Wonderful Moment In Time...

For the first time in years do I get to celebrate Christmas with children.
There is that wonderful atmosphere in the air, the one that the mind of a child brings to this time of the year - the sense of utter enchantment and anticipation and that special joy that the adult mind lacks.
Yet the one that is so very contagious...

Sneaking away from the busy preparations, I would like to wish you all, my dear friends, the same moments of wonder and joy that are saturating my world today.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU

from my home to yours

Unthinkably Good Things.

When I was a child, Christmas was an enchanted time. The whole month of December resonated with incredible bliss. The anticipation, the decorations, the various traditions, the scents, my family - it all created a harmonious atmosphere which filled me with happiness.

I recall how unthinkable it was to me then that some could perceive this time so very differently. Those that felt loneliness and sorrow, for one reason or another. Those who felt excluded from this unified joy and for whom during the Holiday Season the world turned into torment and melancholy.
Thus, when I found myself celebrating one New Year's Eve all alone not that long time ago, I did shed a small tear realizing that I had to endure what I thought would never happen to me - being lonely and sad.

Today, within the walls of our warm and cosy home, one that exuberates safety and comfort, as I sit surrounded by people that truly love me like I was loved once before, I become slightly sentimental recalling all these moments in my past. Seeing the children with so much excitement and expectations in their faces, those memories of Christmas celebrations from my own childhood come streaming back. And yet again, that feeling of happiness and unity I once felt seems to fill my world.

Lady Fortune has finally granted me my wishes, those that I carried with me as dreams for what seems like an eternity. They are packaged slightly differently than I envisioned, yet they are my wishes indeed. Today I wonder why I had to reach this late age to finally find that which has been so elusive my whole adult life.
Perhaps our dreams can only be appreciated and savored fully when achieving them takes all that we have got. Perhaps we are to walk those lonely and difficult paths to learn those vital lessons that will become our old age wisdom. Maybe if I would have been granted all that I wanted at an early age, I would never have been where I am now nor would I have seen what I have seen. Additionally, I would have not appreciated what I have been blessed with so passionately and valued it so strongly. Maybe the best is worth waiting for.

To live fully is to dare.
We need an ounce of luck along the way of course, but the quality of our lives is at all times determined by our own actions, something that became very clear to me this year. Thus, as this very important period in my life is closing towards its end, I look back upon the past twelve months and feel thankful, blessed, excited and ultimately surprised. I feel reflective, amazed and endlessly happy.
But most of all, I feel fulfilled, as I am finally exactly where I want to be, even if it took me half a lifetime to get here.

The below clip contains one of the final scenes from one of my favorite movies entitled "Under The Tuscan Sun".  Today I feel the sentiments expressed within these images and words mirror my own life, as indeed - "Unthinkably good things can happen even late in the game..."

Countdown In Light.

This December is very special to me, as I get to experience the Holiday season for the first time in my new home.

I am looking forward to celebrate this enchanting occasion in the company of my new family, as we combine our traditions, creating something novel and something that is ours.

While most of my possessions are in storage, I made sure all the red boxes once stored in my old basement, with Christmas written on their side, were tucked away safely in our garage. Thus some of my Christmas decorations are now finding their way into our home.

Such as the familiar Calendar Candle. Christmas is simply not complete in any home I live in, unless I get to experience this simple daily pleasure in this ultimate month of the year.
Those of you who know me well know that starting the 1st of December, I burn a special candle, the one that has twenty four numbers printed on its side. I burn each number down for each day in December until I reach 24 - The Christmas Eve.

This year is no exception. I opted for a simple white candle, made of natural wax, so very fitting our austere home.
Thus yet again, the countdown to Christmas has begun and each day I will post a new picture of the burning candle on my side bar - turning this month into weeks of progressive photography in light.
And days of sweet anticipation.

Turning Off The Lights.

This past week has proceeded in the spirit of the sun. As we crossed the vernal equinox a week ago, the return of the light is becoming ever so more obvious in my days and a cause for joy and celebration. Thus I am looking forward to take part in another kind of somewhat related global observance today.

One that is uniting the world and has grown over few years to connect us all - through a very simple act.

A turn of the switch, abolishing the lights for one hour - no more, no less. Such an effortless yet important contribution while the lighter evenings make this task not only enjoyable, but endlessly tranquil.

While I will watch the sun set in its true cardinal direction, enjoying this silent yet transcending show, upon its conclusion I will light a few candles and surrender to the brief connection that unifies me with nature and the rest of humanity in an almost absolute, one of a kind sense.

Happy Earth Hour everyone.

A Christmas Kiss.

Staying with the romantic theme this week, I have to admit that I love to be kissed. Oh yes I do - and I love to return the kisses even more.

A kiss can mean so much - it can be such a very innocent display of fondness and devotion as well as it can be the most intimate display of romance and love.

I was brought up in a loving home and physical display of affection was always present. I recall that we always kissed our parents good night, for many years as kids.

Thus when I love, I kiss.

I kiss Batcat daily on his cold nose or shower his black beautiful fur with kisses when I hold him tight. I kiss my friends on the cheek and of course, the men I fall in love with can expect to be kissed by me constantly. When I flirt, I blow covert kisses to my admirers and I sign love letters occasionally with a lipstick kiss.

And of course, during Christmas, there is always a Mistletoe hanging somewhere in my house. I love this romantic tradition that belongs to the holidays.
Not many know that this beautiful evergreen is actually classed as a hemiparasite and in nature it grows attached to trees or shrubs, draining them of nutrients.

Kissing under the Mistletoe is suggested by some legends to be of Scandinavian origin; if enemies met under the mistletoe in the forest, they had to lay down their weapons and observe peace until next day. Ultimately, a mistletoe bunch was hung from the ceiling as a symbol of goodwill and friendship.

To me though, this beautiful Holiday plant simply adds a romantic streak to my Holidays. And maybe one Christmas, there will also be a man there for me - to kiss and to be kissed by - standing underneath it.

The Enchanted Tree.

My Holiday home is never complete until one special guest enters my house.
The Tree.
Some of you might recall that I have a particular tradition in my white house on a hill - I cut down my very own Christmas tree each year.

Well, I do get help with the actual cutting - nevertheless - it is a winter Saturday that I look forward to with almost a childish enchantment and anticipation.

In Denmark, tree plantations that grow spruce trees for this purpose, where people are allowed to select and cut the tree of their choice, are very common. The experience to walk among the trees and finding the one, which is just right - is one of a kind. It carries so much symbolism and represents an almost nostalgic Holiday sentiment.

This year the white snow added a great deal of magic to this December tradition, as the tree, its branches still heavy with the wintry precipitation, entered my home. The air grew gently saturated with the scent of fresh pine and the spices of hot wine, while I trimmed sparsely its evergreen attire - keeping it simple, the way I prefer. As the day slowly closed towards its end and the afternoon twilight brought on the illumination of my beautiful guest, the atmosphere of happiness in the company of my very good friends created a perfect Holiday moment, completing a winter fantasy...

Christmas Memories, Part I.

As I was decorating my home for the holidays this weekend, some of the shapes and colours brought back a wave of memories of Christmas celebrations of my past.

It made me contemplate with a hint of nostalgia the fact that I have adopted and gone through so many different traditions, stretching some forty years back in time. Having lived in so many places in my life, it is inevitable that even the celebration of my Christmas today is a product of my cosmopolitan past.

I have decided to reminiscence over my past celebrations in two posts; today and next Monday. I hope you will enjoy this sentimental walk down the memory lane with me.

I was already born into a family that combined traditions of two cultures; the Czech and the Slovak. I do not remember much from my early years, while we lived under the Tatra mountains in Slovakia. That time seems so far removed from my consciousness today, it comes across almost as an entirely different life. Still, a few odd and amusing details enter my thoughts as I recall these Christmas celebrations during the communist era.

Such as my parents covert attempts to trim the tree the day before Christmas Eve, while my sister and me still believed in the enchanted Christmas in which the tree and the gifts magically appear out of nowhere.
The carp, that used to swim around in our bathtub a few days before the 24th, bought live at a marked, to fulfill its grand destiny and be served at the dinner table, according to a long lived Czech Christmas tradition. Although my parents very quickly abandoned this custom, feeling sorry for the poor creature, unable to inflict it any pain.

I recall our pre Christmas visits to the Tuzex store, located in the stunning and beautiful Tatra mountains. Its concept was the irony of the communism regime, selling western merchandise in exchange for hard currency, to those who were privileged and could afford foreign bills.
The drive would always be a very enchanted one, and always in snow, taking us on deserted roads through breathtaking natural scenery and today I smile with amusement as I recall how we would say that "the trees were covered with whipped cream"...

