lol. I have a lot more to add to my favorites, but this is a start. If you want to check it out, it's here:
http://thekeepingofchristmas.blogspot.com/

Victorian Decorating

"The Victorians practically invented Christmas ~ at least the jolly Christmas we know today. Though Christmas had been celebrated since the fourth century, many of our modern customs were refined and popularized in the Victorian era. Ebenezer Scrooge, Santa Claus, Christmas trees, Christmas cards, advertising for shopping, caroling, and an emphasis on childhood and feasting around the family table all became an important part of Christmas in the nineteenth century."

~ Candy Paull, 'Christmas Abundance'


VICTORIAN DECORATING ~

"Charles Dickens and Prince Albert, who brought many German customs to his marriage to Queen Victoria, are perhaps more responsible than any others for the popularity of the Christmas celebration. They began the revival of that warm, generous, sentimental celebration of the day. Said Dickens of the holiday, 'Christmas is a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of other people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys'." ~ From 'The Christmas Lover's Handbook" by Lasley F. Gober



Celebrate Christmas with the elegance of the Victorian era.

~ Add garlands and bows to staircases
~ Use crocheted doilies as placemats, table runners, or for decorative accents
~ Drape a fringed silk scarf on the mantel
~ Use a few yards of taffeta, velvet or brocade draped around the tree for an elegant tree skirt ~ Decorate the tree with small nosegays, silk tassels, paper and fabric fans, chandelier pieces, paper doilies folded into fans, and cornucopias
~ Use long ropes of pearls and gold beads or old lace as garlands
~ Wrap plain glass balls in a piece of nylon netting and tie at the top with a pretty ribbon...
~ Make a Victorian crazy-quilt stocking from scraps of velvet, brocades, taffetas, ribbons and lace. Trace a favorite stocking pattern onto a piece of fabric, or purchase a plain stocking, and then decorate by adding your scraps in a pretty design.

At the dinner table:

~ Have an ornate place card and menu at each place setting
~ Cover a small box with a gold doily and fill with old-fashioned candy for a token gift
~ Make a Christmas cracker for each guest. In Victorian times they contained a toy, joke, and a paper crown. Many stores still carry them today. You can make your own easily. Use a cardboard tube about 4 inches long and fill with candies and tiny treats. Wrap the tube with bright colored or gold tissue paper so you have a "ruffle" of paper at each end of the tube. Tie with curling ribbon streamers.

Planning Ahead for Christmas

It seems like many of the stores are already filled with Christmas items ~ especially crafts shops! And while many of the grocery stores are filled with candy for Halloween, still others have their special holiday baking aisles already displayed.

This is the season to spend a little extra time looking through all those ad flyers that come in each week, along with the newspaper's food section and Sunday supplements. Here are a few ideas...

~ Keep your eyes open for items you'll need for holiday baking. Make lists of all the recipes you want to try, and as these things go on sale, buy them now! That way you won't have the large expense all in one week, when it's closer to Christmas.

~ Look in the candy aisles now, while there's so much candy available at some good sale prices for Halloween! See if there are items there that you can use in your Christmas baking, or for stocking stuffers. Of course, you wouldn't want to use the candy wrapped in fall colors when you'd prefer to see red and green. BUT, you can buy the large bags of wrapped peppermints and save them to make a candy wreath or to add to a hot cocoa mix for a mint hot cocoa. Caramels or hard candies in gold wrappers are also perfect. Think ahead ~ and be creative!

~ For those of you who don't sew or craft, you may not think to look in fabric shops for your decorations. But, believe me, there are huge amounts of ornaments, decorations, ribbons, florals, and other various holiday items available. Don't let the word "fabric" scare you :) However, if you're looking for an interesting wrapping idea, Christmas fabric is nice for wrapping gifts... or you can tear a piece into one- or two- inch strips and use it as "ribbon" with a brown craft paper for the wrapping paper (also available in those stores). While you're there ~ get on their mailing list and you'll receive lots of coupons and discounts for items up to 50% off.

~ Some large stores are putting out lots of small items from last year at greatly reduced prices. Look for inexpensive decorations, ornaments, and stocking stuffers. If you budget now and add a few of these small-price items to your weekly shopping list, you'll have your stocking stuffers done in no time.

