Away In a Manger

More Christmas decoration! As promised, here's the pic of our Christmas tree - we put it up on our (glazed) balcony and it is pretty much the same every year. The children helped with the decorating and I really like the result. It's natural and fresh and very 'Christmassy'!

We usually place our Nativity scene under the tree. The figures are very old, 'vintage', you'd call them; they belonged to my Mum's family. Most of them are broken or damaged, I don't think there is a single sheep here with four limbs (apart from some newer additions, that is) but I don't mind. I think they're lovely.

This fabric wreath was made by - me! It's quite old, I made it when we got married, which was fourteen years (and Christmases!) ago. I saw a similar one in a shop and I fell in love with it. I didn't want to buy it, though, I sewed a lot back then and I found it challenging to make my own. It's not difficult to make, it just takes a lot of time, as you have to fill long 'snakes' of fabric with soft material. I hang it on my living-room door every year and I still find it enchanting.

Last but not least, to feel the spirit of Christmas, I need some poinsettias in our home. We've got two this year, one in our bedroom and one as a centrepiece on our table - instead of the advent wreath.

We had a lovely Christmas. On Christmas Eve we all went to church - first for the kids' 'midnight mass' at 6pm. After the mass we blessed our home and had dinner. At midnight, after the kids had gone to bed, I went to the 'proper' mass - I sort of had to, as I sing at the local church choir. But I enjoy Christmas service so that was no problem.

On Christmas Day we all went to the morning mass together, spent some time with friends, and in the afternoon, after festive lunch, we visited the grandparents.

On Boxing Day we celebrated our 'family name-day' - it was the feast of St Stephens and our family name is Stefanic - which would be something like Stephens in English.

The kids were happy to find piles of presents under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning - and even Mum and Dad got a little something, too!