Finally, the enchantment I felt when watching Cinderella on television, when the broadcast of this famous fairytale in a Slavic version became a tradition during Christmas. The Czech adaptation is still today one of my favorite films, due to its stunning visual and infinitely romantic feel.

Thus I leave you with the final scene of this cinematographic gem, one that still today keeps me spellbound, even though I should long have outgrown the allure of make believe and naive fantasy...

Happy Easter To All Of You.

The Easter Bunny Explained.

Most of us are well familiar with the tradition of the Easter Bunny, but perhaps a few are aware of the origins to this lovely spring customs.

Commonly, the cute furry creature, that is sometimes depicted wearing cute clothes, brings baskets filled with colored eggs, candy and sometimes also toys to the homes of children on the night before Easter. The Easter Bunny will either put the baskets in a designated place or hide them somewhere in the house or garden for the children to find when they wake up in the morning.

Some claim that the the Easter Bunny, just like the tradition of the Christmas Tree originated in southwestern Germany, then part of the Holy Roman Empire, where it was first recorded in a German publication in the early 1600s. A century later, the tradition was introduced to America by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s. The first edible Easter Bunnies likewise originated in Germany during the early 1800s and were made of pastry and sugar.

Other legends suggest that the Easter Bunny has roots in the pre-Christian, Anglo-Saxon history. The holiday was originally a pagan celebration that worshipped the goddess Eastre. She was the goddess of fertility and springtime and her earthly symbol was the rabbit. Thus the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxons worshipped the rabbit believing it to be Eastre's earthly incarnation.

When the Anglo-Saxons were converted to Christianity, the pagan holiday, which occurred around the same time as the Christian memorial of Jesus' resurrection from the dead, was combined with the Christian celebration and given the name Easter.

In any case, a bunny at Easter - whether a chocolate one or as a decorations - together with colourful eggs is as essential as the Tree is at Christmas.

And the one below must be the cutest one I have ever seen.

Snapshots In Print.

I still think that the best way to view a photograph is on paper. However magnificent, sharp, defined and clear a picture can appear on a digital screen, there is still something infinitely soothing in holding it in your hand, printed on paper.

I have been taking photographs since I was a teenager and have always enjoyed it. Not just the actual photography itself, but particularly the excitement during the wait, as the film was developed. Once the printed photographs arrived, it was wonderful to re-live the moments captured within the images, all over again.

Still today, in the age of digital photography, I long for the same sentiments. Even though the modern cameras, combined with computer technology, make it easier to take multitude of shots of the same subject, enabling us to choose the best one, the notion of looking at the final print is still a very original one.

Today I sorted out my newest photographs into photo albums. Amazingly, the albums are becoming more difficult to find commercially. At least to a reasonable price. Nevertheless, Sundays are perfect days for quiet afternoons spent reflecting and recollecting precious moments time, while looking at their snapshots in print.

A Celestial Event.

With todays celebration of Epiphany (from Koine Greek ἐπιφάνεια, meaning "appearance", "manifestation"), the Christmas is officially concluding. This day commemorates the visitation of the Biblical Magi to the child Jesus.
In my culture, the 6th of January is called The day of the Three Kings and I recall that it meant the absolute end to the joyful Holiday time and a return to the routines of daily life.

All of us are familiar with the story of The Three Magi (Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar), carrying gifts (gold, frankincense, and myrrh) and following the Bethlehem Star, which finally lead The Kings to the infant.
I am intrigued by this tale. The spiritual me rejoices in this event; the scientific me likes to look back in history, searching for facts that would depict it in the heavens, those two thousand years ago.

Was there really a star, or a glowing, moving object in the skies around the birth of Christ?

I am not the only one asking this question. For centuries, the answers have been proposed by theologians, historians, astronomers and laymen.
The primary reference for the Star of Bethlehem is in the Gospel of Matthew, which was probably written around 80 A.D or slightly later. In modern times, astronomers have offered various explanations for the star. A nova, a planet, a comet, an occultation, and a conjunction have all been suggested.
In 1614, German astronomer Johannes Kepler determined that a series of three conjunctions of the planets Jupiter and Saturn occurred in the year 7 B.C; the nights sky of that event can be seen here.
Halley's Comet was visible in 12 B.C and another object, possibly a comet or nova, was seen by Chinese and Korean stargazers in about 5 B.C. A recent hypothesis states that the star of Bethlehem was a supernova or hypernova occurring in the nearby Andromeda Galaxy.

