Angels--First Fire--Christmas Carol

 I've been hearing this grand old Christmas Carol in my head for days now. . .

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o’er the plains
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strains

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

Then it became a HUM. . .

and the Hum became a SONG. . .

 

Shepherds, why this jubilee?
Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be
Which inspire your heavenly song?

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!
Gloria, in excelsis Deo!

 With ANGELIC INSPIRATION, I began to bring 

 LIGHT to our FARMHOUSE Keeping Room. . .

while our FIRST FIRE of the WINTER made it

More FESTIVE. . .More ROMANTIC. . .

More CHRISTMAS-Y. . .

 Sending even more LIGHT throughout the room. . .

 

 

Bringing to mind how. . .one STARRY Christmas night. . .

the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. . .came down to live among us. . .

And. . .the ANGELS SANG. . .

Kris Kringle--Crocks--Shaker

I have a man in my FARMHOUSE KITCHEN. . .Yep. . .Kris arrived last week and set up housekeeping among the VINTAGE CROCKS. . .A very good place for him. . .He's VINTAGE, too, you know. . .(Santa Wink). . .

Kris has been with me in Christmases PAST. . .He's here for Christmas PRESENT. . .and I'm sure he'll be back for Christmases FUTURE. . .He keeps Christmas in my HEART. . .I have to say, though, that he's never. . .ever. . .been in the FARMHOUSE KITCHEN. . .

Kris is enjoying the HOLIDAY among delicate SNOWFLAKES. . .A Shaker style bowl filled with WHITE, SILVER, GOLD ornaments. . .EVERGREENS. . .BRASS CANDLESTICKS. . .Elements that aren't normally grouped together . . .I TOLD Kris it was a little rebellious . . .but he would have it no other way. . .

Across the room from Mr. Kringle, there's another mix of decorating styles . . .When WINTER arrives I bring out the wooden bowls. . .and the Shaker pantry boxes. . .We cook often in our fireplace and they come in handy. . .John's pipe from Colonial Williamsburg seems a natural thing to place on top of one. . .

The BAKER'S CABINET has to be functional for all the Holiday baking. . .Someone has to keep Kris supplied with COOKIES. . .(He does look as if he's eaten a few, doesn't he?) 

The SUNSHINE KRISPY CRACKER tin has become a make-do bowl that can easily be moved when I need the extra room. . .I keep it full of Granny Smiths. . .my favorite apple. . .and couldn't resist placing a few shiny ornaments there, too. . .

More candlesticks help tie everything together. . .

Honestly, it gets dark so early now that I keep candles burning most of the day. . . 

Did you notice the ANGEL WING on the right one? . .It's rare that candles drip in this manner. . .My Grandmother used to say it meant a SPECIAL BLESSING was coming soon. . .Looks like we may be doubly blessed. . .There's another one forming on the left. . .

Traditional, Victorian, Shaker, and Prim have definitely come together 

in our FARMHOUSE CHRISTMAS KITCHEN this year. . .

I threw away the rules. . .

Loving my new found FREEDOM in unconventionality. . .

KRIS likes it, too. . .(another Santa WINK)

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PUBLISHED AGAIN !!!!

Click on the DELTA CROSSROADS MAGAZINE image on the sidebar. . .

or below

Turn to pages 31-36 for. . .

A CHRISTMAS LETTER FROM 1938

There are also more Heartwarming Stories about Christmas Traditions in my Family. . .

Candles--Snowflakes--Vintage Ladies

"When you decorate for the HOLIDAYS. . .don't forget the bathroom. . .It's the one place that EVERYONE will see". . .Those words of wisdom I heard my Mother speak many, many times. . .In fact, her bathrooms were show places. . .always elegant. . .lots of sparkle. . .often the talk of our visitors. . .

So. . .if you will indulge me. . .I'll add a few Mom touches to the bath. . .

My INSPIRATION was her favorite vintage ANGEL. . .

Gold and White and Glittery . . .

At the Vintage Tub. . .a spray of BERRIES and CEDAR. . .BRASS CANDLESTICKS. . .

FORMAL. . .TRADITIONAL. . .'MOM'. . .

While greenery would have been for decor only with Mama. . .

I love to add a few pieces of CEDAR to my bath water. . .

Smells fresh and clean and CHRISTMAS-Y. . .

Of course. . .I had to mix things up a little with my own FARMHOUSE Style. . .

A mix of two HOLIDAY STYLES. . .different but one complimenting the other. . .

Now that I think about it. . .that was Mom and myself, too. . .

VERY different. . .but our HEARTS knew each other well. . .

In fact. . .I think she would have approved of the HOLIDAY BATH. . .

even with the Farmhouse Touches. . .

'Leaving the CANDLE burning for you, Mama'