A brief dusting of snow began December 2024, making me long for a bit more.
December marks the beginnings of the winter season. Winter… a time of perseverance and optimism for spring will come.
December, Christmas is near.
A Light DustingSnowy Morning SurpriseSnowy Stack At DuskWinter Solstice SunriseWaiting on SunriseDecember 31st… That Touch of Pink
Random Happenings
You never know what you will find in the middle of a grocery store parking lot! Parking lot golf????
Christmasat Home 2024
Fresh Mistletoe for Christmas! Thanks to Kim Reid for the adventure!New additions this year to my green plants to add a festive flare, pine cones and berries for the holiday season Our Christmas clock is a family favoriteBobbles and Santa Handmade Christmas Handmade Christmas Handmade ChristmasThis Christmas was the first year we put our inflatable back out in several years. Our sweet little neighbor has enjoyed it so much this year. Our original “Snowy” the polar bear was injured by heavy rain earlier this month. Santa was our quick find as a replacement.Cookie watching over her neighborhood
Thank you to everyone who has followed along my year long photographic journey in 2024 exploring the everyday life of #thehardwarelife. I’m excited about new opportunities in 2025! Coming soon, the Favorites of 2024 revisited. Stay posted on the blog.
Statistics show that a resurgence of baking takes place between Thanksgiving and New Year’s holidays. Over 73% of folks get excited about getting into the kitchen to either prepare meals for their family holiday meals or BAKE the holidays away. Speaking from personal experience, I do have a relative who begins baking cookies right after the Thanksgiving holiday concludes and he bakes cookies the entire month of December! He generously shares with his mailman, delivery drivers, friends, family, etc.
An “old school tradition”, homemade holidays.. sharing with neighbors and even the postal carrier
A trip into the grocery store will confirm these earlier facts… finding stacks of baking supplies which are definitely impulse purchases waiting for those who experience the urge for a making a sweet treat during Christmas.
Yes, there are a few holiday traditional foods that I always enjoy making each year. As you read this you are probably making a mental checklist as well, maybe even your finalizing the grocery shopping list to get started with your homemade holiday. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into a homemade holiday season. Happy Homemade Holidays!!!
Baking for the holidays for gift giving purposes is an “old school” tradition of Christmas. In our Agricultural rooted traditions, folks harvested their abundance, and at Christmas offering a time to share in holiday joy by sharing a homemade treats with friends and neighbors.
Cakes are often shared around the table over Christmas, if you haven’t read this previous blog: Pound Cake, A Southern Staple
Even in 2024, I must admit, nothing is better than homemade for the holidays. I feel very honored to receive the homemade gifts that we have been given. These are homemade gifts took a considerable amount of time and effort for the gift to be completed prior to giving. That can’t be purchased online either!
The gift of homemade can be found inside Wilkes County Hardware!
I know that I don’t necessarily fit neatly into that category of homemade gift giving, but there are other ways we can observe the “old school” tradition of homemade holidays.
Gathering together around the table to “break bread” and celebrate the season with those traditional homemade holiday foods that we all know and love can make our time together memorable. All pitching in…sharing the load of preparing the family favorite foods, what could be better!!!
And yes, I’ll say we had the best biscuits on the holiday table when we gathered at Granny’s house on Christmas Eve. Those little buttery, golden treats, literally melting in my mouth and warming my full stomach into a blissful holiday slumber as we awaited Santa’s arrival made for some delicious homemade memories of Christmas that I still recall fondly.
Granny used an old, vintage metal dishpan smaller than this one to make her homemade biscuits. I used to sit and watch her make them. She would create a “well” in the middle for the milk after she worked the shortening into the flour. Granny did this effortlessly every single time. I’m thankful that she taught me how to recreate them. I don’t think mine are quite as tasty as Granny’s were. Wilkes County Hardware offers these dishpans for sale year round.Apple Butter and a biscuit… homemade goodness! Or honey and a pat of butter???
The homemade holiday… Offering all, a time to reconnect, laugh, share the joy of the holiday. Traditional homemade holiday meals AND desserts bring a sense of nostalgia, comfort and belonging to those gathered together, a sense of HOME.
Gingerbread buttercream! Oh my!!! (See recipe below)
Looking back, the first time I ever gathered with Richard’s family at Christmas, their homemade holiday looked slightly different from what I experienced growing up. His grandmother made fresh coconut cake every single year as well as Ambrosia. Let’s just say, she loved coconut and fresh oranges for the homemade holidays.
