Home for the Holidays! - 2008

There’s a song that says “I cry the day I take the tree down.” Not the case in our home since I’m usually anxious to get things back to normal. Even though I love my tree (or trees actually), I’m ready for them to be put away. Not so, however, with my Christmas wreath, a gift from Marian and Randal a few years ago. It usually hangs on my door long into January, the last reminder of the holidays. Today was the day, though, to finally put it away and I was surprised to find myself a little emotional as I thought about this past 2008 holiday season.

Inspired by Marian’s post, I’d like to list a few of my own holiday highlights:

**Attending the Interfaith Crèche Exhibit in Midway – This is truly one of my new favorite activities. It helps me focus on the true reason we celebrate Christmas. Walking through the softened lighting and viewing the many interpretations of the Holy Family is a spiritual experience for me. And to top it off, Glenna, Linda, Sheryl and I went together!

**Barker Family Christmas Party – I love my family!!! Nothing touches my soul so deeply as the times we are together. I love the visiting, the dinner, the program, my mother, my sisters (and their husbands), the music, the nativity, the children – simply stated: the joy of just being together!

**Rimington Bed & Breakfast – This year we were thrilled when Marian & Randal told us they were coming for Christmas! We were so excited to have them stay with us. With the basement finished, they were able to make themselves at home and we could “party” to our heart’s content! We visited, played games, initiated the new pool table and watched movies. Kevin and Tammy were out of school, Ken was off work and we had company! What could be better!!!

Later, we reluctantly allowed the Nelson’s to go to Idaho and visit with Randal’s family :-) but Michael & Gail and their kids came to stay for New Years Eve. We had a great evening (if you don’t count the no sleep factor) and spent New Year’s day together.

**Finishing the Basement – After discovering that we would have guests for the holidays, we suddenly became determined to finish the basement before they arrived. What a mad rush that became! It seemed like everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Woodwork, painting, hardware, carpet, etc. The days were long and the nights were, too! Kevin practically single-handedly rolled the walls while Ken and I painted trim and moldings. The carpet went down the day before they arrived! Talk about cutting it close! We’re thrilled with the finished product but even now we go downstairs and feel as if we’re in someone else’s home! Check out Ken’s fireplace!

**Decorating the “Therapy” Trees – A few years ago Justin and I decided to take our collection of spaceship ornaments and collaborate on one tree. His are mostly from Star Wars and mine from Star Trek (there is a difference!) although we both have a few other “space” offerings. With a white artificial tree and a few silver balls, we usually find time to put this one up together. Yoda makes a fine “angel” and there’s always the friendly argument over who has the ugliest ornament: Justin’s Death Star or my Borg Cube. (They’re both ugly!) The Borg Cube is electronic so if you push the button, you hear: “We are the Borg. Happy Holidays. Resistance is futile.” Really gives you the Christmas spirit, don’t you think! :-) A couple of years ago Justin dubbed this our “therapy” tree and the name has stuck. This year Justin was out of town on business through most of December and left his ornaments for me to hang without him. It just wasn’t the same!

Tammy started our second therapy tree. She collects the Hallmark Holiday Barbie’s and I have collected the old fashioned Barbie’s so we bought a small tree, pink lights and pink bows, and created a new therapy tree! My grand-daughters love the Barbie tree and it’s not unusual to find the Barbie’s lining the couch rather than hanging on the tree. :-)

It does concern me, though. I love both trees so I must need a lot of therapy!

**Decorating Our “Real” Christmas Tree – When Marian and her family arrived, we had only gotten around to putting up the “therapy” trees. Focusing on the basement, we just hadn’t gotten to the main tree in the front room. After a couple of days, Marian stated firmly that she was not going to open presents Christmas morning under a tree covered in spaceships! :-) Kevin promptly brought our other tree upstairs and Ethan and Adelaide cheerfully pitched in to hang ornaments. I’d almost forgotten how magical it is to put up a tree with young children. Every ornament is special and is hung with such care. When you are done, the tree is covered with ornaments, at least covered as high as they can reach!

On Christmas morning we added a beautiful blown glass ornament made by Ethan at the Corning Glass Museum in New York!

**Cookie Day – This year was our first annual Cookie Day! We got together as a family to make holiday goodies and to let the kids have fun. The favorite was probably the chocolate covered pretzels but the sugar cookies were also a hit. And Dana made her fabulous fudge! The favorite cookie decoration was the mini marshmallows and if their cookie wasn’t completely covered, the kids were sure it needed some more! A layer of frosting and a layer of marshmallows per cookie – ymmm. :-)

**Listening to Silent Night – When Tammy is home she will often slip into the front room to play the piano. I love hearing her play and have missed listening to her since she left for school. During the holidays she was practicing a beautiful arrangement of Silent Night by Aaron Waite, a favorite of mine. Listening to her play touched my heart and reminded me of the sacred event we were preparing to celebrate.

**Manger Scene – Although Marian has already mentioned this, my holiday highlights would be incomplete without mentioning the portrayal of the nativity on Christmas Eve. Adelaide made such a sweet little Mary and Ethan was a very attentive Joseph. Of course, the scene also included a lovely angel and the Three Wise Guys – oops – the Three Wise Men, complete with staffs (pool cues) and gifts (cooking oil).

**Snow – Although I hate driving in it, I love the first snows of the winter. It always looks so beautiful. This year I secretly slipped out one evening and made my very own snow angel. Shhh – don’t tell anyone!

**Watching Ethan and Adelaide Christmas Morning – There’s something special about watching young children on Christmas morning. They have such joy in the moment – in the simple things! It was great watching them rip into the gifts or watching their excitement over the secrets they contained. They were equally excited to watch others open their gifts, reminding us of the joy we find together.

My list could go on and on . . . here's hoping that your own holiday highlights were filled with joy!