Signs of Christmas

If, until now, I was not in the Christmas spirit, baby I am now. I went to a wreath-making workshop tonight. It was on the grounds of the Wyck Mansion (home of the oldest American rose bush!). It was so good to be doing that tactile work, filling my arms with different greens, wiring them to the thick evergreen circle. Choosing between juniper, incense fir, boxwood, holly and others, making little bundles and arranging them. The cozy workshop was full of the smell of evergreen and the sounds of Christmas music. In the end, I chose three birds to add to my wreath and this really bold, festive ribbon. I learned that instead of nailing into your front door, you can discreetly nail into the wood on the top of the door itself if you use a flat-head nail. It was such a fun evening.

Walking to the car afterward, it started to snow! My friend Lisa and I drove home in the winter's first snow, laughing about our kids and sharing about how family life can be so weighty and trying. I arrived home to a quiet house of sleeping kids and Geoff and I celebrated the snow with a gorgeous and dramatic fire. The wind was so strong outside the chimney that it was just scooping up smoke out of our fireplace. We chatted until just now, about everything from how the hell to make a quick-dry pinata to the progress of his animation curriculum proposal to the dorkiness factor of certain eighth grade extra-curriculars.

I don't know but now I feel like we're really moving toward Christmas. The advent momentum has struck me and I want to decorate out of that energy. We have the following craft kits to do: Waldorf wool people, candles for teachers and crossing guards, and a gingerbread house. Also, we want to do these salt-dough ornaments reminiscent of ornaments I made at St. Mary's School in first grade. Geoff had to stop me from waking the boys to look at the snow. Maybe when Clara wakes up in a few minutes we can peer out at the back yard or find the moon together.