Joyeux Nöel (semi-wordless Wednesday)

We are having a swampy Christmas in Central Ohio this year; it has left me dreaming of celebrating Christmas in a more picturesque setting.  And what could be more lovely than Paris at Christmas?

La cathédrale de Notre Dame à Noël

Menu de Père Noël

Bûche de Noël

Les lumières de Noël de Paris

Tour Eiffel neigeux


Macaron à Noël? Pourquoi pas?

Christmas and the Introvert.

This may shock you (and I am also being a bit facetious), but I am a HUGE introvert. I'm a Myers-Briggs INFJ, which is like the height of introversion. Christmas is not the easiest time of year for me. Please don't misunderstand me. I love to give presents and watch the kids rip into their packages. I Love celebrating the birth of my Savior. My nativity, passed down from my grandmother to my mom to me is one of my most valued possessions. I have an inordinate love of Christmas music (if you have Spotify, look up my Christmas list. It's not mixed well, but it has songs I love on it, there's a bit of everything, and there's 7 hours of music). I love the lights and decorations and fluffy snowfalls.

But here's the thing about Christmas. The shops become overwhelmingly crowded. Everyone is out finding the perfect gift. Black Friday is positively frightening. The pace becomes more frenetic. Then there are the parties. If you are an extrovert it is important to understand that parties are a bit like putting a toe into the lake of hell for the introvert. We aren't especially good at the schmooze. We can't stand being interrupted, not because we are offended but because it makes us feel undervalued, and this happens quite frequently at gatherings. There are lots and lots of people, some who will probably be obnoxious and drunk. This is true even if you are friends with everyone who will be at the party. Parties are exhausting. I spend my time at the daydreaming about being at home knitting.

My daughter is the polar opposite of me in that she is the most extroverted extrovert in the world. She thrives on being surrounded by people and needs to be always busy. She can't be silent. And if she has to be, she texts. When Christmas rolls around and she gets to decorate she tends to go into overdrive. For the most introverted introvert this can be a bit overwhelming. This year, I let her do her thing with her boyfriend and William and hid in my bedroom.

Introverts need to take special care to make time for themselves during the holidays. This is a time of reflection, grace, love, and miracles; we introverts need to be still and quiet to appreciate the wonder of this season. The best Christmases I have ever had weren't rushed or over-scheduled, my shopping was done well in advance of the crowds, adequate time was spent in the morning opening presents and savoring the day before family visits were even considered, and, imagine this, I took a nap.

This time of year is too special to be dreaded. There was a time that I really didn't like Christmas because I was thrust into situations that are too much for any introvert. It wasn't until I realized how to be an introvert at Christmas and not compromise my needs that Christmas became alive for me.

William's Eyes

It is early in the morning. William and Tim are asleep beside me. breathing heavily, like sleeping people do. Will just kicked the covers off, his lovely swan legs stretching. A load of firewood has been delivered. Winter fires are guaranteed; the cats will have a place to congregate.

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Tomorrow is Christmas. Having an almost 4 year old gives one a chance to see Christmas through the eyes of a child again. "Where Santa?" is the question of the hour. Explanations of baby Jesus, who grew to love everyone, are ever so important. The excitement of seeing a Christmas tree is fresh again. And tomorrow morning - what sort of spectacle will is hold, after Santa has visited and the room is festooned with presents and magic?

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William's eyes have been big, full of wonder this holiday season. What sort of time of year is this, when houses sport magical lights and people walk around with smiles on their faces? When the world becomes a fairy land of snow and ice? When candy and cookies abound, the house becomes full of visitors, warmth, and love?

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May you once again see this brilliant season through the eyes of a child and fell it with the heart of The One.

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Merry Christmas.

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A Christmas Quiz

So these days, I'm all about "borrowing" other bloggers ideas, but I love this Christmas quiz, which I found posted on Sara's blog


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Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate, absolutely. Never been much of an egg nog fan, except it's good as a cappuccino base.

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa has all those elves to wrap his presents, so they definitely are wrapped (with much different and cooler paper than the other presents)!

Colored lights on tree/house or white? I like them both. I think a tree looks more elegant with white lights, but colored lights are more festive. Our tree has both. Oh! My favorite are bubble lights, though - they are the kitchy greatest!

Do you hang mistletoe? When I was young, I went to this holiday party where there was mistletoe hung and this boy that I didn't like tried all night long to get me under the stuff. It's scarred me to this day.


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When do you put your decorations up? It's usually up to my daughter, who puts it up and organizes the decorating. She usually wants it up ASAP. Typically this happens the day after Thanksgiving.

What is your favorite holiday dish? Two come to mind, the first of which is German Spritz cookies, and the second is corn pudding. My grandmother used to make great cheese and broccoli rice, which I miss.

Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Going into downtown Columbus to see the State Auto Nativity Scene, and looking for all of my favorite Nativity animals

Photo credits (1), (2), (3), (4)

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember exactly how old I was, but one night I was really excited about Christmas and couldn't sleep and wandered down the stairs while the parents were putting out the "special" presents. I scurried back upstairs and pretended not to know a thing.

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? I didn't even know that this was an option until I was an adult. Sometimes we would open presents at our family Christmas Eve party, but this didn't always happen, so no, we don't!