Of course, to those of faith, the Star Of Bethlehem is a magical event, that needs no explanation nor have to be supported by any facts. The magi seem to have been the only ones who saw the star— this further supports the notion that the star of Bethlehem was a supernatural manifestation from God rather than a common star, which would have been visible to all.

After searching for the facts myself, I eventually realized that facts matter very little in this subject. What matters is what we believe. Sometimes a belief is the ultimate proof.
After all; "There where science ends, faith begins."

Wonderful Time.

I would like to wish all of you reading this a joyful Christmas celebration, spend in the company of your families, loved ones and friends.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you ALL for your lovely visits and comments here this past year - your kind words have made these twelve months special in more ways than one.

I am taking a Holiday break and will return shortly after New Year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU

xoxo

Zuzana

The Day Before...

Thoday is somehow the best day of the Holidays. In Scandinavia and some other European countries, we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, on the 24th of December. Therefore the day before is a very magical day.

It is called "The Little Christmas Eve" and is often used to celebrate Christmas by families that spend the 24th somewhere else.
As a child, I recall the day before to be filled with uncanny excitement and great happiness.

My home is today receiving the last touches before the big day, as is the case in many other homes around. Everything seems to be ready; the house is decorated, the presents are wrapped or send and the scents filling the air are very traditional. I will spend tomorrow with very good friends of mine, a tradition I have carried out for many years by now.




I guess I was not all that bad this year either as the postman, all dressed in red, brought me packages with a big smile on his face the other day. As I gaze at the neat handwriting, that I so well recognize, I feel extremely blessed, lucky and very loved. Even though I will be missing my loved ones this Christmas, I am with them in my heart and soul.

Everything in my immediate surroundings is covered by snow. We received even more of it in yesterdays storm and the fluffy blanket is adding to the magic in an unusual way. I could not resist documenting the heavy snow fall in the short clip below, as it gives us our first White Christmas in many years.

Slowly the true Christmas spirit settles across my house and home, bringing back memories of times gone and stirring up hopes of wonderful times ahead.

Winter Tree.

Today is the fourth Sunday in Advent, which means Christmas is imminent. As I light the fourth candle in my advent candle holder, I remember my family and the holidays of my past.

In my childhood, last week before Christmas was so very special. It was the time when all the scents and decorations became so much more distinct. The atmosphere of happiness and joy so very obvious, the excitement and expectations so strong.

It is a long time ago that my family was all gathered under one roof for Christmas Eve. And it is even longer, perhaps decades by now, when we all lived in the same city. Today we are spread all across Europe and at times it fills me with certain melancholy when I ponder this fact.
However, in spirits we are always together, as we all carry on with the same traditions.

This week the snow has given our landscape a true holiday feel. It has been a while since we had any December snow. There is still an uncertainty in the forecasts, whether the snow will last through the 24th. In fact the suspense grows by each day.

Interestingly, the heavy snow blanket indeed finalized the series of photographs I took in August through November, as a part of my progressive photography. These documented the changes in the foliage of a beautiful Birch tree, which grows just outside my kitchen windows. The winter picture I took this past week completes its three seasons.
In a few months, when the light slowly returns, and with it the warmth of the air, I will return to document its awakening in the spring.

(Please click to enlarge.)

The Scents Of The Holidays.

We all know first hand how scents can trigger our memory, reminding us of moments and places in our past. It only takes a trace of a particular fragrance to appear in the air, to transport us instantly in time and space. I am utterly fascinated by the means in which our memory is tied to our senses and the way it triggers the cognitive process.

There are many scents that are so very significant of the Christmas Holidays. The memories of celebrations in my past contain a plethora of fragrances, linked to perfumes, food, spices, places, people and nature.

The scent from the ten items below is to me so very representative of the Holidays:

Orange Peels.
Even though orange is an exotic fruit, growing in subtropical climate, which should evoke the feeling of summer and sea, the scent of its peel is a significant sign of the Holidays to me. Perhaps this is due to the fact that oranges, tangerines and clementines are most abundant in my part of the world throughout the winter.

