Preparations

I've been opening presents all day!  Early Christmas?  No, just digging into decorations and finding treasures I'd forgotten about or misplaced since our move last year.  I plan to keep my decorating to a minimum, but I had to do the fireplace mantel, so I was delighted when I opened the right box containing the red felt scalloped mantel cover with the ball fringe trim.  The words, Tis the Season, are embroidered in white satin in large, graceful letters across the front.

That was the perfect backdrop for my favorite nativity set.  What a humble feeling I had unwrapping the lowly cow and mended donkey.  Not for the animals' sake, but for the humble beginning our Lord chose for His birth.  The figurines of the young parents, awed wisemen, and the shepherd boy carrying a lamb were all representative of the Christmas story. They needed illumination, though, and rather than dig through more boxes, I picked up a couple of strings of lights  at the dollar store, along with some greenery to put around the mirror.  The tiny white lights give just the right glow and highlight the faces of the delicate figures.

A big red bow over the mirror matches the one on my china cabinet.  I held my breath climbing on a stepstool to affix things out of my reach. My husband is under the weather, so aside from helping me bring things from the basement, he left me on my own. It isn't perfect, but I think the overall effect is charming.

In another box, I discovered my decorative wooden sleigh with the metal runners and curved handle. The graceful lines are reminiscent of workmanship of bygone days.  I filled it with a beribboned ornament covered in angels, and three glittery, puffed, mesh bags with drawstring ribbons, hinting of Santa's bounty. It sits upon a red chenille throw draped on the corner of a tall pub-style table with massive legs.

I put my skinny, pre-lit Christmas tree in the dining room this year.  It doesn't require further decoration, but I found a string of cranberry-colored beads that look pretty on it, as well a  roll of gold mesh ribbon that encircles it now.  Miniature-wreath picture frames unearthed today holding long ago family photos hung on the tree complete the look I wanted.  Balancing the size of the small tree is a copper tub filled with gorgeous poinsettia and holly placed on a small, rustic table beside it.

A homespun wall hanging on the back door, a quilted angel hooked over a cabinet knob, and a calico-and- plaid Santa with a yarn beard in decoupage-style paper-bag art adorns my vegetable bin.  Tomorrow I will tackle the porch.  I love to fill the garden wagon with giant pinecones, greenery, and red Christmas ribbon.  Then I will be able to think about buying Christmas gifts in preparation for the celebration of the greatest Gift of all, the swaddled Baby laid in a rude manger, who would give, that we might live.