Tag: Christmas
Memorable Hikes – Lisbon, Portugal 2016
Continuing my series on memorable hikes…
This is one of my favorite photos of me and my granddaughter taken in Portugal, at Christmastime a year ago. And although we didn’t go on any official hikes the two weeks we were there, we did do a lot of walking around Lisbon and I consider this one of my memorable hikes – on Christmas Day 2016.
Créches
When I learned out about a Crèche Exhibition from Audrey Helbling’s Minnesota Prairie Roots blog I knew I wanted to go see it this Christmas season. The exhibit features several of Kathleen Putrah’s Crèches she has collected from around the world. The exhibit is in the Carlander Family Gallery at the Paradise Theater in Faribault, Minnesota.
Each crèche was distinctive. They were made from all kinds of materials: wood, porcelain, glass, there were icons and paintings and a quilt. There was a large Christmas tree in the corner and it was loaded with all manner of manger scene ornaments.
The display in the Gallery was fun to look at however the crèches were not identified as to where they came from. That would have added a lot of interest to the collection. I always like to hear the stories. Apparently the display is a partial collection from the many crèches Kathleen has in her home. She started collecting in 1974.
I have my own mini-crèche collection. I never intended to collect them. I have six and I display them every Christmas.
It started with a gift from my mother. She purchased a manger scene, carved from olive wood, when she was on a trip to Israel many years ago. It is special and beautiful.
My own clay interpretation of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus that I made when I was a child.
I inherited the embroidered picture of the manger scene from my mom.
The créche exhibition at the Paradise Theater closes Friday, December 22.
A Children’s Christmas Program
Our church’s children’s program was performed last Sunday: O Come, Let Us Adore Him. One of my favorite Sundays in the church year is the day the children put on a Christmas program. I love to see the children all dressed up, some in shepherd’s clothing, some with angel wings, all cute. It’s fun to hear them sing, read their lines and perform solos, all the while other kids are fidgeting and waving to the their mom or dad, and adjusting their halos. It’s pure and innocent. I know I’m not alone in finding joy watching the children tell the story of Jesus and his birth each year at Christmastime.
After the program the kids all received a treat bag with candy and popcorn balls. It brought back memories of receiving my own treat bag at the church I grew up in after participating in our Christmas Pageant. Our bags were filled with ribbon candy, and an orange, and some walnuts in the shell, if I remember correctly.
The beauty of this pageant tradition is they are telling the same wonderful story every year but we are seeing it with fresh eyes by watching our children act and sing it out once again.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14
Christmas Tea
The meditation below came through on my email a couple of weeks ago. It pairs well with a Christmas cup of tea. (used with permission).
You must be completely awake in the present to enjoy the tea.
Only in the awareness of the present, can your hands feel the pleasant warmth of the cup.
Only in the present, can you savor the aroma, taste the sweetness, appreciate the delicacy.
If you are ruminating about the past, or worrying about the future, you will completely miss the experience of enjoying the cup of tea.
You will look down at the cup, and the tea will be gone.
Life is like that.
If you are not fully present, you will look around and it will be gone.
You will have missed the feel, the aroma, the delicacy and beauty of life.
It will seem to be speeding past you. The past is finished.
Learn from it and let it go.
The future is not even here yet. Plan for it, but do not waste your time worrying about it.
Worrying is worthless.
When you stop ruminating about what has already happened, when you stop worrying about what might never happen, then you will be in the present moment.
Then you will begin to experience joy in life.
Thich Nhat Hanh
Winter Walk
The first Thursday evening in December the city of Northfield blocks off Division Street (our main street) to traffic and puts out luminaries, brings in horses and sleighs for rides, has carolers singing, hosts Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus and the stores offer yummy treats and cider. It’s very festive and very popular – even with folks from the cities who come down to enjoy the special event. This year was Northfield’s 19th Winter Walk.
It was a bit cold this year which seemed to keep the crowds to a manageable size (for me anyways) and there was a touch of snow on the ground which added some extra Christmas spirit.
Each year we enjoy walking around and make a few regular stops to certain places we like, including the Downtown Bicycles shop where I put my name in a drawing.
The library always hosts the Model Train Club and hobbyists set up their old model trains for a fun exhibit.
Stores along Division Street decorate their storefront windows with holiday displays so its fun to window shop too.
I wear a Santa hat to the winter walk every year. At the first Winter Walk, in 1999, I bought my Santa hat from Jacobsen’s Department Store and I have worn it to the Winter Walk every year since. Jacobsen’s Department was an “old-fashioned” department store with wonderful, old wooden floors, distinctive but pleasant smells emanating from years being in the same place, and unbelievable inventory. We were sorry to see it close in 2007.