From My Notebook - Country Christmas Decorating

Celebrate the holiday with a country theme.

~ Use quilts and afghans draped over chairs or sofas to lend a cozy look, and hang some cross-stitched or embroidered samplers on the walls.

~ Purchase old-fashioned looking tins and use them for potpourri, candles, cookies and candy.

~ Hang knitted or crocheted stockings.

~ Use old tin kitchen graters or muffin tins as candle holders... a nice assortment of candles fit easily in the muffin tins, and the graters look great when placed over a burning votive.

~ Find an old patchwork quilt or chenille spread at a yard sale, and use it to make ornaments, stockings, pillows or wreaths.

~ Use pine cones, greenery, apples and cinnamon sticks for decorating

~ To decorate the kitchen or dining area ... red and white homespun fabric for table runners or mug mats... gingerbread men... gingerbread houses... popcorn and cranberry garlands... stuffed felt ornaments made from cookie cutter "stencils"

~ For a nostalgic decoration use children's old train sets, wooden blocks, small cast-iron stoves, small wagons or rocking horses decorated with greenery and lights.

~ Fill a basket with pine cones, greenery, bare branches and lights for an attractive display inside or out.

~ Find old Christmas books at yard sales or thrift shops, tie a few together with a strip of gingham fabric, and place them on a table, or in a basket.

Spend some time over the next few months looking at items in your own home to see what lends itself to a "Country Christmas" look.

Simple Crocheted Scarf

Here are directions for my favorite crocheted scarf. It's easy to do, and over the years I've made several of them as gifts in all different colors. I happened to have one that was semi-completed sitting in a box, so I took these two photos. I think my favorites were the ones in a white with a silvery strand running through them.

For best results, you'll want to look for Bernat Coordinates yarn. It's a sports weight yarn usually in or near the baby section, and is in many different pastel colors. It's a soft, lightweight, "nubby" yarn with a sort of silvery or shiny "thread" through it. It has no dye lot (at least it didn't a few years ago when I was making several of these).

When I crochet the scarves I generally make them long, around 54 inches, and they're a little over 13 inches wide. The fringe I add on each end is about 5 inches long. This yarn makes a pretty wavy style fringe.

Now, here are the directions ~ which are very, very easy! It goes quickly, and you don't have to pay a lot of attention as you work because it's the same stitch over and over again... nothing complicated at all.


SCARF DIRECTIONS

1 to 1-1/2 skeins Bernat Coordinates
Crochet hook size G


Ch 62 loosely.

Row 1: Insert hook in second chain from hook and pull up a loop, insert hook in next ch and pull up a loop, yarn over (YO) an draw through all 3 loops on hook, ch 1, *(insert hook in next ch and pull up a loop) twice, YO and draw through all 3 loops on hook, ch 1; repeat from * across to last ch, sc in last ch: 61 sts.

Row 2: Ch 1, turn; [insert hook in same st and pull up a loop, insert hook in next ch-1 sp and pull up a loop, YO and draw through all 3 loops on hook], ch 1, * [insert hook in next st and pull up a loop, insert hook in next ch-1 sp and pull up a loop, YO and draw through all 3 loops on hook, ch 1; repeat from * across to last st, sc in last st.

Repeat Row 2 until scarf reaches desired length. Finish off. Add fringe.

Chocolate Creme De Mint Truffles

Here's a recipe that's fast and really delicious. Many years ago we made lots of these and included them in a holiday bake sale (we did cookies and candies). They sold out very quickly!!

CHOCOLATE CREME DE MINTS (TRUFFLES)
(Yield: 3-1/2 dozen)

One 11-1/2 ounce package (2 cups) milk chocolate morsels
1/4 cup sour cream
2-1/2 tablespoons mint flavored liqueur

Melt chocolate morsels over hot (not boiling) water and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and blend in sour cream. Stir in mint-flavored liqueur. Transfer to small bowl and chill till thickened -- about 30 minutes. Fill pastry bag fitted with decorative tip; pipe 1-inch candies onto foil-lined cookie sheet. Chill till ready to serve. Keep refrigerated.

Note: Can also be made into small 1-inch balls and then rolled in cocoa powder, powdered sugar, or light green sprinkles.

