BOXING DAY.

I hope you all had a wonderful celebration yesterday.  Our Christmas' are always special, each one seeming more so than the last.  Yesterday our son and daughter-in-law came over for several hours and what a super time we had with them.  

Before they arrived my family in Germany got in touch via Facetime, and I once again blessed this technology that allows us to be practically in the same room together, even though we are three thousand miles apart.  

We enjoyed a dinner of Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding with all the fixings.  This was the first Christmas Dinner that my dear hubby fixed and he did an excellent job.  There were old-fashioned Christmas Crackers on the table.  Gregg and I pulled the ends of ours so hard that the little novelties flew across the floor, and we never did find a couple of them.  We wore the paper hats contained inside, and told corny jokes from the little pieces of paper also enclosed, and after Christmas Dinner we sat around the tree and opened our gifts to each other.   

It went by too quickly and it seemed like no time at all when we were waving them off down the road on the way to our daughter-in-law's family.   The rest of the evening was spent relaxing and going over the fun of the day.  

We have no plans on Boxing Day but don't have to cook because we made sure to make enough for plenty of leftovers.  It will always be Boxing Day for me, the day after Christmas which my family enjoyed growing up in England.  

And it was a perfect day. 

Time to finish my post and I will leave you with a few lines I found recently.  You know how much I love my quotes.  

Enjoy yourselves and I look forward to hearing all about how you celebrated.

Simply give others a bit of yourself:

a thoughtful act,

a helpful idea,

a word of appreciation,

a lift over a rough spot,

a sense of understanding,

a timely suggestion.

You take something out of your mind,

garnished in kindness out of your heart,

and put it into the other person's mind and heart.

~Charles H. Burr~

HAPPY 25TH

“The joy of brightening other lives becomes for us the magic of the holidays.”

~W. C. Jones~

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas with your families and to all, the greatest of happiness and good health in 2020!

With love from our house to yours. 

A BEAUTIFUL POEM FOR THE CHRISTMAS

To everyone of all Faiths, may you find peace, love and joy during your own special celebration.  

The Littlest Christmas Tree

by Amy Peterson

The littlest Christmas tree

lived in a meadow of green

among a family

of tall evergreens.

He learned how to whisper

the evergreen song

with the slightest of wind

that came gently along.

He watched as the birds

made a home of twigs

and couldn't wait till

he too was big.

For all of the trees

offered a home,

the maple, the pine and the oak,

so strong.

"I hate being little,"

the little tree said,

"I can't even turn colors

like the maple turns red.

I can't help the animals

like the mighty old oak.  

He shelters them all

in his wide mighty cloak."

The older tree said,

"Why, little tree, you don't know?

The story of a mighty King

from the land with no snow?"

Little tree questioned,

"A land with no snow?"

"Yes!" said old tree,

"A very old story,

from so long ago.

A star appeared 

giving great light

over a manger,

on long winter's night.

A baby was born,

a King of all kings,

and with Him comes love

over all things.

He lived in a country

all covered in sand,

and laid down His life

to save all of man."

Little tree thought of the gift

given by Him,

then the big tree said with the

happiest grin.

"We're not just trees,

but a reminder of that day

There's a much bigger part

of a role that we play!

For on Christmas Eve

my life I'll lay down,

in exchange for a happier,

loving ground.

And as I stand dying

they'll adorn me in trim.

This all will be done

in memory of Him.

Among a warm fire,

with family and friends,

in the sweet songs of Christmas,

I'll find my great end.

Then ever so gently,

He'll come down to see

and take me to heaven,

Jesus and me.

So you see, little tree,

we are not like the oak

who shelters all things

beneath his great cloak.

Nor are we like 

the maple in Fall,

whose colors leave many

standing in awe.

The gift that we give

is ourselves, limb for limb,

the greatest of honor,

in memory of Him."

The little tree bowed

his head down and cried

and thought of the King

who willingly died.

For what kind of gift

can anyone give

than to lay down his life

when you wanted to live?

A swelling of pride

came over the tree.

"Can all of this happen

because of just me?

Can I really bring honor

by adorning a home,

by reminding mankind,

that he's never alone?"

With this thought, little tree

began singing with glee

happily and proud

to be a true Christmas tree.

You can still hear them singing

even the smallest in height,

singing of Christmas 

and that one Holy Night.

Merry Christmas!

MERRY MERRY AND HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

We are celebrating our 44th Wedding Anniversary today, and spending it quietly and joyfully. 

 I am also late with the decorations but hope to start putting ornaments on our tree very soon. 

LIGHTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

These photos were actually taken last year, on a drive through one of the neighborhoods that looked really festive as we drove around.  I felt I was too late in the season to share them, so decided to wait until now.

Some people decorated their homes very simply, but beautifully.

Others must have really had a love of lights.  The house below had more moving decorations projected onto their homes, a light show.  It was very effective.

The house below had the Christmas Story leg lamp in the lighted window at the top (on the left).  If you have watched that movie you will know what I am talking about.  Here is the scene.  It was kind of funny but uncomfortable, and I really felt for his wife.  I wondered the story behind this one to tell you the truth, and I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when this one went up in that window.  The other decorations in the yard were very pretty.

We were in a line of cars driving by this house and the next one just up the road.

The people at this house have been decorating for several years and it is always fun to drive by.  We always look forward to this time of the year, and if we have visitors we take them to see it also.

My photos don't do it justice, in fact all these homes have to be seen with one's own eyes to see the full beauty of those lights.

We sent these photos to family in Ireland, and someone said something to the effect that she hoped the planes didn't get confused and try landing on the street.  She has a really wonderful sense of humor and we laughed.  Also our airport is only half an hour away.

More subdued lighting at these houses, beautiful in their simplicity.

I thought more houses were decorated than the year previous to this one, and I am looking forward to going for another drive very soon to see what’s in store for the neighborhoods this time. I hope you have enjoyed these.