A Few of My Favorite Things…

Tis the season to be jolly!  I think this is the first year I have been organized enough to enjoy the month of December.  My family and I celebrated Christmas over Thanksgiving weekend.  We had Thanksgiving at my sister’s house in Van Meter.  Then everyone trekked in for Christmas at my house on the Saturday after.  Thus, I had to have my house decorated for Christmas early.

Decorating the tree is my favorite part of Holiday decorating.  It takes us HOURS.  We unwrap each ornament and tell a story of who and why we received the ornament.  It’s a wonderful trip down memory lane as we drink hot cocoa and listen to Christmas music.  As a tradition, my great-grandmother used to make each of the grand kids a homemade ornament and include a $1.00 bill in each one.  I still have some with the gift tag in her hand writing, a tradition we hope to pass on to our grandchildren.  One of the ornaments she made is pictured bellow.

Another one of my favorite holiday traditions is pulling out our stockings and hanging them up.  My grandmother Charlotte has made everyone in our family a stocking on the day they where born.  So that makes my stocking…many years old!  My husband received his as a wedding gift and my daughter’s got their stockings in time for their first Christmas.  It’s a beautiful and very treasured family heirloom.

Happy Holiday’s, safe travels to you and your family this season, and many blessings in the new year ahead!