WINTER COMES FOR CHRISTMAS!!!

Winter in all of it's glory came on Thursday night into Friday. I can't remember such a snow fall except when I was about 8 years old (that's a long time ago!). Altho it is pesky trying to get around it certainly is beautiful. The whole world seemed white and the air was so fresh. This is the view I see when I sit to my computer.
Sitting in front of the open wood stove is what is the most enjoyable thing to do on such a day. There is no heat like that given off by a wood stove. Eloise loves to lay on the rug in front of the stove and warm herself.

I have been busy getting the house ready for Christmas. This is one of the small arrangements in the living room. This one consists of a wooden tree with tiny ornaments that my husband made for our children many years ago. I have surrounded it with tiny snow people from my collection and a large candle. When the candle is lit the arrangement looks lovely. It sits on an antique hand painted Pennsylvania dower chest.

My kitchen cabinets have knife, fork and spoon shaped door handles. I have hung a series of small decorations on the handles.

I especially like these small ornaments. They give the kitchen the festive feel of the season. Fortunately I had enough of them to do all of the cabinets. I tried to use a wide variety of small things.

This arrangement is on the dining table and the candles will be lit for Christmas dinner. They were handmade by a neighbor in Keedysville.

This next picture is of a few of my favorite ornaments on the tree. I always feel a thrill when I unwrap the ornaments after not having seen them for a year. This year I used only new ornaments and have carefully put away my antique ornaments. I hope to get them out next year and purchase a smaller tree for them.

This is my favorite ornament - this year - they are all my favorites!

This is not a great picture of the tree. I should have backed down the hall and gotten the whole tree. However, I got enough that you can get the idea of what it looks like. In the background you will see the drafting table where I do a lot of work on my rugs.

All of the presents are wrapped, except one, and that's one of those that must be done at the last minute. Thanks to my friend Traci, the food is in the house and tomorrow I can pre-prepare a few more things for the Christmas feast. I try very hard to keep up the family traditions, including the good china and silver along with table decor and arrangements. Sometimes I wonder why I do all of this and then when the children come and they love it all, I know very well why I do it. It wouldn't be Christmas without out family traditions.

I want to wish all of my friends a Merry Christmas and a happy, healthly, and prosperious New Year. Looking forward to seeing all of you in 2010.

Doris