Christmas Dust

Christmas magic takes effort. But it is so worth it. I have not always had a home full of decorations; there were seasons we did not even have a tree. I am grateful to have inherited some pieces from my childhood. Each decoration brings with it an attached memory; a moment in time that is somehow captured in an object.

When I bring out Christmas from the garage, I unleash my childhood -- and the more recent childhood memories of my own children -- into the air of my home. The dust that gathers on the stored-up decor must be the stuff of Neverland, and Tinkerbell. All you need is: faith, trust, and Christmas-dust, and you can fly! You can fly into the vast caverns of youthful memories, to a place where growing-up is not aloud. You can travel through space and time, to a land where the joys of childhood -- the joys of Christmas -- are evergreen.

Here are some pictures of my home thick with magic and memory...

These are some ornaments that my grandma (Nan) made when we were living in Alaska. She made them all by hand. It amazes me how patient and determined she had to be, to accomplish such a thing.

She has created such beautiful things with her hands. My Nan is not able to leave home too often now, but that does not stop her from doing good. She has crocheted bandages to send to leprosy colonies, along with many other sweet creations for her family. She amazes me.

These ornaments used to hang on a huge tree in our house when I was a teenager. It was a fancy, beautiful, tree.

 I am so happy we could pull these out this year. My mother decorated the tree and made it beautiful.

 There is something truly fabulous about Christmas trees. I adore them.

 I love this picture... the real reason for the season.

Some pictures of my home all decorated and sparkly...

 My dad would get my mom a nutcracker every Christmas. They are on display in our kitchen.

Let the magic begin...