Annual Advent Calendar Blog Hop Day 12

Hi Fellow Stitchers!  I've been assigned the 12th Day of the Advent Calendar Blog Hop over at Serendipitous Stitching hosted by Jo who can't think of a clever nickname.  I've participated in this several years now and love seeing all the Christmas stitching.  When you are finished here, please go back to Serendipitous Stitching and see what other people are posting from their blogs!  Click here.  It's my favorite time of year.  It took me a while to decide which photo I should showcase but I finally settled on Winter's Majesty a kit from Maia.  I like to focus on Nativities, but it's been a while since I stitched one....I guess I better make that a priority next year!  I entered this one in the state fair this year and won a Blue Ribbon and a Special Award that was given for the best in that category.  I do enjoy winter, and have this hanging year round in my living room.  

We have been asked to speak about our Christmas Tree.  It's interesting that this topic came up this year.  We have had an artificial tree for many years.  I love the smell of a fresh cut tree, but I'm terrible about remembering to water it...so for our safety, we have had an artificial tree for most of our married life.  We bought a "new tree" when our son was two...it was a difficult tree to assemble every year but it was such a beautiful tree, I discouraged my husband from getting a new one year after year...haha.  Last year our tree was 23 years old...and the only tree my son really remembers.  It was full and we could hang a LOT of ornaments on it.  Because my husband was in the military and we moved every few years, we had ornaments representing the different areas we lived.  There are Hawaiian ornaments, Southwestern ornaments, Northeastern ornaments, and European ornaments.  It's almost like a snapshot of our married life .  It's a walk down memory lane when we put our tree up, and memories always come flooding back of the places we have lived, and the adventures we have taken.  That tree had made  several moves with us, including to Germany and back.  We have put it up in different areas of our house, and it does take up a lot of room in our tiny townhouse...but it's still my favorite tree.  Until few years ago we used a star for the top.  A couple of years ago my husband told me he hated the star...who knew?  We had used it for YEARS!   So we found a lovely angel for the top of the tree....and she makes our tree look elegant. 

This year my husband put his foot down and bought a "new tree".  One this takes literally minutes to assemble.  It's only half the diameter of the old one, has white lights instead of colored lights, and seems a bit bare to me.   I guess it's good for us as we are older now and it is much easier to assemble....but I do miss the old one.  It also only holds a fraction of our ornaments.  But the kids needed a bigger tree since they have a little one now, so we gave them our old tree.  I'm happy it still has some use left in it....and we can still visit it so that's nice.  It's harder to see our angel on the "new tree" but she  is happily sitting there now.

I have a separate tree for my cross stitched ornaments.  There are a few that I have made, but the majority of the ornaments on this tree are gifts I've received from other stitchers.  It resides in my stitching room and I love sitting in there with the lights on no matter the time of day.  Again it's another walk down memory lane to look at all the ornaments I've been given over the years.  I love thinking about the people who have stitched them for me and I treasure each and every one.

I know I'll be posting again in a few days, but I want to wish you all, a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year (just in case you don't visit again before Christmas!  Happy Stitching!!