For the last few years, my husband has worked on Christmas Even from about 9 p.m. to midnight. He's a fire safety specialist at Duke University and the university's Duke Chapel always holds a midnight Christmas Eve service. It's an extremely beautiful--and exceedingly popular--service and so someone from his office has to be present to ensure the building capacity isn't exceeded.
Though you might think it would be a bummer to have him gone for a few hours on Christmas Eve, it actually works out quite well. Our son is young enough that he goes to bed before my husband heads out, and then I usually watch a movie, stuff stockings, etc. And then my husband gets an extra day off for just a few hours of work!
Since this week has been a whirlwind of last-minute shopping, candle-making, present-wrapping, cookie-baking, lunar eclipse-watching, and marmalade-cooking, I'm enjoying and relaxing in the final, blissfully quiet hours of Christmas Eve.
I also wanted to share a few more pictures of Christmas decorating that I did this week since we're down to the wire on holiday decorating posts!
After seeing so many folks at the Christmas home tours use fresh greenery, I finally got off my tush and headed to the woods for a few snips of cedar to further prettify the house.
My son and I--as part of our advent calendar activities--studded oranges with cloves this week, too. Besides pricking my thumb several times on the pointy ends of the cloves, this was a fun, old-fashioned Christmas activity to do with a preschooler. Highly recommend it!
And to top things off, my mom gave us this adorable glittery house this week.
It even has its own yard, complete with a picket fence, a snowman and a tree! Luh-luh-love it! This will be my first in a collection of glittery houses for next year. (Robin at Happy at Home made a gorgeous village of these lovelies and I've deemed them a "must-make" for next Christmas--how sick am I to already be deciding on crafts a year in advance?!?)
Anyway, I hope everyone reading has a wonderful Christmas with their loved ones. Thank you so much for visiting my humble blog, and for following along as I ramble, attempt to craft, and do whatever else strikes my fancy. Your comments are little gifts that buoy my spirit and I derive so much inspiration from the creativity, generosity and beauty each of you contributes to blog land. I wish you many blessings as we round out 2010 and head into the New Year!
From my home to yours!
Wonderful pictures and words. Hope your Christmas and holidays are Merry! Love that little house!
ReplyDeletehugs,
Leslie