And, yes, the fire is so delightful :)!

It is alternating between heavy, wet snow and freezing rain outside. Even Karl came in. I took computer and a mocha spiked with cinnamon schnapps to join Bob in front of the fire to work on this post.

Bob and I had an exchange of ideas…

After all, Christmas is about love and family and tradition. Bob has been part of my Christmas celebrations for 10 years.

Although this week’s work schedule was less pushed, I have felt not quite caught up – with not enough hours in the day to do all I’d like to do. Just a few weeks ago I was getting a jump on Christmastime and now it is suddenly only 2 weeks away.

Last weekend, towards the end of Sunday, I dashed to the garage for my Christmas boxes and unpacked the things I wanted around me this Christmas.

Typically, when I’ve been in a house for awhile, there are “places” where the Christmas things go and this house is no different – I’ve put things in the same place every year. But, this year, as I sorted things on the kitchen table, I had a new thought. I spend most of my time in the sunroom/office and kitchen. Although I love sitting in the living room with a fire, my time there is usually a short time in the morning and evening.

As I was considering a different plan for this year, it occured to me what a cornucopia of memory and experience and friendships and family history there was in that small group of Christmas things.

Over the back of the chair on the right is a placemat woven by my mother. She made 2 placemats and a smaller table centerpiece mat for me when she was learning to weave some years ago. The garland of mini stuffed hearts is a find from a quirky Christmas shop in El Segundo, CA as are a few of the wood ornaments on the table. I lived in El Segundo for a couple of years – 20 years ago!

The large stuffed tree with gold trim was made by a co-worker from Korn/Ferry International where I worked temporarily as secretary to the V.P. of Operations and General Counsel. It was a unique and fun position and the tree is a happy reminder of that time – MORE than 20 years ago!

The goofy stuffed snowman and moose – gifts from a neighbor and her daughter from my first Montana neighborhood. The daughter a pre-teen then is now grown and on her own.

The skiing Mama rabbit – a gift from my father to my mother. I love it because it says to me, “The heck with the housework, no time to even remove the apron…put on the skis and go!” It speaks of choosing joy and fun.

The angel bear I bought myself for my tree topper. We always had an angel on the top of the tree growing up and this just made me laugh and yet is sweet. That is a black and white cat, a tuxedo cat …with angel wings and I think it once had a halo. My mother gave it to me…my tuxedo cat Gus was not angelic in a lot of his behavior – he was “his own man” and yet also very attached to me. He disappeared 5 years ago…the hunter became the hunted – hard.

The UCLA bear was a gift from the man at UCLA who signs my work contract. Bill and his wife Judy – not only colleagues but dear friends of 19 years duration. And my time as a consultant at UCLA has been and is a source of joy as well as the thing that puts kibble in everyone’s bowl and keeps the roof over our heads :)!

To the right, a new addition, just in the last week – the Folkstone Santas – a gift from friend Sandy’s collection. It didn’t make the photo and is not a decoration, but Jerry sent along a mini-flashlight for staying in my coat pocket so that I don’t get lost in the dark woods at night! There were other goodies from them and these Folkstone Santas will be forever tied to the love attached to small things that mean a lot – dear friendship!

That skier in the front. He is made of wooden beads attached with elastic string. He was my father’s and growing up the skier was positioned under the tree. A white sheet was wrapped around the base of the tree as snow and the skier sat in the folds of the snow. It was a favorite and is always part of my Christmas reminding me of those idyllic childhood Christmases.

I had wonderful childhood Christmases full of all of the anticipation, family, food, and magic of Christmas. I have had married Christmases, single Christmases, Christmases alone and shared. I love them all. I somehow missed the angst that many have over woulda/coulda/shoulda/might have beens and love each year for all of the good things in it.

The decorating, it is part of both the anticipation, the remembering, the Joy – and as a spiritual person, who believes that Jesus is who he said he was, it is that time of ultimate HOPE.

The stockings are hung, by my desk with care…

And the weather outside is frightful, but inside, in this warm house, with Karl and Bob and reminders of family and friends…it is delightful and lovely and full of hope and joy.