How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Tons of lights, lots of ornaments collected through the years, many handmade ornaments from the kids, and many vintage ornaments that my mom had when she was younger and have been passed on to me. It's a very colorful tree

Snow! Love it or Dread it? When there's just a dusting of it, it's nice, but anything more than that and I want to see grass again.


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Can you ice skate? It's absolutely pathetic how dreadful I am being that I am the mother of a figure skater!

Do you remember your favorite gift? Hmm. There's been quite a few, but the morning that I got my Millennium Falcon stands out. I was quite the Star Wars fan (and still have all of my 1970's figures).

What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? That it represents the birthday of our Savior.

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Those aforementioned German Spritz cookies

What is your favorite holiday tradition? I love the preparations the night before Christmas, all of the secretive and hushed scurrying about while Santafying the house.

What tops your tree? From the time I've been a little girl, it's always been an angel. When I was a kid, she wore a hot pink dress and had yellow hair like a troll. The one we have now is a bit fancier, but I secretly wish for that troll angel every year.


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Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I love the giving. Finding the perfect present, hunting it down, and seeing the face of it's recipient are the best.

What is your favorite Christmas Song? My grandpa told me I liked depressing songs, which was anything in a minor key. So it would make sense that "Oh Come, Oh Come Emmanuel" is my favorite. My favorite modern one is "A Baby Changes Everything."

Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? They're okay, but I could live without them.

Favorite Christmas Show? Without a doubt, "A Charlie Brown Christmas." However, I also love "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Elf."

Saddest Christmas Song? "Christmas Shoes" which I also think is kind of hoaky.


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Fantasy Christmas List

My friend Relyn posted her fantasy Christmas list yesterday and I am copying her! You know I want peace and love and all that stuff; this is going to be a totally self-indulgent list of fantasy items that I really love.

A Rose Festooned Cottage

This one would do

The Inside of which is a Perfect Shabby Chic Paradise

Whoever designed this can do my house!

Surrounding the House

an amazing, lush, English garden

Inside the Garden

this amazing garden room

And in the back 40

this incredible field which looks like this the entire growing season

And while we're at it

I wouldn't turn down this Cartier Love Bracelet

or this hot pink, lizard Hermes Birkin.

And that's my fantasy!

St Lucia's Day

St Lucia's day has always intrigued me. Photos of beautiful Scandinavian women with wreathes holding candles in celebration of St. Lucy, followed in procession by other women in white holding a single candle. The images are beautiful and so evocative.

This exerpt from the website Phases of Womanhood gives a great description of St Lucia and the origins of the day.

"St. Lucia was born in Italy, a virgin-martyr from the early 4th century. She is the patron saint of Sicily and of eye ailments. She is typically depicted wearing a white robe and holding a palm branch. However, Swedish artists depict her with a crown of candles on her head. Legend has it that, years after her death, during a great famine in Syracuse, St. Lucia appeared on December 13th, which was then celebrated as the darkest night of the year and also happens to be the date of her martyrdrom. St. Lucia wore a crown of candles on her head to leave her hands free to carry baskets of bread for the starving peasants."

Long time readers may know that the stories of the saints are one of my great loves. And this may be why I am so fascinated by this beautiful celebration. Perhaps next year we can have a St Lucia's day in our house.

Christmas Time Is Here!

Only 5 more days until Christmas! Ahhh! I haven't wrapped a thing, but at least my shopping is done (well, except for one gift, but that pretty much counts as done). Tomorrow, my mom and dad are bringing over a big present for the whole family that only I know about. It's a goodie. Tim might have a swooning spell. I'll tell you this about it - they used to have a ray tube in them but are now flat and pixelated. And the one we have is 20 inches and this one is 32. Good for watching college football bowl games one. I've given it away, haven't I?

In case you don't have any gift tags, here's a sweet set that you can download online:

Download pdf file Here

And some lovely pictures to reflect upon (I have to have the lovely pictures!):

All photos via We Heart It

My most viewed post; ie. perfect post for this time of year

Still a bit crazy here; yesterday Tim fell and flexed his knee in a way he hadn't since surgery. It was very, very painful so a trip to the doctor and x-rays ensued. Happily there was nothing wrong on the x-ray and this morning he feels much better. My husband is a rabid bear when he is in extreme pain, though, and it took everything in me to keep saying "for better, for worse; in sickness and health" in my head. And I was so irate and nervous and tied up in knots that I had to spend last night in total mushball decompression mode.

So I decided that today I would reprint my most viewed post, which is perfect for these days before Christmas.

The Angel Appears To Mary

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings to you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and shall give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be call the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

(Luke1:26-38)

I'm Grateful: A few things

Enter my giveaway for a $50 CSN gift certificate! Get some extra cash for the holidays!!

Today I am grateful for: microwave popcorn, Will spinning in circles singing songs, having money to buy Christmas gifts, and soft, silly kittens.

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I'm grateful for a time of year that lets us reflect upon why we are grateful.

I Love: Candles

But not just any candle. . .



Candles on birthday cakes, celebrating a new year.

Flickering lights on Christmas Eve, midnight Candlelight service to welcome our Lord.

Moody candles smelling of myrrh, cloves, and patachouli.

Long elegant tapers on impeccably set tables.



Candles in windows, welcoming and bright.

Luminaria shining against the snow.

Flickering paper lanterns blowing in the breeze.



Halloween candles that create a spell in the night.

Long rows of alter lights.

The glow of candlelight on a romantic evening.

I love candles.

(All photos from We Heart It)