Wonderful Weekend

This was such a fantastic holiday weekend! We kicked it off with a Disco Christmas party on Thursday, complete with disco ball ornaments, holiday songs set to disco rhythms and friends decked out in sparkly clothes. On Christmas Eve, we hosted my husband's parents and had a nice evening relaxing by the fire. And on Christmas we went to church and spent the evening at my parent's house, with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins stopping by as the night went on. And today, my husband and I both have the day off. We're not sure yet what we'll do, but I hope it's something to make the most of this last day of a great long weekend.

How were your holidays? I hope you had a wonderful weekend of your own!

Photos by me. 

Merry Christmas!

Photo from here. 

Let there be Light

I understand today is the darkest day of the year. It's comforting to know the days ahead of this one will be more light-filled, that the rest of winter will not be any darker than today. And I love how we seek illumination this time of year, how our candles, lanterns and strings of twinkly lights cut into the darkness. It makes me think of this T.S. Eliot quote: "So the darkness shall be the light, and the stillness the dancing."

Photos from here, here, here, here, here, here and here.  

Wintry Weekend

I had a wonderful weekend filled with lots of Christmasy activities. I baked cookies with my mom, went to "The Nutcracker" with a friend, and my husband and I listened to Christmas music as we repainted the kitchen. It's not necessarily the best timing to do the latter, but we need to finish this task before our Christmas party Thursday night -- yikes! We went to our friends' holiday party on Friday night, which was so much fun, and left as snow had just begun to fall. The following morning I woke up to sunshine and a snow-covered view. I so love this time of year!

Photo by me. 

Twelve Days

Is Christmas really twelve days away? While I can't quite believe that, here are some Etsy finds -- paintings, prints, jewelry and more -- inspired by the twelve days of Christmas!

First day: A partridge in a pear tree.

Second day: Turtle doves.

Third day: French hens.

Fourth day: Calling birds.

Fifth day: Golden rings.

Sixth day: Geese a laying.

Seventh day: Swans a swimming.

Eighth day: Maids a milking. 

Ninth day: Ladies dancing.

Tenth day: Lords a leaping. 

Eleventh day: Pipers piping. 

Twelfth day: Drummers drumming. 

Tradition

This weekend brought a holiday tradition: choosing a photo for our family Christmas card. My parents started sending out an annual card when I was a baby, and the convention has continued ever since. Today, it includes husbands, sometimes our dogs and now my little nephew.

There's always a bit of drama involved. As kids, my sister and I dreaded the day we'd have to go out and take the photo. Our once-hippie parents almost always wanted to shoot outdoors. So there was the year we had to sit up in a tree and the time we crouched amid snowy bushes in our front yard. More recently, the challenge is us six adults agreeing on one photo. It's no easy task! But it's always fun, and I cherish that we have these annual pictures of our family.

This photo is one of my favorites. If this shot is the best one of the bunch that year -- with me clutching a cracker, my sister laughing between bouts of crying and our hair flying in the wind -- I'd love to see the outtakes!

Photo by my parents. 

A Merry Weekend

This weekend brought some much-needed rest, plus some fun outings. We kicked off the weekend with a pitcher of margaritas with my sister and her husband, and later on went to a big Christmas concert and started our holiday decorating. Now our Christmas tree, fireplace mantle, staircase banister and front stoop are glowing with twinkly lights. I just love this time of year!

Photos by me. 

Into the Spirit

After one of the most hectic workweeks I've ever experienced, I'm so glad the weekend is almost here. My husband and I are going to our city's annual Christmas concert, and back at home I hope to turn on some holiday tunes, bust out our tree and decorate. Holiday spirit, here we come!

Here's wishing everyone a cheery, sparkly, magical weekend!

Photo from here. 

Happy December!

This month, I'm looking forward to twinkling lights, traditions new and old, parties and festivities and celebrating Christmas and New Year's Eve with loved ones. Here's to a joyful December!

* New York City photograph

* Dress

* Gifts

* Ornament

* Noel decorations

Merry Christmas!

Wishing everyone a holiday filled with love, happiness, peace and everything your heart desires!

Photo from here.

Holiday Spirit

Earlier this week I attended the wake of a lovely man who lived a very full life. As I looked at boards of photos from his eighty-plus years, I was struck with how familiar the images were, even though I was not related to him. Family get-togethers, football games, birthday dinners, backyard grill-outs, children on Christmas morning, pool parties, new cars, babies and grandkids, weddings -- all these absolutely normal and profoundly wonderful events that make up a life.

As we enter into a holiday weekend that's bound to include ups and downs and family craziness, I hope we can all take time to appreciate that it's exactly these moments that, at the end of the day and the end of our lives, really matter.

Photo from here.

Spirit of Christmas Past

Christmas is over and the long weekend is winding down. But what a lovely few days this has been, filled with lots of great time with family.

While the holidays may be over, I'm hoping to keep the feelings of gratitude, love, joy and hope alive through the next year. There's so much beauty and wonder around us -- I don't want to miss out on noticing it.

Photo from here.

Merry Christmas to All

... and to all a good night.

Photo by me.

Mood Lighting

The Christmas season truly is here and I am loving it! I've been listening to holiday music in the car and watching holiday movies at home. And the lights strung up around town on houses, businesses and streetlights set such a nice tone.

Doesn't this Flickr mosaic capture some great holiday lights?

Photo from here.

So Special

My weekend was a little longer and a lot more special because of yesterday. My mom, sister and I all took the day off of work and spent it together. It hardly mattered what we did exactly -- simply having a whole day to share was great. We did some Christmasy things, some practical things and definitely some just-plain-fun things.

I still can't fully comprehend that we all live in the same city again. While I wouldn't trade the years my husband and I spent living in other states, I absolutely love being back near family. So many people don't have this luxury, so I try not to take it for granted.

Photo from here.

Glam Christmas

This year I've been having a bit of trouble decorating for the holidays. I'm trying to strike a glamorous and contemporary note -- without straying into overly traditional or cold-modern territory. These two photos from hgtv.com get the sparkly, festive, cozy vibe just right.

Photos from here and here.