Dishing with Amanda

Run! Shop! Buy! Wrap! Bake! Rush, rush, rush!!

Does this pretty much summarize your December? Mine, too. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were time right now, in this busy season, to stop and talk with some friends? Get to know them a little better? Sounds good to me!

To that end, the wonderful Amanda is hosting one of her "Dishing It!" parties today, and she's invited us all over for a chat.

Amanda's first question is, "Do you have any specific traditions that your family looks forward to each Christmas?"

Good heavens! Do we have traditions?! This is the 20th Christmas since we first had children, and we've built lots of fun traditions over the years. To tell the truth, I didn't realize just how much these traditions had sunk in until my boys were old enough to start asking for them by name:

When are we going to hang the stockings?

When are we going to make fudge?

When are you going to put up the decorations?

Are we going to have sausage balls on Christmas morning?

Are you going to get us new pajamas for Christmas?

What time is the Christmas Eve service?

One year I asked whether they really wanted to do one of these things, and my middle son answered, "We have to! It's tradition!"

So we hang the stockings. . .

and make fudge--six pounds of chocolate, six pounds of peanut butter. . .

and deck the halls (click here if you want to know why we always use magnolia leaves). . .

and, every Christmas Eve, we make sausage balls to eat on Christmas morning. Then we go to the Christmas Eve service at church--one of my favorite services all year. After we come home, I give the boys each a new pair of pajamas to wear to bed on Christmas Eve. That way, they'll be dressed in their new jammies for the Christmas morning pictures!

These and many others make up our Christmas traditions. What about yours? How does your family celebrate at this special time?

Christmas Tour of Homes

It's time for Nester's Christmas Tour of Homes and the Home Tour at Kelly's Korner. Thanks so much for coming to my house!

Here's what you'll see as you approach the front door:

A close-up of the wreath:

I have an artificial wreath that I use every year. I just beef it up with clippings from our Christmas tree and from the yard, as well as a few red berries. This year I added an ornament as well:

Off to the right is the sitting area of the front porch, all gussied up for Christmas. Earlier this year I made Autumn Leaf pillows out of drop cloths. I updated those pillows for the season by putting a Christmas ornament on the reverse side:

Now come on in! When you open my front door, here's what you'll see:

I just love having a foyer. It's so nice to have a place to welcome guests into our home. The antique dresser holds my antique Christmas angels and some of my favorite magnolia leaves:

And the stairway is a happy spot with its lighted garland:

Just to the left of the front door, you'll find my husband's study tucked quietly into a corner. I keep the decorations in here pretty simple--just a bit of holiday cheer to complement the stone fireplace:

To the right of the foyer is our dining room. Since this room is red, it takes quite naturally to Christmas decor, so it's one of my favorite rooms to decorate for the season.

My Christmas centerpiece was nearly free. I simply used ornaments that I bought after Christmas last year and placed them in the footbath that usually holds plants on this table. Look how the ornaments sparkle in the candlelight:

The china cabinet holds Lenox plates I bought in the years of each my sons' births. They're from Lenox's "Trees Around the World" series.

My primitive sideboard holds one of our creches along with an angel and the Christmas carol plaque I crafted last week:

The tea table holds a pretty little pitcher that my sweet husband bought me last Christmas. Doesn't it look pretty holding grocery-store lilies and some Christmas greenery?

And then to the living room, which is the site of the family tree:

Ours is a sentimental tree, full of ornaments collected over the years. I've given each of our boys an ornament every year, so when they leave home, I'll need to get new ornaments to fill in the spaces now filled by their collections.

As for the fireplace, it's the spot for our stockings. I don't know if I'll let the boys take their stockings with them when they leave home or not. . . maybe I should keep these and fill them for the guys every year!

Later this week I'll post some photos of my kitchen and back porch. They're all dressed up for Christmas, too. I wish I could have each of you sit here at the counter and drink a cup of coffee with me. But this virtual visit is the next best thing, isn't it? Thank you so much for stopping by!

Christmas tree of life

Today the wonderful Sarah is having her Christmas tree party. Of course I want to participate, but we haven't finished decorating our tree. I pondered that fact and I thought to myself, "I feel guilty that we haven't already finished the decorating and put all the boxes away."

And then I realized how many times over the past few days I've heard people speak of feeling guilty.

"I feel guilty that I didn't put up a tree this year," or "I feel guilty that our tree is artificial," or "I feel guilty that we cut down a live tree for Christmas."

"I feel guilty that I haven't made any Christmas cookies," or "I feel guilty that I've eaten too many Christmas cookies."

"I feel guilty that I can't give my kids what they want for Christmas," or "I feel guilty that I've bought my kids too much for Christmas."

Is there no end to it?

Of course, we feel guilty because we are guilty, and we know it. Every single one us is flawed. We all come up short. Not one of us is perfect.

But the very reason we celebrate Christmas is that the Lord of all Creation loved us enough to save us. He didn't leave us in our flaws and shortcomings. The Christ of Christmas is the One who came to earth and lived as a human in order to show us what a life without shortcomings would look like. And then He gave up his life in order for us to released from the guilt of our own sins and to live in freedom.

I think the words of the old hymn put it best:

When Satan tempts me to despair

And tells me of the guilt within

Upward I look and see Him there

Who made an end of all my sin.

Because the sinless Savior died

My sinful soul is counted free--

For God, the just, is satisfied

To look on Him and pardon me.*

Full of shortcomings though we are, our guilt has been taken away--cleansed by the One whose birth we celebrate at Christmas.  Because of Jesus, we can live a life that's no longer ruled by sin.

Christ was born to give us life that is truly life.

My prayer this season is that your Christmas tree be more than a symbol of beauty and merriment. May it be a tree of life for you.

*"Before the Throne of God Above" by C.L. Bancroft