Anne-Christine invites us to bring on the holiday cheer. Any holiday is fine, just so long as we show what some of the traditions and celebrations are in our lives. “At this festive season of the year…” (C. Dickens), I am up to my eyebrows in making and sending cards to friends, buying, making and wrapping present for family near and far, and tomorrow I will begin making cookies and preparing for gatherings at my home with friends and family. Instead of sending commercial greeting cards, I create my own.
The photo above, taken at the Breakers, Long Beach, WA is is on the outside of this year’s card. Inside is Winter Poem by Nikki Giovanni.
once a snowflake fell
on my brow and i loved
it so much and i kissed
it and it was happy and called its cousins
and brothers and a web
of snow engulfed me then
i reached to love them all
and i squeezed them and they became
a spring rain and i stood perfectly
still and was a flower
I love to decorate the inside of our house. Over the years I have accumulated quite a collection of holiday decorations. The two Santa wood carvings on the left I made soon after our 1996 visit to France. The one of the right my mother gave to me. I always kiss it when I take it out of it’s storage box, and shed a tear when I put it back in.
This evening Creighton and I will decorate our tree. After years of be afflicted with sinus infections during the holiday season, we realized live trees were causing our suffering. So, for 15 years (or more) we have had trees out of a box. No more drizzly noses, and still a pretty presentation!
Above, last year’s Christmas Stolen which my mother’s mom made every Christmas during the last decade of her life when she lived with my family in Pullman, WA. After grandma died, mom carried on the tradition, and now I do. This will be a next week project! Tomorrow I will bake Scotch Shortbread using my grand Aunt Lizzie’s recipe. My father’s father came over from Scotland in the 1920’s and year by year brought all of his relatives over to the Spokane, WA area. Lizzie was his dear sister.
Lindy Low LeCoq 
Merry Xmas!! Nice work.
Thanks, Ralph. Happy holidays to you as well 🎄
Love the card and the poem. Like you, I’ve made my own Christmas cards for decades. I guess I should post it on my (rather moribund) blog! We learned we needed an artificial tree when my older daughter had asthma and bronchitis in the winter. Tree sap in December did not help! Your gathering looks lovely. Merry Christmas!
Thank you, Jill. Seems that sending holiday cards is a thing of the past. My list of names has shrunk, though I still love to offer cheers of the season to friends!
Lindy, I love yoru holiday traditions.
Lindy, I didn’t mean to hit reply so soon! Your Christmas card photo and poem are beautiful. Thanks for sharing your fun holiday traditions. I love your ornaments. Enjoy every moment with your family!
Thank you, Beth. I’m hoping my days slow down so I can enjoy other’s too!
Christmas stolen? What are they? Delicious looking! How wonderful you take turns hosting and everyone is happy with that! Short breads are my favourites, but I have never tried baking them. Happy to hear you use an old recipe – especially for Christmas.Happy Christmas to you all. Lindy!
Stollen is a sweet bread with the addition of raisins, candied citron and cherries, and almonds. Shortbread is now in my pantry. Wishing you a Happy Christmas as well 🎄
Such wonderful festive decorations and traditions Lindy and your Christmas card and chosen poem are truly special ❤️ xxx
Thank you, Xenia!
Lindy, your post made me homesick. Being with family is so heart-warming. Thanks for the wonderful post and photos.
Thank you, Egidio. It must be difficult not to be with your family during this season. I trust you and your partner have your own rituals and traditions together. Cheers to you both!🎄
Wonderful post, full of joy. We’re the same, our decorations are a collection of good memories.
Thank you, Sofia. Those associations with people and times past add richness to life!🎄
Absolutely!
Loved this Lindy!! Wonderful traditions, the best part of the holiday. And lucky you to have so much of your family with you. Sadly mine is spread all over the U.S. Happily last year my husband and I flew north and were surrounded by many of them which was great. That said I still love the holidays – it’s a lovely time of the year.
Thank you, Tina. We’ll be missing my younger sister and hubby who live in St. Louis. Will likely Zoom her in at some point!🎄