A Late Christmas Diary - Part 2

   Christmas this last year was exciting for all of us! It was the first year in what seemed like forever that we would all be home. Not just home for the holidays, but home before the holidays as well!

   

There was so much to do, though! 

Wreaths needed to be made, 

ornaments needed to be dusted off and carefully taken out of boxes, 

there were presents to buy and wrap in sparkly  red and green paper, 

and the most important thing: 

we needed to find the perfect tree!

   As this was Quinn and I's first Christmas together as a married couple, I wanted it to be extra special! But being a newlywed couple doesn't lend itself much in the finances department, so I determined to have a homemade Christmas. 

  

     When I was very young, I can remember going 'out the road' with my family and cutting down a Christmas tree. However, one fateful year my dad could stand it no longer...my mother has always been allergic to trees and he just couldn't take her sneezing anymore (though she adamantly says she loved having a real tree!). From that year forward my family has always had a fake tree, though my six siblings and I never cared too much (we were just excited for Christmas!). 

   This made going out with Quinn all the more special as we searched for the perfect tree. And we did find it, eventually... 

   We found the prettiest little hemlock! There was no snow to speak of the week leading up to Christmas, so the tree didn't even need to dry out. We took it home, put it up, strung lights on it and it seemed magical already. But we weren't done yet, there were ornaments to make!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  We made stars out of willow branches, 

we used cookie cutters and currents to create cinnamon ornaments that smelled divine, 

we used old book pages (torn from a romance novel that was free at our local second-hand book store) to make stars, 

and we dried orange slices to add color and fragrance!

                                                                                                                                                                                                             Having happy garlands hung up in the barn windows made everything feel more Christmasy.                                                                                                                                              And they looked simply amazing when the days grew dark and there was candle light flickering in the windows. 

                                                                                                                                    When we finally had the tree all decorated up, it was much more than special.                                                                                                                                                                                        Not only was it our first Christmas tree, we had completely decorated with ornaments we had made, right down to the last scented pine cone. 

    

   Inside the main house on Christmas morning, everyone excitedly gathered around the pretty pine Paul and Melissa had picked out. Presents were piled high under the branches, and eager hands tried not to seem too eager as each gift was carefully set under the sparkling ornaments.

                                                                                                                                                                 But even in the busyness of the day, we all knew what we were celebrating. Though we all enjoyed the gifts, the dinner, and the warmth of a loving family, we knew that Jesus had been born this day.                                                                                                                                                  We knew in our hearts that God had sent His Son, down to Earth, to die for our sins so that we may live forever with Him. 

   As I remember this last Christmas, I can't help but be filled with love. To be a part of this wonderful family makes me smile, and even better is the greater joy I find in the love of a heavenly Father. 

   We hope your Christmas was filled with the love and joy in knowing your family was close by, and in also knowing your Savior was even closer. Thank you so much for walking a bit back in time to Christmas with us, until next time.

 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6