Christmas Reflections - lovely to witness children's delight

Lovely to witness children's delight

Hi R
I can see that you had a wonderful traditional Christmas.
I had a great Christmas with friends and family when it was lovely to witness the children's anticipation of Santa's arrival along with their delight in opening presents.

However,  from the thoughtful, granny position, I am concerned about the balance in our society, of the religious celebration with the commercial version.  Many of our children are brought up in a spiritual vacuum, with schools no longer giving scripture lessons which were the only source for some.  As is the case in the natural world, a vacuum will attract other forces.  Children need to know what the story is, and can later make up their own minds  as to how they respond to it.
Hope AJ had lots of fun for his second Christmas.
Clara
SMH  - Saturday, December 24  contained a wealth of thought provoking articles.   As Hugh McKay says in The Essay  "......Christmas is quite simply the biggest festival of the year, rich with symbolism and ritual and steeped in enduring myths and legends that - like most enduring myths and legends - have something useful to teach us. In this case, humility is the keynote."

For more - http://babyboomerconnections.blogspot.com/2011/12/balance-santa-with-xmas-story.html

Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au

Holidays give time for reflection and renewal



 Christmas and holiday greetings
 for fun with family and friends
Agapanthus  bloom at Christmas in Sydney and could be called our Poinsettia. Affectionately referred to as Aggies, they are hardy, enduring and self sufficient.

The video below takes you to my Christmas garden, with added  thoughts for reflection and renewal.
Clara





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Living Christmas Spirit with scarf project

R wrote - I've decided to finish out my year of blogging by knitting as many of these scarves as possible by February 9th, 2011 and donating them to area shelters. You can join me if you like. For more information go to http://www.shopatnextdoor.com/bluedotspecial.html



Hi R and other scarf lovers
Would you believe this was the joke in my Christmas Bon Bon.
"What did the scarf say to the hat?"

"You go on ahead and I will hang around."

Congratulations to everyone involved in this wonderful project - Living the Christmas spirit!
 Clara


Back to the Work at Hand...December 26th

Merry Christmas...December 25th

The best gift of all!

 Twas the Night Before Christmas...December 24th

The scarves were hung by the chimney
with care in HOPE



Scarf On...December 23rd

I'm to say we are delivering another 18 scarves to Hebron House today!

Fence Line...December 22nd

A Scarf in the Hand...December 21st

Delivery...December 20th

26 scarves were delivered to the Hebron House today, keep that yarn coming!








Scarves Don't Grow On Trees...December 19th

Day 314...a day of rest


Day 313...December 18th

The pile of scarves is growing. I hope to make my first delivery on Monday.


Day 312...December 17th

53 days left. I hope to knit at least three scarves a day for the Hebron House Shelters


Tis the Season...December 16th

I've decided to finish out my year of blogging by knitting as many of these scarves as possible by February 9th, 2011 and donating them to area shelters. You can join me if you like. For more information go to http://www.shopatnextdoor.com/bluedotspecial.html

Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au





Refreshing the Christmas spirit with friends and family


 R wrote - "Baby AJ is so precious.  He's really reacting with us and we just sit around and admire him and laugh together over our good fortune.  Christmas will be fun."
*  *  *  *  *
Clara - Yes, it will  - new life, fresh and joyous, reflects the Christmas spirit. 

Toys waiting to be wrapped

As does spending time with generous minded, joyful family and friends.  One particular friend is just that, and her home was in wonderful chaos as she prepared for the big event.  The dining table was ladened with items to include in hampers for elderly relatives and one for the local shopping centre charity.  Toys filled the spare room, with the bed strewn with lovingly chosen gifts for her grandchildren, whilst the lounge  was home for presents for adults.



 It was good to be part of this amazing activity and preparation but the best part was to witness her enjoyment in the process.  And of course, as so often is the case, S runs her own business so has very little spare time.

Happy Christmas to all the wonderful people behind the scenes who renew our hope and refresh our optimism.

Love Clara

  

Mrs Claus no doubt works hard behind the scenes



Santa will no doubt visit here



Hampers put together for the elderly



Grandchildren are fascinated by Xmas decorations



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Reviving the Spirit of Christmas

Hi R and all you guys out there

I have to agree in principle with Fifi Box, in her article in the Sunday magazine from the Daily Telegraph,

"What we seem to have lost among the garlands of tinsel and the reams of wrapping paper is the spirit of Christmas. Yes, it may all seem a bit touchy-feely, but it's not the giving and receiving of material things that we should celebrate, it's the sharing of time and love with our family and friends. If, like me, you're exhausted by the exchange of meaningless, last minute presents and want to share your love in a different way there are alternatives...... Kris Kringle schemes, home-made presents or World Vision purchases of a goat or a duck which is delivered to a family in a Third World country."


Fifi concludes by "wondering how many of our carefully chosen presents end up in the temporary purgatory of the bottom drawer. Then after a respectable time lapse, of course, they find their ultimate resting place, either regifted or on offer at a garage sale."


And Fifi would most likely only be in her thirties, if that - a surprising viewpoint from a young person, perhaps we would expect this attitude from someone older. I have to say reluctantly, that I share her sentiments, and whilst I enjoy Christmas when it arrives, the brainstorming for the perfect gift is stressful, attempting to gauge the interests and desires of each person and reconcile that with the budget. We are up to our 13th grandchild, nearly 14th, (two marriages!), so have had to become more efficient at the process.


To conclude, a few words about opening presents and showing appreciation. As a single parent of two, one Christmas I was overwelmed by stretching the already stretched dollar and time factor, only to have toys etc strewn all over the house after Santa took all the credit for this enormous effort. The next year, things were different - Santa's stuff in the stockings (pillow cases), could be opened on waking, a quick breakfast, off to church to celebrate the religious meaning, then to sit around the tree to open other presents, one at a time, thanking and appreciating. It felt much better.


Clara

UNICEF cards help raise money for UNICEF is committed

to creating a world where children can grow up happy,
healthy ... and hopeful... where they can learn with pride
and live with dignity... where every child is free.....
simply to be a child.
http://www.unicef.org.au/

Click on 'comment' at bottom of page to have your say or email clara@babyboomerconnections.com.au www.babyboomerconnections.com.au