Happy Christmas...

It's here... for those of us who celebrate the Christmas holiday, the day has finally arrived... although it's almost over on the other side of the world. Today my children who live up north will pile their stuff in the car... not so long from now actually... and make their way home for gifts and a feast. We'll spend a few days as a family, then everyone will get back to their busy worlds. It strikes me that life has moved very far past when they were children. By now the gifts would have been unwrapped and paper flung everywhere...

I think that's why I do so love these Christmas ornaments. Each and every one of them are tangible evidence of magic. They hold memories of Christmases past... if that isn't true magic, I don't know what is. The cutie above is made from my very own baby quilt... that means he's more than 50 years old. Doesn't look it, does he?

My son, the budding artist, created Santa when he was about six. He's gone on to create graphic novels... and now makes ornaments for he and his beloved... one day their tree will reflect the same sort of magic. (And, yes, that is a small plastic dinosaur tucked into the branches... thanks to my Little One... they have been tucked everywhere around here.)

I often created ornaments for them that reflected their particular interests over the year. This was his for his 11th Christmas. Trekkies will recognize this one.

This one...

And this one...

And even this one... made from the most simple of ingredients, flour, salt and water... a dash of imagination... and you suddenly have a vessel that holds the memories of the magic of that year.

Before I get to the business of the day, creating the magic for this year, I wanted to stop in here to send my wishes to all of you...

May your day be filled with heartfelt laughter... may you find a moment or two of quiet solitude before the hustle and bustle... may your roast beast be filling... may your happiness know no bounds. I wish that you may know peace, and joy, and hope... and most of all, may you love and be loved, for that my friend, is the true magic, not just of the season, but of life...