Hoping Thanksgiving was good for everyone. Now the Advent Season is here. I spent Thanksgiving cooking a neighbor's turkey and watching them bring in a live Christmas tree. They spent the day decorating it and the rest of their home. It was very festive especially since a little child's joy was involved in the activities! Now it is the first Sunday of Advent and I am decorating my home a little bit. Every weekend of Advent I add more decorations or Christmas cookies. The music of the season is beyond compare! It is the time of secrets, whisperings, and wonder!

It's the Third Week Of Advent, for those who practice this 3 candles are lit. Lots of flurry right now getting shopping, wrapping, decorating and baking done. Everyone who gets a tree probably has it up and decorated. 

I love the kitten in the tree!

Starbell Enterprises has Christmas stockings and ornaments plus huge assortment of unique gifts!

Santa getting ready for his big run!

St. Nicholas Day Dec. 6 and in Julian calendar Dec. 19.

First Sunday in Advent.

This is the first Sunday of Advent in the Christmas Season. Orthodox Christmas celebrations extend the holiday until January 7! Music, lights, cookies, and beautiful decorations will abound and of course the Christmas tree. Big debate on artificial or real! I will be slowly decorating this week, little bits at a time but playing lots of Christmas music! This year cookies will be made from almond and coconut flour with coconut sugar! Yummy! and it doesn't hurt!

This is the most wonderful time of the year! 

Advent ~ 2nd Week

Breaking down the big job of Christmas into smaller activities is how I get things done during the Advent Season. First Week was shopping, Christmas cards, mailing packages and practicing the special music of the Season. Now in the Second Week, I tackled decorating. The tree is up and bejeweled, the windows decorated with tiny blinking lights and shiny garlands, the house has angels, stockings, candles, and lights throughout and the wreath is on the front door.

It seems during this time more and more angels begin to appear here and there. A friend made me this beautiful name tag that I wanted to share. This is my Praying Cinnamon Angel.

We're having eggnog and cookies Sunday to sit back with and enjoy the festive house. Wonderful Christmas music will fill the air!

First Candle in Advent...Thoughts

This week I got my first email warning me about keeping Christ in Christmas. It came in the form of a rock and roll video from YouTube.com that revved up the Spirit of greetings during the holiday season. I understand the need for this as a reminder but I don't really agree with the extreme emphasis. I don't mind phrases like Happy Holidays, most of the time I'm happy someone says something that nice during the hustle and bustle of these days of preparation. Besides, there are other holidays that occur while we celebrate Christmas. I already heard my first Merry Christmas from one of my doctors since I won't see him until early next year. It astonished me since I know that personally he believes this season has been programmed to keep the poor feeling poor and in their place. But it seemed genuine and I knew the Holidays were upon us.

At home, there are two neighbors who already have decorated, one has the tree up and window lights; the other has 5 different inflatable decorations in their yard so that there is no room to walk there. I'm a slow starter and just got my fall decorations down yesterday. I did have the forethought to order a Christmas book of music for piano, voice, and guitar. It arrived yesterday and has every Christmas song I could want and also one special song for Jesus. I put it on my digital piano and slowly my inner feelings began to perk up as I realized I could enjoy this entire Advent season by playing and singing these songs. For now it was much better than a wreath or any window lights I could find. My inner child rejoiced and is overjoyed at the thought of wonderful holiday music spilling out into the house.

Good news! The Feds have sued the shipping company and the pilot of the dastardly boat that spilled the evil oil into the Sanctuary waters. At least they will have to pay for all their damages.