It takes a Village...

I think I was Santa in a previous life. I love Christmas, I love the lights, smells, decorations, hustle and bustle (but not to a crazy extent). I love planning ahead, having everything done early to relax the last week before.  I love the religious preparations, the Advent wreath, the Jesse Tree, Christmas Reconciliation.  All (except a bit of baking and Christmas Day Cooking) is done.  All the Christmas Knitting--18 pieces since mid October--are finished (might sneak in another scarf,though).

It takes a village--that means all my decorating is done; when the styrofoam packing scraps are vacuumed,the pre-Christmas cleaning is done. Let's take a walk through the village:

There is a school, with teacher ringing the bell while children keep playing in the snow:

The greenhouse selling poinsettias, where an elderly man is feeding the birds:

Skaters on a frozen pond,and a fisherman, with wildlife looking on:

 Mail delivery and a hot dog vendor:

The entire village:  homes, a bakery, a church, bookstore, carollers and much more.

The lit-up village

 The nutcrackers standing guard over the village

The entire side of the dining area:

 The reason for the season. And it came to pass...

 Final Christmas knitted projects:
Rustic cap for Richard.

 Celtic cabled hat for Kubota Man Jr.

 Socks for KM Jr.

 Boney mitts--illusion knitting to go with DGD 3 skull scarf.

 Candy Corn Creature had and mitts for DGD1

Warm,lined Chevalier Mitts for DD2

An on-the-spur-of-the-moment gift for a friend at church

We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas: