Since I've enjoyed so much reading BLOGS about how Christmas is celebrated in various ways , I thought you might find interesting our way of celebrating Christmas for the last several years - since we've had no human children in our home for the holidays.

Of course, we have our usual home decorations to arrange - Tara's Candle to light - Christmas cards to mail & email, holiday goodies to cook/bake and tho we've used the same Christmas tree for the last 18 years - just changing the color scheme & theme - our gift giving takes a different turn.

Throughout the year when we've gotten something big or experience something special, We take pictures and add them to a Christmas stack. My most fun Christmas time chore is being creative wrapping beautiful packages. So when Christmas time rolls around, I sort the Christmas stack of photos into many different boxes for decorating..... starting with the biggest package being the combination of photos from years past....then new presents of photos accumulated in the current year ....or it might be several photos in one package of each experience/trip/visitors/home or shop addition or tool/etc. that we've especially enjoyed or accomplished the year. We get what we need - when we need it - and when we can get or do it most conveniently for the best price - then enjoy it all year. Then Christmas Day, as we open our presents. it is a wonderful day of pride, appreciation & gratitude.

Saves alot of stress and worry at the end of the year.....and the budget by doing the shopping at the best time for us. Also saves money for shopping the after Christmas sales for greatly discounted items and decorations then saved for the next year.

This doesn't mean I don't enjoy the sounds and sights of the Season before Christmas in the Malls and around town while doing my usual errands - am always anxious every year until all the Christmas decorations are out for display....but do wish they'd wait until after Thanksgiving. I love walking around in the stores enjoying all the excitement and noises. Gives me ideas for decorating my own special places and what I want to plan for the after season shopping and coming year.

Some views of our Christmas this year are below. Of course, when Alice saw me get the camera out, she thought it was her personal Photo Op - so we'll start with her.


Last year's tree was Icey - I especially liked that one - but husbandwanted Red this year.

This year's tree was red & white. I did add more crystal icicles ...am almost up to 300 now - various sizes and individually hung


























A snowball coming especially for you in the Southern Hemisphere who wish to cool off just a bit. It's really not as cold as it looks. Porch thermometer is reading 39 F degrees as I write.....better than many places in the Lower 48....which will probably surprise you....but is often the case.


Last week I stood in the driveway in a thick blur of huge snowflakes floating softly down all around me. It was warm, serene and QUIET...with only the occasional whispery schlump of snow clumps falling from branches.....the world hushed.

Was sitting in my recliner last night reading a book....occasionally distracted with watching flames flickering in the fireplace....husband on his computer playing games.....stereo quietly playing a classical Christmas music station....Alice on her favorite footstool in front of the deck window keeping watch. We have a flood light shining out over the deck doors so we can watch the snow falling ....and because I like to see out after dark.

I glanced up to check the fire flames and noticed in my peripheral vision this big hairy mass moving pass the windows in front of Alice - just a couple feet from the deck edge. Took me a minute to realize it was a moose strolling by...wrong time of year for a bear. Alice stood up and the fur raised in a ridge over her back as she takes her job of Guard Kitty quite seriously. I got up to look closer..... it was a really HUGE papa moose.....then I noticed another one almost as big further out in the yard - probably mama.. They left several criss-crossing trails thru the snow as they moseyed around chewing on lower tree limbs and bark - before disappearing into the trees again.

....and that's the Christmas Report from the Far North.