Monday, December 19, 2016

Monday Before Christmas

Nativity

Today, I started to decorate for Christmas.  I always like to set up the Nativity first.  I don't have a stable so I thought a pine tree makes a nice backdrop.  Yes, I am Buddhist and Christmas isn't my religion's holiday, but I do try to honor the spiritual aspects of it.  

Then, I hung up the wreaths I've made over the years.

This one is on the front door:

Wreath for the Front Door

The snowman wreath is in the dining area:

Snowman Wreath


My mother had seen a picture of a similar wreath in a crafts magazine and liked it.  We found the snowmen at Woolworth's one year and she bought them so I could make the wreath for her.  It was her favorite wreath and the only one I put up the year she died (along with a throw I had crocheted, which she liked, and the cushion covers she had made).

This wreath is in the family room:

Family Room Wreath
Some years, I attach clear glass balls to it, but this year, I didn't.

I have one other small wreath which I normally put on the inside of the front door, but I haven't put it up, yet.

I took a short walk up and down my block in the afternoon, but it tired me out!  I ended up taking a nap, afterwards!

Later in the evening, I took the trash cans to the curb and did a load of laundry.


Monday's To Do List:
- Put away washed dishes - DONE
- Take the trash cans to the curb - DONE
- Holiday related things depending on how I feel - DID SOME
- Laundry - DONE

Tuesday's To Do List:
- Office work
- Pharmacy
- Grocery shop
- Bring trash cans in
- Write cards
- Trim the tree?

Today, I cooked a fish curry using canned mackerel (I read that mackerel was a good source of magnesium, although I am not sure if canned mackerel was as good as fresh) and cooked the frozen vegetable called murunga (also known as moringa or "drumsticks") I had bought from the Sri Lanka store.  I had them with rice for dinner.  A tangerine for dessert.



Dinner: Rice, Fish, and Murunga


I also picked a pomegranate from my tree:

Pomegranate

There are a couple more pomegranates still on the tree, but they are too high up for me to reach.  I shall ask my gardener friend to pick them for me, later this week. This year's fruits are small in size due to the drought, but I am grateful to have them.

Today, I am grateful for:
- Feeling better
- Being able to start decorating for Christmas
- Pomegranates from my tree
- Phone call from aunt and cousin
- Video chatting with daughter

How was your Monday?  How are your holiday preparations coming along?

14 comments:

  1. You have some very lovely wreaths. I like the fact that you celebrate the spiritual aspects of Christmas. I think we could all benefit from embracing the spiritual aspects of other religions.

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    1. Thank you. I enjoy making wreaths, but I've had to stop because, unless I give them away, I run out of wall space to hang them!

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  2. The Nativity is my favourite decoration and I put it up first this year as well. I kept baby Jesus wrapped up until Thomas came home because as the youngest it's his job to put him in the stable. Your wreaths are lovely especially the snowman one.

    I wish we had fruit trees in our garden. Being able to just go and pick a pomegranate seems very exotic to me.

    Will you daughter be coming home for the holidays? xx

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    1. Thank you, Suzanne. Maybe you can plant a fruit tree next year? Yes, my daughter will be here Thursday night and staying till January 2. Looking forward to that!

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  3. Your wreaths are just lovely! It is so nice to have wonderful memories connected to the snowman wreath isn't it? :)

    Did I ever mention to you that my brother is a former Buddhist monk? He got very ill and had to leave the monkhood but hopes to return to it one day. He and I have the best talks because we both love to learn about other people's beliefs and the commonalities and differences. :)

    I hope you have a lovely Christmas!

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    1. Thank you, Debbie. Yes, the snowman wreath is rather special to me.

      No, I don't think you ever mentioned about your brother having been a monk! How interesting! I hope he is in better health now.

      I hope you, too, have a lovely Christmas. :)

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  4. The wreaths are beautiful, and I agree with your mom.. I love the snowmen wreath ..So pretty.
    I really love the white nativity scene..
    Proud you are feeling some better.. Hope you return to your full health, real soon.

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    1. Thank you, Judy. :) The nativity set was also from Woolworths, when we had one.

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    2. I loved Woolworths.. Sure hated when they closed.. We too , had the lunch counter.. It was such a treat.

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    3. It was a fun store, wasn't it? The lunch counter was the best!

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  5. Beautiful wreaths, Bless! We haven't had Woolworths here for decades but I really enjoyed that store. Ours had a lunch counter and soda fountain. A very fun store!

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    1. Thank you, Carolyn. I can't remember when our Woolworths closed - back in the mid to late 90s, I'm sure. Ours had a lunch counter, too! I think my mother and I bought out the store when they had their store closing clearance sale! I still have some of the spools of Christmas ribbon I bought from them, for $.10 per roll!

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  6. I love the nativity (and why shouldn't you enjoy parts of another religion's festivals?) I can't get over you being able to pick pomegranates out of your garden, but more important - do you still have Woolworths over there? They are gone here, and sadly missed. x

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    1. No, we no longer have Woolworths, here. They closed back in 1997. It used to be one of my favorite shops.

      Often, people question why I celebrate Christmas, but my mother's family were/are all Catholic and I grew up with the tradition of celebrating some aspects of the holiday. :)

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