Our Holiday Lights

Hope everyone had a splendid holiday. My Christmas gift collection included blackberry jam, warm winter socks, a new bird feeder to replace the one the squirrels trashed, a book detailing ways to remain cheap--which I am of course—and a Cornell University hooded sweatshirt. Wendy and I noticed while Christmas shopping that it seems to be much easier to find “hoodies” than regular sweatshirts anymore. I’d be interested in hearing what others got this Christmas if you want to share.

Since I wanted to try a little creativity with my holiday photo-taking, I took some pictures of our Christmas decorations with natural light. Figured out how to do that with my digital camera.

My wife Wendy spends a great deal of time putting up the holiday décor. I’m only her assistant, and not a good one at that. The first photo is from her ceramic village collection that rests over the fireplace mantle. Seems like it’s lacking something. Maybe some ceramic people, or toy soldiers, or dinosaurs . . . something like that.

The photo of our tree displays a few of our older ornaments. The rocking horse from 1978 is something Wendy acquired before we had even met. There are also two ornaments marking our “baby’s first Christmas.” Those have to be at least 24 years old, since our youngest turned 24 in August. At the far left you might be able to see an ornamental bone with the name “Doogie.” Even though our pet chin-pooh has been gone over a year, we still remember him fondly.

Then there’s a picture of our nativity set, handed down from Wendy’s mother. That dates wayyyyyy back. We looked up some of the figurines on E-Bay, which were made in Italy and “U.S. Germany” post World War II. Found out they’re made of paper mache. I think the straw is pretty old too.

Finally, there is the green garland that gives our white picket fence a New England holiday look, I think. The elderly woman who lives across the street has told Wendy she really feels the Christmas spirit, looking out her front window to see our fence decorated like it is.

But very soon it all comes down. Wendy wanted to take it down this week, but we learned during the priest’s sermon that today (Tuesday) is really only the fifth day of Christmas. We’re really supposed to leave our decorations up to the twelfth day of Christmas; there’s a liturgical name for the feast that ends Christmas, but I can’t remember what he said it was. Let me Google it here now . . .

The feast of Epiphany. Now if I can remember that, I’ll have learned something new today.