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| Image courtesy VintageHolidayCrafts.com |
Well, the decorations are up, the Christmas cards have been sent and we are on the way to celebrate with our family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
I love Christmas time and all the hustle and bustle that comes with preparing to be with those we love. I love to decorate and bake, although this year I didn't quite get to the baking. :( I love to watch old Christmas movies on TCM even though I have seen them all several times. I love to stitch something for friends and I enjoy spending time with my family.
Exchanging gifts at my family's house is now a thing of the past. We decided several years ago to make a change in our usual drawing of names. We were feeling like we all really had enough stuff to last us a lifetime. So, instead we each pick a charity that we are interested in supporting and then we gift the money we would have spent on each other to this organization in the name of our family. Then when we celebrate Christmas we each talk about the charity we chose and why we chose that one this year. It's been nice to see what others have chosen to support and why. Of course we still do stocking stuffers to exchange a little something like a Starbucks card or a book card...something small. My sister Beth always makes apple butter or jam for each of us. We have made it a yearly tradition for the five sisters to go for coffee (without our spouses ) and talk about what has happened over the year for each of us personally. I am so lucky to have four sisters who are also my best friends. I know I can talk to them about anything and I will get support and love. I know not all families are like this, so I am really grateful that we have this special bond. So, I am really looking forward to spending time with family and friends.
I went to the Kris Kringle Party at the Attic Needlework Shop last Saturday and really enjoyed myself. The food was great, the company superb and the ornament exchange was great fun. I have a picture of what I stitched, but I was so busy decorating the tree and getting ready for this family visit that I didn't get a picture taken of the ornament I received!! It was adorable and I will have to take a picture when I get back home on New Year's Eve so that you can see what it looks like. This is a colorized version of a pattern in the latest Antique Sampler Stitcher Magazine put out by Lesley Wilkins in the UK. It really turned out so cute that DH said he wanted me to make another one for us. An easy quick stitch and finish.
I brought along my Wisdom and Innocence Scarlet Letter piece so that I could work on it while on the trip North. Since I joined Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year stitch along, I am inspired to finally finish this piece. You can see more about this stitch along on my personal blog at www.samplermakerssamplerspot.blogspot.com. I won't have much time to stitch on it when I get back as I will be busy preparing for the March Nashville Needlework Market. That always takes up most of the two months before the market. Lots to do and never enough time.
I hope that all of you have a wonderful holiday season and that the new year will bring you many blessings. Merry Christmas.
Until Next Time,
Gloria