A Recipe ~ Peanut Butter Squares

I decided to start going through some recipes and begin making lists of what I hope to make this holiday season. These taste just like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and are easy to make! I plan on making a few batches and then adding them to some gift baskets for co-workers, along with some other candies or baked goodies.


"REESE-LIKE PEANUT BUTTER SQUARES"

1-1/2 cups graham crackers, crushed
1 box powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky)
2 sticks margarine, melted
1 12-ounce package chocolate chips, melted

Mix first four ingredients; press into 13 x 9 inch pan. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Spread melted chocolate on top. Leave at room temperature. Cut into 1 inch squares and serve. May be kept refrigerated or frozen.

Church Crafts Fairs and Bazaars

This morning while on my way to the post office I saw a banner announcing a church fall festival and crafts fair. For me, that means that Autumn is officially here, and it also marks the beginning of the holiday season!

The church crafts fairs and bazaars (as they were called when I was a child) are some of my favorite things, and I love pulling out my calendar and adding all these events to it. My daughter and I love visiting these holiday craft fairs, wandering around the small cozy "booths" set up by the ladies of the church, and looking at all their homemade crafts. So many of the crafts festivals nowadays are almost "professional" ~ and have beautiful crafts made by people who do their particular craft "as a living". But at the church festivals ~ or bazaars ~ you can still find simple old-fashioned items that were made with special care and love, as the older ladies of the church got together each week to craft. They may not be as fancy as some of the other crafts items created by more experienced crafters, but they're so much fun to look at ~ and to buy.

They bring back wonderful memories for me of the Christmas bazaars at the church I attended as a child. My mother, both grandmothers, and my great-grandmother all had items they made for the event, and it was fun to spend the day there "helping".

A more recent memory is one that our daughter and I share... of a Christmas bazaar at a beautiful old church in Prescott, Arizona, where we lived for several years. Prescott is in the mountains ~ about 5500 feet in altitude ~ and it's filled with pine trees, beautiful Victorian homes, and they get snow! (I say that because we don't get it here in south central Texas, and I miss it!!) Prescott was always a lot of fun around the holidays because it's known as Arizona's Christmas City, and they have wonderful parades and celebrations.

Back to the church I mentioned... This particular church is a big old stone building on a corner hill, as you enter town. Each fall we'd keep watch for the banner to go up at the front staircase, giving the dates for their crafts bazaar. There were rooms filled with crafts ~ some Victorian, some homespun and country, and all made by the ladies of the church... a room filled with books for sale... another room filled with toys... a back room that had so many racks of clothing you could barely fit through... and the downstairs area was filled with food ~ homemade mixes to buy (they were famous for their bean soup mix, and always had a pot being kept hot for free samples), delicious brownies, cookies, candy and muffins all packaged in pretty paper and ribbons, lots of hot cocoa, or hot apple cider. What a pleasant way to spend a brisk, fall, afternoon!

If you haven't been to a traditional church crafts fair or bazaar in a long time, why not add one to your calendar this year, and have some old-fashioned fun!

Holiday Pine Sachets

I've wanted to make these sachets for a few years, and plan to get to them this fall... honestly!! I have lots of holiday fabric that I think will be nice for this project.

These sachets make nice stocking stuffers or package decorations. They can be used as ornaments, in closets and drawers. You can also make several and place them in a pretty basket to be used as party favors.

For each sachet you will need:
2 squares of burlap or calico (5-1/2 inches square)
thread
3/4 cup fresh pine needles
pine oil (optional)
30 inch length of ribbon, 1 to 1-1/2 inches wide

~ With right sides facing, sew the burlap or calico squares together (use zigzag stitch for burlap), leaving 1 side open for turning. Seam allowance is 1/4 inch.
~ Clip the corners and turn right side out.
~ Fill the sachet with the pine needles and slipstitch the open edge. Sprinkle the sachet with the pine oil if you'd like a stronger scent.
~ Tie the ribbon in a bow around the sachet, Add a sprig of pine needles in the bow for decoration.

