“So if a Christian is touched only once a year, the touching is still worth it, and maybe on some given Christmas, some quiet morning, the touch will take.” (Harry Reasoner)
It’s fascinating to take in the sights and sounds of Christmas around this great city of Toronto. “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas everywhere I go” as the popular song says. All kinds of people get caught up in the Spirit of Christmas, whether they are celebrating the Birthday of Jesus or just having fun. There’s so much to be done before Christmas Day – cooking, baking, shopping, wrapping, decorating, writing, travelling, rehearsing, praying, singing, meditating, playing, just to name a few of the important things to be done.
The images in “Christmas Decor” were taken at a fine restaurant two weeks ago. We were there for a Birthday Celebration but Christmas was very much already a part of the spirit and decor there that evening. That “Christmassy” feeling had begun. Eating and drinking are a big part of the Christmas Celebrations. “The Christian Middle Ages marked Christmas with the consumption of food and drink in great quantities. In 1213 King John of England ordered 3,000 capons, 1,000 salted eels, 400 hogs, 100 pounds of almonds, and 24 casks of wine for his Christmas festivities. This sort of excess eventually helped lead to the abolition of Christmas under the PURITANS, but the people’s love of holiday consumption outlasted such reforms.” (World Encyclopedia of Christmas)
It was interesting to find that bit of information since Christmas Celebrations have always been a part of my life. Never did I ever hear that Christmas had been abolished. Since, for Christians, this celebration’s main focus is the Birthday of Jesus, that must have been very hard. To have nice decorations or good food or drink doesn’t mean they have to be the most expensive or the finest. There are many fine things that we ourselves can make and the most fun of it all is in the gathering together and sharing of ourselves with friends and loved ones. Every piece of Christmas cake and every cookie is exquisite when shared with those we love. “It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you . . . yes, it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother and offer him your hand.” (Mother Teresa)
Although the box with all the decorations hasn’t been take down yet, I wanted to make the porch look “Christmassy.” As you can see from the above collage, some evergreen branches were purchased. I put several of these branches into a vase that was already on the table with a few white, artificial flowers. I tied two bows with some red ribbon, one for the greenery and one for the vase. The dried out hydrangea flowers were hanging in the garden and I picked them and quickly spray-painted them with gold paint – and ta-da – my first Christmas arrangement.
“It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes or bags!”… Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! “Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more!” ~Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
May this Christmas mean a little bit more – to all of us! Merry Christmas!
