Looking out the window I see beauty. There are green fields, miniature ponies grazing freely around the house, Christmas decorations and lights brighten up all the houses around and smokes puffs out from the chimneys. Strangely though, it feels like an early Autumn day. From what I have heard, there is warmer weather happening in Europe and Canada this season. It looks like we will have a green Christmas! Admittedly, it took awhile to find the Spirit of this festive season, but thankfully, I found it, or rather, MADE it! It does fall into place a little more naturally when the whole world around me is blanketed in snow. However, once the house was filled with a little Christmas music a la Boney M, and we found a pine tree (which we had to take down, it was strangled around one of our Beech trees in the forest) brought it home and decorated it (Macgyvered it a little to fix up the twisted branches!) schnapps in hand, the house finally feels like Christmas.
A_Charlie_Brown_Christmas_Tree
We were very fortunate to have been gifted a big box full of Christmas treasures a couple of years ago, when, sadly, friends of ours moved to Canada. What a treat though, to have box filled over the years with collected decorations! I haven't had to buy a thing, which is wonderful. I AM however, looking for more twinkly lights that are NOT LED. I find those are so cold, even the "warm" LED lights are not warm at all. So today, I will set out and try to find some to hang on the windows. Nothing like last minute, eh?? In two sleeps, Santa comes. In our family (my Canadian family) it was getting pretty over-whelming, shopping for presents, so we decided many years ago to pick names from a hat and do a "Secret Santa." Here in Switzerland we don't really exchange gifts at all, but we do fill stockings, which is always a fun task... filling it up with little sneaky, playful, artsy, jokey, sugary items... Again, today, is shopping day! I did get out to the market last week, thankfully... The shops will be closed for the next three days, so I better get to it!
A_Newfoundland_Christmas_House_Decoration
I do like to indulge in a personal Christmas gift each year! Not something that I need, but rather a little something that I want, how selfish, isn't it?? This year, I could NOT resist in buying two little magical Gnomes. It would give me great pleasure to find names for these little guys, they are just the cutest little things!! I actually teared up at the market stand, now what am I like?? Maybe we never really do grow up, and most certainly I would hope to hold tight to MAGIC, forever.
Two_Beautiful_Gnameless_Gnomes
So, I will wish all of you a very happy holiday! I can only hope that everyone will get out there and find themselves a little "Holiday Spirit" green weather or white weather. Most importantly my wish for you is to find some wonderful family and friends to connect with, good times, good food and hopefully, some much needed rest.
Love, Lindsay xox