Cinnamon.
A spice like cinnamon is today a common ingredient, used in drinks and meals year around. However, to me nothing say Holidays more than its scent. I use it in baking in December and when mixed with ginger and cloves, it is a rare combination that brings me back to the Christmas of my childhood in an instance, if I close my eyes...

Cloves.
Cloves is a spice that I recall fondly from my past. My mother used it extensively in all the Holiday baking and cooking. It was the main ingredient in almost everything that was prepared for Christmas in our home, from drinks to meals. There is a tradition of making decoration using oranges, that are pierced through the skin with cloves. Not only does this look beautiful but the orange and the cloves in combination spread such a delightful scent all over the house; a definite and traditional Christmas fragrance.

Saffron.
Saffron is used in Sweden in baking special roles for the 13th of December. This is the day which is celebrated as St.Lucia in Sweden. One of the most expensive spices on Earth, it is in use very sparsely through out the year, with exception for December.

Ginger.
I have already described how very traditional Gingerbread Cookies are during the Holiday season in Scandinavia. The scent of ginger in combination with other spices mentioned here is very significant during the Holidays.

Vanilla.
Vanilla is of course not only significant of Christmas. However, again, in combination with the above spices, the common scent of vanilla becomes that once a year experience that signifies the onset of the Holiday Season.

Mulled Wine.
Mulled Wine, or "gløgg", as it is called in Denmark, is a vital part of December in Scandinavia. This warm spicy drink has a scent like nothing else served during the rest of the year. It brings family and friends together and there is nothing like coming home after a late afternoon winter walk, to a house that is scented with the spices of Mulled Wine.

Spruce.
Spruce scent equals Christmas. I love the fragrance of the Tree as it is brought inside. It can bring me back decades in time, making the span of the years in my past so very relative...

Burning Sparkler.
In our family, on Christmas Eve, after the dinner, before opening the presents, we would burn sparkles on the tree. I loved watching each and everyone explode with tiny stars, as the lightning ball moved downwards, mesmerizing and enticing me... The burning created that once a year atmosphere of expectation and joy. As soon as the fire went out, the fragrance became so obvious through out the room; the most significant scent of Christmas that I know...

"Kapustnica".
This is our family Christmas soup. A traditional Slovak meal, which my mother would spend a whole day preparing before Christmas Eve. The scent is so very particular, consisting of sour cabbage, sausages, mushrooms and many spices that make up this traditional Christmas dish. No matter where I am, no matter how old I am, this scent will bring me in a nano-second right back to my childhood and the laughter and joy of the holidays in my past...

Second Advent Tradition.

The Second Sunday in Advent signifies yet another tradition of mine. The tradition of writing Christmas Cards. My friends and my family live spread all over the world and I still relish in writing and receiving handwritten Christmas cards.

The days of December are very short. It feels as if there is barely and daylight at all. As we are approaching the winter solstice, our days has been shortened by more than ten hours since June. If the skies are cloudy, such as today, there is really no daylight to speak off. We are surrounded by twilight at the best, which beckons us to light candles and the fire in fireplace, staying inside.
And so, when all the chores are done, as soon as the early afternoon turns dark and the long evening settles over my neighbourhood, I sit down by the fire with Batcat at my feet. I pour myself a glass of Hot Spicy Wine and put on my favorite Christmas music. As the wind howls in the chimney, it is easy to feel inspired writing Holiday Wishes to those that I miss the most.

Gingerbread Cookies.

Gingerbread Cookies are very significant of the Holiday Season in Scandinavia. They exist in each of the countries of the North and to serve these during the month of December is an old tradition, that stretches back centuries.

The cookies carry different names depending on the country. In Denmark they are called "brunkager" or "peberkager", which translated something like "brown cookies" and "pepper cookies". The later does not signifies the presence of pepper in the dough, but an overall sense of a spicy cookie, with the prevealing taste of ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Served preferably with Hot Spicy Wine (Mulled Wine) they are a common snack to be found in Scandinavian homes and workplaces throughout December, easily available in all supermarkets and grocery stores, in multitude of varieties.
It is also often a family tradition to bake gingerbread cookies for Christmas and it is very exciting particularly for children to participate in the preparation.

However, once the Holidays end, the gingerbread cookies likewise disappear. They are not available for purchase any longer, nor are they usually served ever again during any other time of the year.