I was notified the day after the Winter Walk that I had won the drawing at the bike shop. When I went to claim my prize I was hoping I won the water bottle instead of the t-shirt, but my to my delight both the water bottle and a t-shirt were included in the prize so I was given both. That made me smile.
Advent
We began the advent season by attending a beautiful candle-lit Vespers Service at our church Sunday evening filled with wonderful songs, meaningful scripture and expressive words.
We attended the St. Olaf Christmas Festival a few nights before that. The festival’s theme was Ris’n With Healing In His Wings (a phrase from Hark! The Herald Angels Sing).
I’ve been ushered into this season of advent in two very special ways. In the coming weeks I look forward to seeing healing in His wings, and noticing everyday miracles these “waiting days” before Christmas.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel.
Bachman’s Idea House
We’ve been taking wallpaper paste off walls, filling holes, sanding then painting and I have been deep cleaning right along to minimize the dry wall dust from settling in places it hasn’t already infiltrated. When I went to dust the top of the bookshelves in our living room I decided, since I had the ladder out, I would put up the Christmas décor we usually place there…it’s close enough to Christmas.
I inherited the black metal Santa sleigh and four reindeer candle holders from my mom. The set holds fond memories for me. My dad was a carpenter and built the house I grew up in. The fireplace was surrounded by stone and he placed three stone shelves – high to low, in step formation – for the mantel. It was the perfect place for this Christmas decoration. On the lower shelf Santa’s sleigh was set in angel hair (to depict snow or clouds?), two reindeer were one shelf higher and the last two reindeer were on the top shelf with garland cascading from sleigh to reindeer to reindeer to connect it all.
Although I don’t have the cascading shelves I put the set on top of my bookshelves with white lights underneath the angel hair, and then set the sleigh and reindeer with four red candles on top.
Last week I was at Bachman’s in Richfield to tour their Christmas Idea House and browse the many beautiful things they have for sale in their store.
The Idea House is a historic home on the property. The brochure tells me “Arthur Bachman Sr. and his wife built this home on Lyndale Avene in the early 1920’s.” Arthur was the second son of the founders of Bachman’s, Henry Sr. and Hattie Bachman. The house stayed in the family until 2001 according to the brochure.
The theme for this year’s Idea House is “Dressed in Christmas Greenery” using “nature’s color palette.” There was much to look at, good ideas to take home and dreams for decorating my own home.
I was surprised to find they were selling black metal stick reindeer, similar to my 1950’s reindeer that I have on top of my bookshelves for the season.
Well, it’s a start.
Retirement, so far…
Over the summer people asked me if I was enjoying my retirement and I answered, “I’m not sure yet since I always had summers off. I’ll see what it’s like this fall.”
Well, fall has come and it has been busy with our annual trek to the north shore, our son home from Africa for a week and going to New Mexico to see the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Those activities were wonderful, and a sign of retirement, but it wasn’t until last week that it really hit me.
Last Monday was the first day of Christmas Festival ticket sales. That was part of my job for the last 12 years so when the clock struck 9 on Monday morning I visualized the hustle and bustle going on in one little office area of St. Olaf College…producing huge results. I thought of all the folks racing the clock to order their tickets online and all the chaos of the moment. A wonderful and smart 2016 St. Olaf graduate took my job. He worked with me last year on the Christmas Festival so he knew the ticket sales system, and he knew of the usual chaos that goes along with it. It made for a smooth transition.
My supervisor, who became a dear friend, also retired in July (that was instrumental in my decision to retire). She had been at St. Olaf College for 31 years and the two of us were responsible for the C’fest (our affectionate term) ticket sales. We got together last week for coffee, which turned into 2 1/2 hours of conversation. On our way out of the coffee shop a retiree from St. Olaf stopped us to ask about Christmas Festival tickets…we smiled…and there we were…talking tickets sales once again.
It was fun to sit down with my friend and visit without time constraints. It is peaceful to go to the doctor’s office and not feel hurried to get back to work. The freedom in retirement is nice.
I’m grateful for the interesting job I enjoyed for 12 years. And I am grateful that I am healthy and able to enjoy retirement.
So now when people ask me, “How’s retirement?” I can truly say it’s great!
Retiring
Flowers and a diploma cover with an official retirement certificate inside were ours to take home after the reception for 40 retirees at St. Olaf College on Wednesday May 17, 2017. I’m retiring from St. Olaf College on June 1st. It has been a great place to work since 1998. I have had an unusual career there, working part-time over the years, in different departments but most consistently as the Christmas Festival ticket coordinator for twelve years. As was noted in my “spotlight” I felt it was a Christmas miracle each year as all the guests settled into 11,000+ seats to listen to their beloved choral tradition, every first weekend in December. It has been very good.. but now it is time for the next season.
Ecclesiastes 3
For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.