Sunday, November 30, 2014

Getting ready for Christmas

I love Christmas! Over the years I have collected and made a lot of things which can go to make the Christmas decor special for us. I try to buy or make one special thing every year. That way the collection grows. They are kept in plastic tubs. 

On Advent 1 we start decorating the house. It is like meeting old friends, as we pull out our favourites from the boxes. This ritual of decorating the house is one of those family things we enjoy, which makes it special for us.
This picture shows the Advent calendar I made some years ago.

We find our tastes change a bit -some things have been put aside for the Op Shop. 


Father Christmas (never called Santa here!) is not a big feature of our decorating, but I have a small collection on a high shelf.

 This year the Holy Family needed a new shed -my DH made it beautifully.

 A couple of Christmas Sheep representing hope and faith.

 Since we re-arranged DH's study, we now have a corner for the Christmas Tree and I have lots of shelves for Christmas decorations from my collection.

 The Christmas Stockings. This year I made a new one for our newest Grandson. 
On the mantle are figures representing the Holy Family -including one with Mary on a donkey holding Jesus in her arms, as they flee to Egypt. This is very special to me, as I work with agencies who look after asylum seekers. Jesus was a refugee. 

 We always have more than one tree! If one is good, more is better! One of our trees was found to have a stand which had broken. 
DH has undertaken to make a new one for it, then we can put it up in his study.

The view into the dining room. 

Finally, a home made Advent wreath.  A soup plate, white sand, a leafy wreath which we interspersed with artificial cherries I bought on a trip to Tasmania, and some holly picks which were going cheap when a florist supply house nearby closed up shop.