Dreaming of a White Christmas.....

Winter has arrived here in Red Deer, today being -29 with the windchill.....ho hum.....or should that be "ho ho ho"..... so I've been getting out all of my Christmas decorations, not that I have a lot right now, but everything I have I really enjoy.

For the last few years now I have been going with a silver and white theme, for a winter wonderland.  The thing I like the most about this kind of theme is that it doesn't clash with my home colour scheme...which is mostly neutrals.  I gather twigs and branches from the surrounding area and using craft paint, they are dressed in a warm cream colour and then touched with silver glitter (plus a tiny amount of antique gold, which is a combination of pewter and old gold) and placed in a large urn filled with florists foam and covered with moss.  Then I carefully place my vintage mercury glass balls, my Nicol Sayre paper mache decorations, feathery angel wings and a few silver stars and when I am happy with the results, I place a light in behind the urn to illuminate the beautiful display. 

image courtesy of country home

To me, this makes for a serene, calm refuge at the end of the coldest winters day.  I must confess, this display stays up all winter, so although it does have a Christmas theme, it's more of a winter theme, and suitable for display until the end of February when thoughts turn to spring.   So as I gather ingredients for  pecan crescents, rocky mountain shortbreads and snowballs for Christmas treats, I load my favourite Christmas CD's into the CD player and spend a relaxing day baking for those I love.  We don't spend a lot of money on presents, we focus on the birth of our Lord Jesus, spending family time together, enjoying good times and good food.  I never cease to be amazed at just how blessed I am to get along with everyone in my family, and that I look so forward to spending time with my extended family at this wonderous time of year.  Of course, the boys (my two nephews) receive presents (and always will!), but we find it much more relaxing and enjoyable when we focus on family and the true meaning of Christmas instead of being overwhelmed by the commercialism of the holidays.  Day after day, we are inundated with holiday commercials, making their point that if you don't get your wife this, of buy your husband that, you are somehow missing out on Christmas.  To our family, being together is the mainstay of the Christmas season, and celebrating the birth of Jesus.  After all, without Christ, there would be no Christmas.