White Christmas

Late Christmas morning, snow began to fall on our little home nestled in the forest. This was our view out back which continued all day & throughout the night. Just prior to supper, London went sledding down the hill next door. As he disappeared in the evening light of his last run I feared he would drop over the cliff towards the lake, but he was safe.

Apparently, this was the first "White Christmas" in our area since 1963. What a perfect year to have chosen for our first Christmas at home! The capstone of my day was the following song which commenced just after our prayers as we sat down to enjoy our feast:
"Christmas in Dixie, its snowing in the pines.
Merry Christmas from Dixie, to everyone tonight..."

Christmas Traditions

We have always spent Christmas with extended family... scrambling to make the 530 mile trip north, then rushing from one gathering to the next. It was with a surprising sense of calm that I proposed our staying home this year & my husband readily acquiesced. My son was eager to stay home to enjoy his gifts Christmas Day so long as Santa would be able to find him.
I wondered over my impulsive declaration yet it felt right & good. The matriarchs of my family had modelled Christmas traditions for me over a lifetime & I soon realized the brunt of holiday tradition now fell on me... it was my turn to lead the way & pass them along. For the first time in my son's life, he didn't have to pack his gifts away once they were opened. We stretched our gift opening over the course of the day, frequently pausing for him to play. For the first time in over a decade, the Christ candle shone brightly on our advent wreath.

I wanted to show my son, "the other side of Christmas" & planned an outing to distribute warm apparel to people living on the streets. Once assured I planned to bake lasagna for our holiday meal, my brother delivered us a turkey before making his trek to MD. In his usual, generous manner he purchased the 3 of us an 18.6 pound bird! It hadn't completely thawed & took hours to roast...so long that it kept us from our outting. We couldn't go help the homeless because we had too much food! There will be other times, but the irony was not lost on me. As I worked, preparing favorite dishes from all sides of the family I felt keenly in tune with the women who had prepared these same dishes before me. It was a lovely, quiet & slow-paced day, full of cozy warmth & laughter. One in which I confidently accepted the Torch of family traditions & took my place among the women of our family.

Tiny Town

Once a year the adjoining yards of a local, extended family are transformed into an amazing world of lights, buildings, & all things Christmas. Houses, hutches & cases are brimming with toys spanning generations. The family matriarch hands out hot chocolate or coffee in an Early-Americana-style cottage filled with Wizard of Oz, Elvis, Beatles & Cupie doll collectibles.


Some cases are filled with trains while others are jammed with McDonald's toys, Disney displays, Barbies, miniature cars & countless other themes. Children play in some while others are simply to be peered into.


Santa in his sleigh welcomes visitors as they cross the bridge & pass by the wishing-well. So much of this season lacks any visual reminders of our Saviour & the celebration of His coming. In Tiny Town I can always count on the abundant presence of the nativity, as well as the empty cross of our risen Lord.


An uncle or brother or son watches over a bonfire so large it must be tended by forklift. Our advent season begins with an evening here for my son's birthday & he is always allowed to throw firecrackers into the pit.


We bring along marshmallows or hotdogs to share as we visit with locals who regale us with folklore, tales of the year's hunts, & an abundance of humor. It is the first of many, annual visits to this magical place just up the road from our home.

Titanic Week

In July, we always appreciate watching "Shark Week". This spring break London & I fell asleep to the movie, "Titanic" every night. My soundtrack is inaccessible & it is wonderful music to drift off to. I took this shot of London in the aquarium building at the Riverbanks zoo. It reminds me of some alien hibernation egg sack. It has been said that he looks asleep in a submarine's window.

Birthdays in SC

One tradition we enjoy is shooting off fireworks in honor of birthdays. Although my son has been ill, we had to take a few moments to honor his day with pyrotechnics. Though blurry, these hand-held shots are memorable for us. I love the full moon in the shots !


Below, is a father & son conspiracy. Apparently, on a boy's 9th birthday, "he gets to toss his first firecracker pack"....Under duress, I agreed... but I insisted this is ONLY on the actual birthday !!!