The ABC's of Christmas - L

There's more, much more, to Christmas
Than candlelight and cheer;
It's the spirit of sweet friendship
That brightens all year.
It's thoughtfulness and kindness,
It's hope reborn again,
For peace, for understanding,

And for goodwill to men!" ~ Author unknown

The "L " of Christmas

Good morning Christmas loving friends! Welcome to the letter L of Christmas.

is for...
Lights, Laying of the table.

What's a Christmas tree without its lights? Whether you use multi-coloured, monochromatic, or white, a Christmas tree looks much more festive with the twinkle and glow of lights on it.

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For a few years I used all white lights and decorated with pastel ornaments on the tree and it looked beautiful. The men in my family didn't like it so I went back to using different coloured lights.
Now that the guys are all grown up and on their own, I am using white lights again. I still like  coloured lights outdoors. What colour lights do you put on your tree?

This is my tree this year.

This is my little white tree all decked out in pink for my little granddaughter. She has a birthday today; Happy Birthday, Jenna-Lynn!

One wonderful exercise we ladies get to do at Christmastime is the laying of the table. This is the time to pull out all your best china, crystal, and silverware. I don't have a set of Christmas china but I know many of you do. Christmas dinner always looks better and tastes better on a beautifully laid table, don't you agree?

Whether you use traditional colours...

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Or a softer colour palette...

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Dinner will taste better on a beautifully laid table. The centerpiece can be as elaborate as you please with candles, flowers, or a simple bowl of Christmas ornaments. This is where we get to use our imaginations.

One can even dress up the chairs. Aren't these festive!

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So, how do you dress up your dinner table for Christmas? I would love to know!

Thank you for joining me today. I hope you will come back tomorrow for the letter M.

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

The ABC's of Christmas - K

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love. ~ Hamilton Wright Mabie {1845-1916}

The ABC's of Christmas ~ K

Hello everyone! Hope you had a wonderful weekend and thank you for joining me. Today I am doing the letter K.

is for...
Kissing ball, We Three Kings.

This is my kissing ball which hangs over the kitchen sink. It is made of sprigs of evergreen, glittered balls, pinecones, glittery poinsettias, and ribbon. Hubby helps me with the dishes so we often steal a kiss while we are cleaning up the kitchen.

We Three Kings

"We Three Kings", also known as "We Three Kings of Orient Are" or "The Quest of the Magi", is a Christmas carol written by the Reverend John Henry Hopkins, Jr., who wrote both the lyrics and the music. It is suggested to have been written in 1857 but did not appear in print until his Carols, Hymns and Song in 1863. John Henry Hopkins, Jr., then an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church,^[1] was instrumental in organizing an elaborate holiday pageant (which featured this hymn) for the students of the General Theological Seminary in New York City in 1857 while serving as the seminary's music director. In 1872 Hopkins was ordained an Episcopal priest and later served as rector at Christ Episcopal Church (Williamsport, PA).^[2]

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A little tidbit that some of you may not know:

Did you know that the three {wise men} or as some folks call them, the three kings, did not visit the stable when Jesus was born? Yes, they are very much a part of the Christmas story but they didn't actually arrive to worship the new born King until a couple of years later when Jesus and His parents were living in the house. {Matthew 2:11} The wise men did follow the Star to Bethlehem and the gifts they brought Him were used to help the Holy Family escape to Egypt where they remained until Herod had died. God protected the Family and kept them safe. After that, the Holy Family returned to Nazareth where Jesus grew up. 

Thank you for visiting today and please join me again tomorrow for the letter L. 

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi