All posts in Christmas

You are here: Home / All posts in Christmas

Dec

Christmas Treasures

Categories: Christmas, Penny at Home, Winter

Grandma’s Glasses

A little boy said to a playmate, “Do you know what I want for Christmas? I want glasses just like Grandma wears. She must have a special kind because she can see much more than most people.

“She can see when folks are hungry or tired or sorry, and she can even see what’ll make them feel better. She can see how to fix a lot of things to have fun with, and she can see what a feller meant to do, even if he didn’t do it right. She can see when a feller is about to cry and she can see what to do to make him feel better.

“I asked her one day how she could see so good, and she said it was the way she learned to look at things as she got older. So I want a pair of glasses just like Grandma’s so I can see good, too.”

*******

I love nativity scenes ~ the stable, the critters, and the dear people that were chosen to welcome the Christ child.

Our Christmas tree holds a collection of warm family memories from years gone by and many treasured handmade ornaments.

A beautiful variety of Christmas cards from family and friends is another of my favorite Christmas treasures. This following picture reminds me of our farm.

Christmas is a time when we feel so loved, and it is a special time to pass that love around to others.

Penny, waiting by her Christmas mailbox. Is the mailman coming yet?

Merry Christmas to you!

Dec

Merry Christmas to You!

Categories: Christmas, In the Family, Penny at Home

Comments: 2

Blessings to you, dear Reader, this Christmas, from Penny and I.

What a season full of blessings! The blessing of God Himself coming down to where we are, to give us hope and salvation from the mess our world becomes without Him. We celebrate this season because of Him. And also we celebrate the blessing of family and the giving of gifts. What a privilege to bless others.

I enjoy stamping Christmas cards to give to friends.

A hedgehog snowman is rather a prickly friend, with a warm heart, of course!

We also bake lots of cookies to give to anyone who comes by.

Penny enjoys exploring and sampling flavors amid the busyness of sticky counters.

Penny likes to play in the pretty Christmas sprinkles. The peppermint bits were tasty in chocolate cookies, a new combination we invented this year.

Penny would like to share with you a special recipe of ours:

Scandinavian Almond Bars

Beat:    1/2 cup softened butter
         1 cup sugar
Add:     1 egg
         1/2 tsp. almond extract
Stir in: 1 3/4 cup flour
         2 tsp. baking powder
         1/4 tsp. salt

Divide the dough into 4 balls.  Shape each into a 12" long roll. 
Place 2 rolls on an ungreased cookie sheet, flatten to 3" wide.
Brush with milk, then sprinkle with slivered almonds.
Bake at 325° for 12-15 minutes.
Allow to cool, then drizzle frosting over and slice diagonally.
(And we added Penny's Christmas sprinkles.)

The almond cookies are a favorite of mine, but how can I favor any one cookie when they are all such yummy treats? I must admit that the cookies I’ve been snitching the most lately are the turtle cookies.

What cookies did you like best Penny?

Fudge! And who has been snitching here?

*****

One of the special things about decorating for Christmas is the effect of lights. We hope that you enjoy the glimpses of our Christmas lights below as much as we do each evening.

Penny’s own Christmas tree.

Silent night, Holy night,
All is calm, all is bright,
‘Round yon virgin mother and Child,
Holy Infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Merry Christmas!!

Dec

I Will Celebrate Nativity

Categories: Christmas, In the Family, Penny at Home

Comments: No

Merry Christmas, Friends!

We enjoy the holiday season and the decorating we get to do.

Penny and her little kitty helped to shape the grapevine wreaths, and then to wrap on the evergreen branches and crabapple berries from our yard.

A festive place for viewing a beautiful day.

We celebrate Nativity, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ as God became man to live among us, and make it possible so we could come live with Him.

Mom was recently remembering this song from her college days…

HE’S EVERYTHING TO ME

In the stars His handiwork I see,

On the wind He speaks with majesty,

Tho He ruleth over land and sea,

What is that to me?

I will celebrate Nativity,

for it has a place in history

Sure, He came to set His people free

What is that to me?

Till by faith I met Him face to face

and I felt the wonder of his grace

Then I knew that He was more

than just a God who didn’t care

That lived a way out there

And now He walks beside

me day by day,

Ever watching o’r me lest I stray,

Helping me to find that narrow way

He’s Everything To Me.

Words and music by Ralph Carmichael

“From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another.”

John 1:16

Dec

Glory to the Newborn King

Categories: Christmas, Penny at Home

Comments: 1

Merry Christmas from Penny and me!

These pictures were taken by Thabeh, sharing her home’s decorations with us,

~with a few Christmas cards and carols added by me.

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light;

The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary, and gathered all above,

While mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.

O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth!

And praises sing to God the King, and peace to men on earth…

– Phillip Brooks

O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!

Come and behold Him, born the King of angels;

Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exaltation!

O sing, all ye bright hosts of heaven above;

Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning,

Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;

O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him,

O come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

– Latin Hymn, 18th Century

♪♫♪ “Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

The little Lord Jesus lay down His sweet head…” ♪♫♪

Jesus is coming to earth again, What if it were today?

Coming in power and love to reign, What if it were today?

Coming to claim his chosen Bride, All the redeemed and purified,

Over this whole earth scattered side, What if it were today?

Glory, glory! Joy to my heart ’twill bring;

Glory, glory! When we shall crown Him Kin;

Glory, glory! Haste to prepare the way;

Glory, glory! Jesus will come some day.

~Leila N. Morris