Some rainy night thoughts on Christmas

Tonight I attended the Christmas Enrichment at the Arcadia Ward. It was really lovely - the Arcadia Ward is pretty good at putting on events - the decorations were very classy and the food was divine - you get Ginger Daines, Cindy Cutler, Suzanne Hix, Sandy White and I don't know who else together and you can't go wrong!

And the program was lovely too - songs and readings - very beautifully alternated - it was a lovely way to start the Christmas season. The theme running throughout the program was shepherds and sheep - and the centerpieces were small nativity statues surrounded by cotton with ceramic sheep - and we each got to take a sheep home.

A nice touch.

And the cultural hall was ringed with those tall poinsettia trees with lights - red and green table cloths - and every table was full.

I forgot to take pictures - but I did take my camera!!

November's Nativity

I was in a stake welfare meeting and noticed that after my name on the agenda, it said "service project."

Whoa, I thought, we haven't even talked about that. What will I say?

I feel now that it was definitely inspiration, but I ended up saying that we were going to ask the ward Relief Societies to make 5 quilts each and have a toy drive for the Bishop's Storehouse.

Every year when I was R.S. President, a letter came at the end of October asking for quilts and toys for the Storehouse so that when needy families came in with their Bishop's order, there would be plenty for them to choose from. I then had our ward make a quilt of two and asked for toy donations, but there really wasn't a huge response. To be fair, I didn't really organize it much or push it too hard.

But when I realized that this letter comes year after year, I thought that maybe we needed to focus on really trying to "give it our all!"

We had a stake Relief Society leadership breakfast just a couple of weeks later and I presented my "vision" to the presidents there. And they were pretty enthusiastic about the idea.

The wards all took a different approach - one had a dinner and the price of admission was a new toy. Another had an enrichment activity and made quilts. Another ward with a group of avid quilters made 5 patchwork, machine quilted blankets that are shown above. Another passed out a very clever poem and had tables set up to take donations through the month of November. In one ward the Young Women made the quilts.

When we had a meeting in mid-November, one ward president showed up with enough toys and blankets to fill my sewing room. Dad trundled that load off to the Storehouse the next day and said that they were very grateful to receive it.

The shot above is the guest room and it and the crib were full of blankets and toys after my counselor brought over a load last week. Dad's taking that today.

I was so pleased with the great response - and the thought that throughout the month of November, the great women of our stake were feeling the true spirit of Christmas.

I've been a little "bah, humbug" lately - even told Dad, "Well, do we need a Christmas tree?" (We may be going to Harry's for Christmas Eve and Hannah won't be there - and Noah has a job again at Sears, so who knows where he'll be. And when the family comes, we are going up to Crestline - so maybe I should decorate up there??)

But now that I got a pine bough wreath from Norma and Larry in the mail and bought some poinsettias and started thinking about breaking out my Christmas tee shirts and sweaters and put on my Christmas CD's in the car, I'm feeling like decorating the house just for us will be worth it.

And besides, part of the wonderful spirit of Christmas is the festive decorations in the house.

And so I wish all of you a happy holiday season! And may the "reason for the season" infuse all of your days!