Christmas is a Bridge

"I once said that Christmas is a bridge. We need bridges as the river of time flows past. Today's Christmas should mean creating happy hours for tomorrow and reliving those of yesterday. This year I find myself remembering a Christmas long ago, when Connie was two and her father sat at the piano, holding her on his lap and showing her how to play "Silent Night" with one finger. I remember Jill, who shared Stillmeadow with me for so many years, bright and dark, and her two children, Barbara and David, who tiptoed down one midnight to check for Santa and almost discovered two busy parents instead. Luckily, Star, our first cocker, heard what she thought were burglars on the stairs and raised the alarm.

I think, too, of Hal Borland, who loved this season most of all. Christmas to him meant walking down a snowy road in starlight with Barbara, his wife, and speaking quietly about the birth of Jesus. A carpenter and his wife traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem. There was no room at the Inn. So the baby was born in the stable and laid to rest in a manger.

Princes and kings and warlords were spreading their power over the lands. What happened to them? Who remembers their deed? A few historians are knowledgeable about the Roman Empire. But by and large the rulers made no impact. The carpenter's son born in a manger came to speak in simple words to multitudes who listened. He talked about love and justice and the brotherhood of man. And today all over the world, his message sounds as clearly as it did in the hills of Judea. When we light the candles in honor of his birth, our listening hearts fill with hope for peace and love and justice to come.

Sometimes the holiday season is so busy and exciting that the deeper meaning of Christ's birthday is lost. It is good then to walk in the star-filled night, as Hal and Barbara used to do, and touch the real significance of this birthday."

~ Gladys Taber, from 'Still Cove Journal' (1981)

A Gardener's Gift Basket

"May you have the gladness of Christmas
Which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas
Which is peace;
The heart of Christmas
Which is love."

~ Ada V. Hendricks

Many stores and nurseries are getting ready for the fall season, so this is a good time to find some items on sale to fill a basket for your favorite gardener.

Use a basket with a handle that can be used to carry supplies out to the garden, or a pretty basket for carrying cut flowers later on. The list of items to include is almost endless...

~ gloves
~ small tools
~ clippers
~ florist's wire
~ a kneeling pad
~ garden magazines or books
~ a subscription to a gardening magazine
~ the new farmers almanac
~ a hummingbird feeder
~ bulbs
~ seed packets
~ a gardening journal with colored pencils
~ a disposable camera
~ cute decorative items or plant "signs" or stepping stone kits
~ small pots or bud vases
~ a recipe or stocking up cookbook for the vegetable or herb gardener
~ a graph paper notebook for garden design
~ a coupon or gift card to a favorite nursery
~ yard thermometer
~ a floral water bottle or cup for the thirsty gardener
~ a spray bottle for spritzing plants
~ floral notecards, bookmarks, or bookplates
~ a flower drying kit
~ a book on flower arrangements or wreath-making

Wrap the basket with a large piece of floral or garden-themed fabric or some burlap, and tie with twine that can be used in the garden.

Thoughts of Christmas Planning

"Christmas makes the rest of the year worthwhile."

~ Charles Schultz

Oh my! I've been terrible about keeping up here, haven't I? I've spent much time this summer thinking of Christmas gifts. I've bought lots of gifts already while on vacations, and I've been working on some craft items, as well. This weekend I pulled out my Christmas notebook so I could work on lists, and thought I'd share this page of notes with you for some ideas to work on while summer is still here. Here's what I have written down on the front page (and I apologize for not sending this earlier in the summer!):

Summer is the season when many of us have a lighter schedule. This is a good time to begin making all those Christmas lists, if you haven't already started! I always like using a spiral notebook, but whatever works best for you is fine. Here are ideas for lists you should begin making:

~ What you wish to accomplish this Christmas. Make sure to list your priorities and then organize your thoughts and ideas. Once you have these written down, discuss them with your family members ~ their priorities might be a little different, and now would be a good time to compromise and avoid hurt feelings close to the holidays. Include all the activities you and your family wish to participate in.

~ Write your Christmas card list ~ check addresses now... I know I often receive change of address notices from friends that never seem to make it into my address book and then at Christmas time I'm rushing around, trying to remember where I put those little slips of paper. (You're probably all more organized, but just in case, this is something easy to do now.)

~ Prepare your gift list if you haven't already done so!! Write down ideas for each person on the list, even if it's only something simple like a theme. A good idea is to make a separate page for each person, and write down their likes ~ and dislikes, favorite colors, themes they use for decorating, sports, hobbies, etc.

