light in the house

One of our favourite activities to do during the Christmas season is to simply drive around our neighbourhood   to see all the light displays along the street.  Although there are many tree lighting ceremonies throughout the city, some of the most unique and inspiring ones are those around the block.

Every house meticulously prepared for the holiday season, showcasing a twinkle of lights like stars in the sky. The vibrant personalities of homeowners shine through as you drive by a lawn covered with displays of Santa, reindeer and a multicolour of lights.  Or a quiet house with pretty winter wreaths, simple white lanterns, and a soft and subtle flicker of Christmas tree lights peeking through the front window.    

As school pageants, concerts and parties bring in the joy, what strikes me the most is the diversity of this celebration, and how each of us celebrate holidays differently.  Different traditions, rituals and food...all seemingly on a quest...to bring loved ones together.

Sometimes it's difficult to appreciate this or any "holiday quest".  It's easy to get caught up with all the glitz of decorations and the glam of appealing storefronts enticing you to buy, buy, buy!

So this year, I decided to take a much more laid back approach...at least with my Christmas decorating.  I used simple white ornaments to decorate the tree. I cut up some burlap for the garland.  I just placed little white bows on our mantle garland.    

Just as the lights on the neighbourhood houses represent the personalities of their homeowner, for me, beyond the "reason for the season", our lights represent a peaceful time to reflect and to be grateful for what we have at home.  

Because no matter how many lights are displayed on the rooftops, driveways and sidewalks, it's what's inside our homes and the love within, that makes the light in the house, truly shine.  

Simple Paper Tea Light Candle Holders

(for battery-operated tea lights only)

Inspired by the little porcelain ornaments that house some of the Christmas lights on my tree, I wanted to create something simple and easy to house my battery operated tea light candles.  (please use battery operated for this craft...we don't want any fires started!).  This also makes a sweet little Christmas themed night light for a child's room, with little cost and effort.

Tools

• Wedding favour gift boxes (found at Michaels or your local dollar store).
• Ruler
• Scissors/exacto knife
• Hole Punch
• Battery operated tea light candles

Directions

• Open the boxes until it is flat.
• Using a ruler, draw out the roof (at the top of the box). Draw out the door and windows, or just hole punch (using various shaped holes, if desired).

• Cut along the lines.
• Assemble the box.
• Place the battery operated tea light candles inside.

Display...and enjoy the light in the house, and in your home.

christmas future

Ironically, as a child who loved to write, I never wrote letters to Santa.  I did believe in him at one point, but at an early age, I figured out that he was not real, and figured, why would I leave perfectly good cookies and milk out for someone that wasn't real?

My kids somewhat believe in Santa. Well, at least my younger one does.  I think they believe in the idea that somehow a gift is left near their "Cookies for Santa" plate, tagged “from Santa”.

I made these plates at a local "Paint Your Own Pottery" store.
One for each child...a boy and girl, of course!

However, the kids didn’t do the full deal this year…lining up to see Santa to get their picture taken with him (he scares my daughter), and then write a letter to him (“if Santa knows if we’ve been good or not, then why do we need to write to him?”…this is my son’s logic).  I even missed booking the Santa train ride where you get hot chocolate and cookies when he stops by to visit you during the ride.

{Recipe for this Chocolate Chip Cookie found here}

As my children get older, we don’t participate as much with all the Santa activities that come around this time of the year.  Yes, I know it’s not the “reason for the season”, but for young children, part of the magic of Christmas is the magic part.  The “Santa twinkles his nose, comes down a chimney and leaves you a gift if you’ve been good” magic.

I don’t think doing all that stuff takes away from the “reason for the season” but in fact, enhances it.  As long as they understand what they’re celebrating, how they celebrate really is all about the spirit of why you do things.

While the children are still young and innocent, my hope for Christmas future (at least for the next few innocent years), we can continue to attend church service, listening to miracle of Jesus' birth and embrace the celebration of our savior, and then come home, where the kids will leave their cookies and milk for Santa, leave out carrots for the reindeer, and say thank you, for celebrating Jesus with us by bringing joy and love to children everywhere.

it's beginning to look a lot...

...like Christmas.  Ev'ry where you go.  Take a look at the five and ten glistening once again.  With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.  Toys in ev'ry store.

But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be...

...on your own front door.

-Lyrics by Meredith Wilson