Merry Christmas - not early, but LATE!

I seem to have done Christmas backwards this year. I was late getting everything done and was so rushed in December. I am usually so prepared- shopping and wrapping done early and that leaves November for cooking for the freezer and decorating. By December, I am just doing some last minute things and I am left with time to do my Christmas 'inner' preparations - I love to sit in my 'big chair' beside the lit tree and read my collection of holiday books, both adult and children's stories. I almost always re-read A Christmas Carol. We watch the specials on TV and the ones we've collected on DVD - White Christmas, It's a Wonderful Life, Charlie Brown, etc. This quiet activity brings me to the season, somehow. I am brought to the realization, once again, what family and faith and home means.

I don't know that I've ever really realized it, but not doing it this year I noticed that I seemed to 'miss' Christmas - the significance, the peace. So, on the theory that it's never too late, I have been reading my books, serving dinner beside the still lit tree (we've been moving The Child to her new house and haven't gotten de-decorated yet) and trying to find my Christmas. I've discovered, like the Grinch, that Christmas comes of itself - "without ribbons...without tags...without packages, boxes or bags." It isn't too late and I'm so glad that I decided to try. I thought I'd post a few pictures of Christmas at our house.

Our Stockings

Our Tree

The lovely Christmas snow we got this year.

I have figured out how to post pictures, but not how to maneuver them within my post. I can't seem to move them around at all, so they are not in the order that I want them in - copy and paste doesn't work here. -sigh- It's already happening. Well, Merry Christmas - a little late but with real FEELING!