~ Make a crafts list if you plan to make decorations, gifts, or any other special items for the holidays.

~ Make a list of decorations you already own, those that need to be replaced, and a "wish list" for this season. If you want to use a special theme, make a list of all items you'll need to include.

~ An entertaining list will help you organize those holiday parties and family get-togethers. Write down people you wish to invite, the theme of the party, and any recipes you want to prepare. If you have some new dishes in mind, try them out during the summer and fall so you'll be familiar with their preparation.

~ Write down all the baked goods and candy you want to make. Don't forget some patterns and ideas for a gingerbread house. If you want to use baked goods ~ or mixes ~ as gifts, plan ahead and think of the containers you'll need.

~ Plan the clothing you'll need for the holiday season so you have time to take advantage of sales at your favorite department store, or the fabric store, or even making repairs to old favorites. Remember to check the children's clothing, too!

~ Fabric and crafts stores are already full of holiday items and often have good sales or coupons to be used. If you plan ahead, you can buy gradually and save money.

~ Keep a master shopping list by type of store, so when you see something on sale you can take advantage of it. And, make a calendar for November and December in your notebook and be sure to write down any activities that come up, so you don't find yourself stressed, and out of time.

A Gift Basket for Book-Lovers

"Once the dollars are removed from Christmas gifts,
gift-giving becomes more loving, more interesting,
and more fun for everyone.
Gifts can be found on the seashore, created out of scraps,
searched for at book sales, or baked in an oven.
Dare to be different.
Take the dollars out of gifts and wrap them in love."

~ D. W. Woodliff

Here are some ideas from one of my holiday notebooks. If you have book lovers on your list, these are always fun to put together!!

A BOOK-LOVER'S BASKET ~

Use a large basket that can be left in a special place in their room and filled with books. Or, another "container" could be a large canvas tote bag that can be carried to the library.

~ Fill the basket or bag with some books by a favorite author ~ or a new one in the type of book they prefer (for example, a new mystery writer for those who love mysteries).

~ Look for older books they've mentioned that are no longer in print ~ you can often find them at small bookshops or at online auctions ~ and they'd be wonderful to add to their collection. I've often had luck at ebay or amazon.

~ Handmade, personalized or specialty bookmarks (don't worry if they already have a bookmark... those who love to read never have enough!). Possibilities are endless if you love to scrapbook, rubber stamp, crochet, or cross stitch. ABC Stitch Therapy (an online shop) has a nice selection of cross stitch bookmarks that are available.

~ Bookplates ~ I've found some great ones at both Barnes & Noble and Borders.

~ A journal to record their thoughts and favorite quotes or passages.

~ Coffee, tea or cocoa to enjoy while they read.

~ Specialty candies or cookies to go with the beverage.

~ A candle or two to enjoy as they relax with a favorite book.

~ A booklight (great for night-time reading while traveling, or even if the electricity goes out!).

~ Gift certificate to a favorite bookstore or two.

~ A large pile of paperbacks from the used bookstore for the avid reader (my husband loves this each year ~ he gets about 10 books for the price of 2 or 3, and he doesn't worry that he might leave one behind on a plane or a hotel as he travels).

~ A book for readers (recommending books along a certain line, or including passages from various books.... you can often find something like this in the bargain sections of the large chain bookstores, and they're full of interesting information).

~ Since I'm really into cross-stitching again (one of my old favorite hobbies) I think a nice homemade cross stitch sampler or pinkeep would be wonderful to include with the gift basket. You could stitch one that goes with the theme of the basket (if you've followed a theme), or you could do one that goes with books. A nice sampler for this would be "The Bookshelf" by Little House Needleworks. There's also a nice smaller sampler by LHN called "Music and Books".

Buttons for Projects

Today I spent several hours on a "Shop Hop", visiting four different quilt stores that were participating in an annual Bluebonnet Shop Hop. There are twelve stores in all, but I'll only visit one more over the weekend... I just have too much to do here at home to visit the others.

At one shop I found these cute buttons that I couldn't resist. I have several cross stitch projects that are either finished, in progress, or to be stitched ~ all for Christmas gifts. When I spotted the button rack and saw these, I knew I had to have them to add the perfect touch to those gifts :)