Friday, December 14, 2012

Calling HGTV? Well, Maybe Not

I know my Christmas decor won't win any decorating awards. But the smattering of memories truly does "make the season bright" as The Christmas Song says. Even though my mother-in-law has been gone now for 16 years, it's almost like a reunion with Marie each time I unpack the Christmas decorations and the stockings from the plastic tubs.

Marie was Mrs. Claus. Almost every year, she came up with a new Santa to share. Looking around the living room is like having a visit with her. Santa and his sack always sit by the fireplace waiting for the real Santa to show up and stuff the stockings and leave books for good little boys and girls.

Another Santa sits on my music cabinet by the front door. Jill now has one of these Santas. Our friend, Shirley N., had one of Marie's creations and she wanted Jill to have it.
Another friend, Shirley B., gave us the cross-stitch Santa that Marie had given to her one long ago Christmas. 
Yet another Santa perches on the entertainment center. (Honestly, I don't have room to display all the Santas and some spend Christmas in the plastic tub. Someday, maybe I'll talk the kids into taking a few of them.)
Marie also stitched this little sampler that sits on my piano during the holidays. It's a good reminder when I get a little caught up in the quest for holiday perfection. Hmmm ... maybe that's not the most important thing, especially when it leads to frazzled nerves and aching back.

The Nativity scene Marie pieced together sits on the piano, too, yet another reminder that Christmas isn't about human perfection, but rather the perfect Gift given for each one of us.

She also made the Nativity set whose spot is always on the buffet in the dining room, and I think of her as I unwrap each familiar piece.
No, my house doesn't look like the ones on the HGTV holiday specials. And that's OK. I'd rather have the memories than perfectly matched holiday finery.

4 comments:

  1. Marie was such a very special lady! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Yes, she was. Though I appreciated her then, I wish I had done a better job at letting her know how much she was loved and appreciated when she was still here on Earth with us. Life can change so quickly, so we should make sure and let people know how important they are to us.

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  2. Love the decor. At our house it is nativites. They come from all over the world, from friends & family, & all have amazing memories associated with them. Like you, my mother-in-law made many of our decorations & she is especially missed as we pull them out each year. You post made me smile today, remembering Marie from when I was a child in Sunday School & Christmas programs. She was a gem.

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    1. I have several nativities as well, along with nativity ornaments that I've received for being a Sunday School teacher, etc. My sister collects nativities as well. Merry Christmas, Debora!

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