Counting Down To Christmas Eve.

December has arrived.
This is the first winter month and thus the beginning of a new season. It is the time of dark days, long nights, of wind and rain, sometimes snow. Of frost and bare landscape, cold hands, red noses and sleepy eyes.
However, December is so much more than just that; it is also the Holiday month. A time of joy and expectations, no matter whether you are an adult or a child.

We all surely recall the incredible impatience we once felt as children, looking forward to that night of magic, which seemed still so far away, once December begun. In Scandinavia, the wait has been eased by a very sweet tradition. The tradition of burning Calendar Candles. These are candles that come in all shapes and sizes, with one common significance: a column of numbers printed on one side.
Starting with number 1 at the very top, all the way to 24 at the very bottom. The candle is lit every day and the number corresponding to the date is burned away, making the wait, particularly for children, slightly more exciting. Of course, if you are like me and have kept a childish mind, this is a wonderful daily simple pleasure throughout the month of December.

I dedicate this post to the lovely Blog Princess G, who expressed such a delightful interest in this Scandinavian tradition last year; I hope she will enjoy the daily Christmas countdown this year as well, as I post it on my sidebar in the following weeks.

Giving Thanks Challenge Finale.

This is the last day in November and thus, the last day of the Giving Thanks Challenge hosted by Leah at South Breeze Farm. Participating was a wonderful experience and I look forward to join again next year.

Although I did not participated with a post of thanks every day, some of you might have noticed a single, new sentence posted on my sidebar each day. In it I expressed my gratitude towards subjects, people and situations in my life and my surroundings, directly (or indirectly) linked to the post of that day.
Thank you Leah for a wonderful sentiment and for the privilege of letting me become part of a beautiful movement.

Below, a summary of my subtle participation in text and pictures.

•I am thankful for the beautiful nature that surrounds me...
•I am thankful to be living in a free country ...
•I am thankful to have met so many kind *blog friends*...
•I am thankful for all the beautiful songs and compilations...
•I am thankful for the magic of seasons...
•I am thankful for relaxing Sundays...
•I am thankful for my parents, the most brave people I know...
•I am thankful for the beautiful views out of my windows...
•I am thankful for Batcat and the way he makes me smile everyday...
•I am thankful for my memories of a life lived...
•I am thankful for lazy Saturdays in front of my fireplace…
•I am thankful for the sun and it's vital rays...
•I am thankful for the privilege to be alive in a great century…
•I am thankful for the proximity to a magnificent sea...
•I am thankful for Holidays and Celebrations…
•I am thankful for cosy evenings by candlelight...
•I am thankful for works of art...
•I am thankful for my lovely home...
•I am thankful for beauty of simple pleasures...
•I am thankful for my perfect little car...
•I am thankful for each day that was and for the magic of each new day...
•I am thankful for unforgettable moments…
•I am thankful for the few very good friends...
•I am thankful for my sister and the memories of childhood Christmases that we share…
•I am thankful for the magic of the Holiday Season...
•I am thankful for the many traditions in my home...
•I am thankful for being who I am and for all the privileges that life has bestowed upon me...

Tree Decoration.

The is the last Sunday in November and this year, it is also the day of the 1st Advent. Although a religious observance, Advent is today a very traditional celebration in Scandinavia, signifying the onset of Christmas Holidays.
Families gather to drink Mulled Wine with traditional advent snacks, which can vary between the countries of the North. In Denmark, it is common to serve æbleskiver, which resemble and taste like small, round pancakes.

I have my own tradition that takes place on the last Sunday in November - I decorate my Christmas Tree. I love the laid back feeling of the day and the activity in itself connects me in a strong way to my past. The tree was such a center point in the Christmases of my childhood. Always decorated by my mother, who relished every year in creating a true artwork in the middle of our living room, making it look differently each year. This always took place on the day before Christmas Eve and I often felt that the time we got to enjoy its glory was so very short. Therefore, today, the tree in my home is decorated in the beginning of December, thus I can enjoy its presence and its beauty throughout the Holiday Season.

As much as my home is cluttered with objects and decorations, the way I decorate my tree is somewhat an opposite to that. I keep it very simple. The decorations are few and almost entirely only red. I love to leave most of the tree bare, as it is simply so very beautiful in its natural state.