Re-start

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Well, I didn’t intend for it to be “Christmas Eve Forever” at the cul-de-sac, but unintentionally, I went on hiatus.  2012 has been a busy, busy year, and blogging took a backseat to life’s more important pursuits. 

So what kept me busy?  Moving (and the months of decluttering, packing, staging, selling, and buying beforehand), furnishing and decorating the new home, lots of fun travel, some big job milestones, and of course, my three kids.  

But now my plate is clearing, a bit, and so I am going to attempt this again….time to get caught up.

Christmas Eve Forever

O Christmas Tree

Our living room Christmas tree is artificial and eleven years old, but day and night, lit up and decorated with sentimental handblown glass and cloisonne ornaments, it makes us feel warm and happy.

Most of our ornaments were gifts from family and friends or collected through travels; a few were made by the kids; others, I purchased at boutiques, bazaars, and after-Christmas sales over the years. Regardless of its origin, each ornament has a story, and a memory.

This last ornament above is from Austin-based Paloma's Nest; their work is beautiful and makes lovely wedding and baby gifts.


Our tree represents our young family well: busy; colorful; a mix of sophisticated, silly, and sloppy; and very, very joyful.  Christmases are indeed merry around here.

Christmas Reading with the Kids

There is no better time than the holidays to snuggle with a sweet child and a good book.  Our home library is stocked with these Christmas-themed favorites:

What are your Christmas classics?

(Sharing with 5 Minutes for Books)

Holiday Treats for Classmates

Stuffed with (gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free) candy, ready for distribution to my daughter's kindergarten classmates:

The personalized muslin favor bags are from Perideau Designs.

Home for the Holidays: Our Nativity Scene

This Lenox First Blessing nativity set brings the peace of Christmas to our otherwise chaotic family room.

The porcelain figurines are beautifully painted.  I collected them over several years in my mid-twenties; they are now heirlooms for my daughters.

Which pieces of your Christmas decor are most meaningful to you?

(Sharing with A Thoughtful Place)

Bacon

The most wonderful package arrived in the mail today, a box that smelled so yummy that the delivery guy didn't want to part with it.  Inside: Benton's Hickory Smoked Country Bacon, from Tennessee.  

Yes, bacon.  In the mail.  8 pounds of it, to be exact.  And it is truly the *best* bacon --- thick slices, hickory smoked in a wood stove, dry-cured for months.

My dear mother-in-law introduced us to Benton's a few years ago, when she sent some as as gift.  She said it was the best bacon ever, and of course, she was right.  Since then, we've been gifted with bacon on several occasions, and Benton's bacon has become a staple at our holiday brunches.  This year, my husband insisted that we order it in bulk, to ensure we don't run out when our guests demand thirds and fourths.  So, we did.  And we are happy.

I promise I am not being paid for this post --- by Benton's or by the pork lobbyists or by anyone else.  But when you find something so uniquely good, you just have to share it.  Trust me, and order some Benton's bacon today.  They take a few weeks to send it out, but it is worth the wait!  You can always diet after New Year's!