Getting ready for Christmas vacation

Small tree decorated with
little bird flower picks.

I made a trip to the library tonight to bring back those items that were due and to pick up the next batch of reading material. The best thing about the trip was knowing that I have Christmas vacation starting a week from tomorrow at 2:39 pm. I can come home and enjoy my family, my home, and some much needed quiet time. Plus all that lovely free time for reading snuggled up by the wood stove with a warm mug of coffee, tea, or cocoa and the glow of the Christmas tree lighting the room. I've chosen a variety of new titles to read: Mitch Albom's - The Time keeper, Peter Mayle's - The Marseilles Caper, and Tony Danza's - I'd Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had.

I've a confession to make as well. I love choosing books to give my mother as gifts because she always lends them to me afterwards. It's embarrassing to admit I pick things I know that she and I will both like.

A village Christmas Mystery

Thomas Kinkaid church with
Nativity Scene

 I finished listening to Rhys Bowen's The Twelve Clues of Christmas over the weekend. A pleasant English village mystery featuring the aristocracy, the lord and lady of the manor, the local inspector, the villagers - vicar and his wife, butcher, publican, postman, switchboard operator, the villian, and the spinster who has her finger in everyone's pie. There were an awful lot of bodies in this one. Then I got to a certain point and I could see the pattern behind the crimes. Yay me! I thought I knew who was the criminal as well.  Turns out I was right. Won't give away the plot or the solution. Read or listen for yourself.


Thomas Kinkaid designed pieces
that were part of a floral centerpiece

My little village consists of five little houses designed by the artist Thomas Kinkaid for Teleflora and FTD as the focal point of floral centerpieces. As my grandmother got older it was harder to find an appropriate gift so I got in the habit of sending her flowers at Christmas and these arrangements were a real favorite. Unfortunately, my grandmother (now 98 years old) is living in the nursing home where she doesn't have much space for knick knacks. I now have the collection and enjoy them all the more for knowing that they brought her joy and now they do the same for me.

Christmas is a coming...

During December one of my favorite things to do is read or re-read stories with a Christmas theme. For example, Ngaio Marsh's Tied Up in Tinsel is one of my favorites. This story feature's Agatha Troy, the artist wife of Inspector Roderick Alleyn, taking a turn getting mixed up in the middle of a crime. Rory, as his wife calls him, only enters the story mid-way through. The story takes place in the fabulously restored home of Hilary Bill-Tasman who has hired ex-cons (murders to be exact) to serve as his staff. Everyone is preparing for the Christmas holidays, decorating the house and tree, cooking up delicious goodies, drinking hot toddies, taking brisk walks on icy moors, and someone is plotting murder.

This weekend we decorated the tree which reminded me of one of the scenes from Marsh's story where Troy and Bill-Tasman are decorating the Christmas tree in an all golden theme. Pictured here is an example of a vintage ornament that came to me from my grandparents. These were produced by the Shiny Brite company which closed its doors in 1962. I have also included a picture of the boxes. One box features Uncle Sam shaking hands with Santa Claus endorsing these decorations as American made. Want to read more and learn about these interesting ornaments? Visit http://www.sheilazellerinteriors.com/tag/shiny-brite-ornaments

Pink Shiny Brite

Packaging for Shiny Brite Ornaments