The jokes and memes have begun flying among our family members - having a big family gathering is fun but it's also quite an undertaking and my kids like to poke fun at that. (Craig and I are right in there with them!)
Here is a screenshot from a tongue in cheek video Hawkeye Sarah just sent the family that was taken inside her kitchen pantry. In it, Sarah said,
"Just over here preparing for the Isenbarger Christmas."
You can't see it all, but there are 20 cans of frosting and 24 boxes of candy canes. She laughed at the end of the video, and I honestly don't think she's bringing all that here, but... She works with the teens at her church and I suspect she's putting together an activity of some sort. (Although it's very possible she might bring what is left over.)
Our tree isn't up yet (tomorrow's project) nor is my mother's Nativity but we will be ready decor-wise when those are completed. (Oops, forgot about hanging the stockings.)
Not the best picture due to the late afternoon lighting, but I finished the staircase greenery. Honestly, that's one of my most favorite decorations. It really makes our home look festive.
I'm done sorting out the ornaments that we will put onto the tree. We have tubs and tubs of ornaments, but I am putting out those that I know are the most meaningful to our family.
Like this set of Rudolph ornaments. Only they were not ornaments - they were zipper pulls!
My kids love Rudolph and during our lean years I couldn't afford beautifully made Rudolph ornaments even in the Christmas section of Kmart. But, I sure could afford this set of Rudolph rubber zipper pulls and convert them into ornaments!
Even better, they were unbreakable due to the rubber (which has made them last over the years) and there are 12 of them - two per child! Win-win for the Isenbarger clan!
I've also sorted out the stockings into family groups. My mom made the knitted ones and I made the fabric ones. I wanted to be sure we had enough for all who are spending Christmas with us this year.
Good thing I checked - I am four short and so I have some fabric sitting on the sewing table waiting for me to turn them into stockings before Christmas Eve.
I had an epiphany while going through Grandma Honeywell's ornaments. They are around 100 years old and were used during my mother's childhood.
Grandma always vented her cherry pies with this design and I do the same. But I never knew where that particular pattern came from, and neither did my mother but we used it because Grandma did.
While I looked at those old beauties in their boxes, thinking I'd choose one to go on this year's tree, I spied this pair:
Oh, my goodness. I think I just discovered where Grandma got her pattern.
My heart turned to mush and I got a little teary. Gently I tucked those two ornaments safely back into their box. Maybe next year I'll put one of them on the tree, but not this year.
Speaking of ornaments that are old and precious, my childhood favorite is currently out and hanging in a safe corner. I'll take it down when our family begins arriving but we will enjoy it in the meantime.
My sister Leslie sent me a photo from one of our childhood Christmases, and look what I spied!
There it is, about 60 years ago in the 1960s hanging on our tree! It truly is a treasure. (How about those mid century modern drapes??)
It's about time for the December Give Away. Give me another day or two and I will post it, probably on Thursday, and it will run through Sunday evening like usual. I think you will like this month's prize.
Stay 'tooned!
Christmas Horse of the Day
Neva, a 2022 Holiday Web Special. I like that midnight blue contrasted with the white and silver, and the snowmen peeking out.
Advent Calendar Reveal - Day 9
The Trotting Morgan Stallion in a pretty blue roan.
I'm procrastinating making a scene because I have to lift the calendar box over the scene each day to open a window, and it's very easy to knock pieces over when I do. And as more pieces are out, the easier it is for me to tip them over when I set a new piece into the scene. But I'll get it started later today or tomorrow.
