get ready.....

the new year begins tonight at the stroke of midnight! for whimsical wednesday, take time to reflect on the year we will have just left behind.  think of something wonderful that happened in each month; be it a special celebration, something you did for someone else, anything that was positive in your life!  (if necessary, use a calendar to nudge your memory).  list what you have selected as your year's wonderful. see what you accomplished?  achieved?  provided to someone else?  it all adds up to a year well lived.  resolve to do even more wonderful in the new year!  happy new year! 

photo friday

jacob found a green tomato in grandpa's garden on december 28th!

thoughtful thursday

reunion.  persons, separated by distance and time, reunite.  the happy excitement that bubbles up upon greeting one another.  the non-stop talking; several conversations at once.  laughter, reminiscences. parting, with endless hugs and goodbyes, glowing of renewal and reconnection. reunion.

whimsical wednesday

our whimsical wednesday activity was family time.  we had a day of family time.  with last night's snowfall we had fun playing in the snow after brunch.  friends visited this afternoon, making the day feel like another christmas day.  after a lovely dinner, where conversation and laughter accompanied the meal, we sat by the fire.  while eating christmas cookies and other treats we played apples to apples, a game we all enjoy. after a bit of conversation and enjoying the fire, it was time for the children's bedtime.  our whimsical wednesday was filled with lots of family time, quiet and not so quiet time. 

miscellaneous

I don't know if you believe in Christmas or if you have presents underneath a Christmas tree.  but if you believe in love, that will be more than enough for you to come and celebrate with me.....

so sings john Denver and the muppets; expressing how I feel at Christmas time!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

  

get ready.....

whimsical wednesday is the day after christmas, a day of busy activity filled with family, friends, fun!  for whimsical wednesday, make the day after this christmas a time where family engages in quiet activity together.  look at all the christmas cards together, play games, work on a puzzle, watch your favorite christmas movie on video, make hot chocolate, make an after christmas treat, cook dinner together; maybe try homemade pizza for the first time!  whatever you do, do it all together! 

thoughtful thursday

what if there were no Christmas trees? 
what if there were no Christmas decorations?
what if there were no Christmas carols?
what if there were no Christmas cookies?
what if there were no Christmas parties?
what if there were no Christmas concerts?
what if there were no Christmas presents?
is there still Christmas?
if there are people who love and care for one another, Christmas is alive, with us and in us.

whimsical wednesday

it's secret santa this whimsical wednesday; offering a gift in any form to someone without them knowing who the gift came from.  at once I knew who and what I wanted to offer as secret santa. my gift was actually gifts.  every year I participate in a holiday cookie exchange.  today the cookies were presented to the firemen in the two fire houses in town.  I was seen but unknown therefore still secret!  the firemen were very pleased to have an array of christmas cookies to enjoy. as soon as the cookies were handed over they began to munch, munch, munch them.  the second secret santa gift went to a person who is having a rough time so is very sad this holiday season.  she will have returned to her workplace after lunch today to be greeted by a lovely plant festooned in holiday regalia.  hopefully her secret santa gift gave her reason to smile. what was your secret santa gift this whimsical wednesday? 

get ready...

be a secret santa for someone this whimsical wednesday.  your "gift" can come in any form you wish to offer.  just make someone very happy today!

photo friday

the poinsettias made out of old christmas cards for this week's whimsical wednesday!

thoughtful thursday

one is never too old to enjoy all the whimsey.  one can be grown up, as in responsible, and still be goofy!

whimsical wednesday

happy poinsettia day for whimsical wednesday.  until i did the research (see website links posted monday of this week), i did not know that poinsettias were of special significance to the mexican culture.  what to do for my poinsettia whimsical wednesday activity?  after looking through the information on the links, the craft of creating poinsettias from old greeting cards caught my eye.  so i pulled out a box of old cards, glue stick, pencil, scissors and packs of glitter glue (different colors). a poinsettia petal pattern from a scrap of paper was made and tested. then i spent what became several hours making poinsettias. while i didn't intend to spend all day making poinsettias out of old greeting cards, i enjoyed the process of selecting just the correct cards to combine as well as carefully cut out just the most perfect area of the greeting card to get the look i was after.  the resulting flowers will be offered to a select few.  the recipients can decide if they wish to make a poinsettia pin or ornament (the flowers will be given with a length of ribbon and a pin back). looking forward to sharing my whimsical wednesday poinsettias.

get ready.....

according to the calendar i have that informs me about such events, this whimsical wednesday is poinsettia day!  so let's do something of a poinsettia theme for our whimsical wednesday activity.  do whatever you wish.  here are links that might provide inspiration:

http://www.aboutflowers.com/flower-holidays-occasions-a-parties/christmas/poinsettia-history.html

http://www.bhg.com/christmas/crafts/christmas-card-projects/#page=10

http://www.ehow.com/how_5793173_make-paper-poinsettias-school-project.html
this one suggests a pencil decoration but it could be used as a napkin holder

http://www.bhg.com/christmas/ornaments/felt-poinsettia-christmas-ornament/

http://www.ehow.com/list_6716166_mexican-poinsettia-crafts-kids.html

photo friday

memories of thanksgiving past filled this year's thanksgiving dinner conversation. 

thoughtful thursday

amid the many items on your santa wish list, be sure to include those items that are priceless and make life all the more precious.  wish for patience, understanding, caring, concern for others; giving of self and treasure freely and often.  wish for these qualities for all persons everywhere.  the foundation of true peace on earth.

whimsical wednesday

we are preparing for st nicholas day this whimsical wednesday.  as explained in the get ready.....  post of monday, when we were children, my siblings and i hung our socks (mostly set them on the kitchen table) before going to bed on december 5th. when we awoke on december 6th, the feast of st nicholas, we ran to the kitchen to see if anything was in our socks.  we found a bit of candy, a nickel or dime and a piece of fruit; usually an orange.  such excitement this simple treat brought. because it was such a fun holiday tradition for me growing up, it was also celebrated with my own children.  my grandchildren are now, too, enjoying celebrating the feast of st nicholas, the original santa claus.

the link offered on monday was full of great ideas on how to celebrate st nicholas day.  i read through all the recipes, activities, crafts before encountering SEND AN E-CARD.  i knew immediately this was the activity i wanted to undertake for whimsical wednesday.  because i have been thinking about memories of celebrating st nicholas day with my siblings, children and grandchildren, it seemed just right to share the memory with them through the e-card (which are free to send). tomorrow my siblings, children and grandchildren as well as a few friends will be greeted with a happy st nicholas day e-card from me.  we shall share celebrating st nicholas day together via the e-card!

get ready.....

whimsical wednesday is the eve of the feast of st nicholas!  the "original" santa claus, st nicholas is an important figure during the holidays around the world.  when my siblings and i were young, we "hung" one of our socks before bed on december 5th.  the next morning, we looked in our socks for anything that st nicholas might have left for us!  for our whimsical wednesday activity, let's prepare for a visit from st nicholas.  here's a link for ideas:  http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/how-to-celebrate/