Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son
And shall call his name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah 7:14
Friday 25 December 2015
Saturday 19 December 2015
A happy home, the joys of family, warmth, comfort, love, and togetherness
The below Thomas Kinkade painting is entitled The Night Before Christmas and, looking from the outside, encapsulates what this time of year means to me. A happy home, the joys of family, warmth, comfort, love, and togetherness.
It's easy to get swept along with the commercialism of Christmas, to buy a mountain of presents for loved ones, to seek out that too-good-to-be-true bargain in the sales, to go online on Christmas Day, in order to instantly spend those vouchers you only just received in a card from a long-lost grandparent or auntie. We're all guilty of betraying our own underlying principles from time-to-time, but for me this Christmas, I'm going to make the extra effort to look within myself, to seek out the joy I can freely bring to others, and to take delight in all the wonderful things I have around me - a brightly-coloured cyclamen at the back of the garden; a robin snatching a peanut from the bird table; the words of a simple but beautifully arranged Christmas carol; and maybe - just maybe - the smiling face of a Christmas snowman.
In a weary world where the meaning of Christmas can be so easily lost, I wish every reader of this blog a peaceful, uplifting and fulfilling Christmas.
It's easy to get swept along with the commercialism of Christmas, to buy a mountain of presents for loved ones, to seek out that too-good-to-be-true bargain in the sales, to go online on Christmas Day, in order to instantly spend those vouchers you only just received in a card from a long-lost grandparent or auntie. We're all guilty of betraying our own underlying principles from time-to-time, but for me this Christmas, I'm going to make the extra effort to look within myself, to seek out the joy I can freely bring to others, and to take delight in all the wonderful things I have around me - a brightly-coloured cyclamen at the back of the garden; a robin snatching a peanut from the bird table; the words of a simple but beautifully arranged Christmas carol; and maybe - just maybe - the smiling face of a Christmas snowman.
In a weary world where the meaning of Christmas can be so easily lost, I wish every reader of this blog a peaceful, uplifting and fulfilling Christmas.
Sunday 13 December 2015
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
Ooooooo, they're here! A lady called Elle, who lives in Texas, left a comment here back in the summer, saying that she was looking forward to the yearly appearance of these little wooden gems - and Elle, I share your excitement. It's always a pleasure meet these colourful little characters again, they've become a real Christmas tradition in our household.
Yes, Christmas has arrived at Number Three, with all the usual excitement. Our tree is a hotchpotch collection of hanging decorations, but that's just the way we like it. No standard, corporate fir here, and each and every decoration has a personal story behind it. Some were stalwarts of my childhood days, whilst others are far more recent; we have decorations bought in other countries, and even some given as gifts. It all makes a tree that is uniquely personal to us, and one that makes me smile every time I give it a glance, because fond memories are hanging off every branch.
Amongst new decoration found this year in the shops, a wooden Nativity from the man at Marks and Spencer. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a children's toy, but I was instantly struck by its loveliness. It has a style that I imagine fits in at a Ukrainian Orthodox church; it captured my heart and, since I have been lacking in a Nativity scene of my own, it came home as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.
There are many other little delights being stashed all over the house, but I really couldn't finish this blog without a little nod to our Lego winter village, fast taking on a life of its own. This year it's on the dining room windowsill, and I'm not ashamed to admit there's a lot of fun to be had in arranging and rearranging the minifigures, setting them about their Christmas shopping, carolling, ice skating, or simply knocking back a glass of gluhwein. Maybe I'm a big kid, but it has an innocence that just appeals to the Christmas spirit in me, like looking into a Bing Crosby film set.
Christmas 2015, and our home is bright, cheerful, and in the mood for celebration. The relaxing scents of festive candles will soon be filling the air, presents for all are piling up under the tree, and the Christmas china is ready for its first outing. The Radio Times sits poised on the coffee table, the chocolate biscuits lie ready in the kitchen, and there's a sense that with only one more week of work to get through, we're almost on holiday time... and I for one cannot wait!
Yes, Christmas has arrived at Number Three, with all the usual excitement. Our tree is a hotchpotch collection of hanging decorations, but that's just the way we like it. No standard, corporate fir here, and each and every decoration has a personal story behind it. Some were stalwarts of my childhood days, whilst others are far more recent; we have decorations bought in other countries, and even some given as gifts. It all makes a tree that is uniquely personal to us, and one that makes me smile every time I give it a glance, because fond memories are hanging off every branch.
Amongst new decoration found this year in the shops, a wooden Nativity from the man at Marks and Spencer. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a children's toy, but I was instantly struck by its loveliness. It has a style that I imagine fits in at a Ukrainian Orthodox church; it captured my heart and, since I have been lacking in a Nativity scene of my own, it came home as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.
There are many other little delights being stashed all over the house, but I really couldn't finish this blog without a little nod to our Lego winter village, fast taking on a life of its own. This year it's on the dining room windowsill, and I'm not ashamed to admit there's a lot of fun to be had in arranging and rearranging the minifigures, setting them about their Christmas shopping, carolling, ice skating, or simply knocking back a glass of gluhwein. Maybe I'm a big kid, but it has an innocence that just appeals to the Christmas spirit in me, like looking into a Bing Crosby film set.
Christmas 2015, and our home is bright, cheerful, and in the mood for celebration. The relaxing scents of festive candles will soon be filling the air, presents for all are piling up under the tree, and the Christmas china is ready for its first outing. The Radio Times sits poised on the coffee table, the chocolate biscuits lie ready in the kitchen, and there's a sense that with only one more week of work to get through, we're almost on holiday time... and I for one cannot wait!
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