Fresh oranges 🍊 an “old school” homemade holiday tradition. Oranges were a staple treat found inside Christmas stockings for many years. Fresh orange slices were always on the Christmas breakfast table at home. I always looked forward to Christmas breakfast with my family, featuring…fresh biscuits, country ham, and fresh orange slices
Besides the love of oranges, one other shared homemade food that Richard and I both enjoyed each Christmas, Sausage Balls. I still make them every year around the holidays to honor our combined family homemade holiday traditions.
Christmas mornings are made for these yummy treats! Benjamin now helps me make these each time as a tradition that we started many years ago when he was younger.
And let’s not forget about those great snacking foods and warm cozy drinks! Chex Party Mix takes me back to the Christmas memories of my parents making the mix in the kitchen, while my sister and I were busy eating the Chex Mix at the table as they finished it up. I also love the white chocolate version with M&M’s.
Whatever you may call this version of heavenly Chex Mix… Reindeer Food, Christmas Chex… it’s a definite keeper for Christmas (recipe below)Sipping on a hot mug of mulling spices, Russian Tea, or a cup of hot cocoa overflowing with melting marshmallows, all the while munching on a homemade holiday cookie, Christmas homemade holidays are definitely underway.
New memories can made each year around all these shared homemade meals or treats. Homemade holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas are the perfect opportunity to get back into the kitchen and celebrate the holiday with a bit of homemade goodness. And the opportunity for Christmas nostalgia reigns supreme as we reconnect with these special homemade holidays memories. Happy Homemade Holidays!
Essential ingredient for Gingerbread Buttercream (see below)
Gingerbread Buttercream
Recipe Ingredients (perfect for 13×9 cake pan) Please double recipe for a layer cake.
1/2 unsalted butter (softened)
2 1/2 c confectioners sugar
1/4 t ground ginger
1/8 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t ground cloves
1 t vanilla
1 T molasses
3 T maple syrup
2 T Heavy cream
Step by Step Process for success:
Place softened butter and sugar into mixer and beat until blended.
Add all other ingredients and beat on high for 3 minutes, stopping to scrape sides, blend until smooth, light, fluffy buttercream texture forms.
Icing cake after cooling down completely and enjoy!
Reindeer Food
Key ingredients: (add what you love, this what I put into my Reindeer Food)
Rice or corn Chex (one box)
Cheerios (half box)
Pretzels (half bag)
M&M’s (one bag or more of Christmas colors)
Confectioners Sugar
White Chocolate Chips (2 bags- melted)
Mix all ingredients together (excluding M&M’s) in a very large bowl while white chocolate chips are melting. Pour the mixture onto sheet pans covered with parchment paper (prevent sticking) and adding M&M’s into mixture. Pour melted white chocolate evenly over the cereal mixture, allow to cool. I melted my white chocolate chips in microwave in glass bowl and added a small amount of vegetable oil and stir well until melted. Sprinkle confectioners sugar over top of Reindeer Food.
Christmas is a fantastic time to watch an old movie…. Start a new homemade tradition with this recipe: Hearty Slumgullion Stew: From a recipe adapted from the Classic Christmas movie, It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)
2024 Hometown Holiday Season is underway! Light Up Downtown was a great way to begin the celebration
It’s time to unpack the Christmas tree decorations, if you haven’t done it already, and turn on your favorite Christmas music. The holiday season is here and it’s time to enjoy an evening of Christmas tree decorating. I must say, it’s a full on family affair and tradition that we all pitch in and help decorate the Christmas tree at our house.
It’s a joint effort with the tree being set up, lights strung onto the tree, and then the masterpiece of design begins. The Christmas tree decorations are put into place, we all place them onto the tree branches delicately, slowly filling in the gaps. The final end result, a heart full of love and joy of Christmas boasting within our home, a Christmas tree like no one else has or will have. The family Christmas tree. You can’t simply replicate that. It can’t be bought in a store… Christmas tree decorations are as unique as the owners themselves, handmade, customized to each individual family, and personalized. No Christmas tree is the same. What a wonderful thing!
I always enjoy the unpacking of ornaments. Our collection is definitely varied and unique. As the storage containers of ornaments makes it out of the closet, a peak inside reveals our stash of treasures of handmade ornaments. The collected ones, and those that represent fond memories of travels. I also love the ornaments that have been passed down through the generations through both of our families.
I must admit, it’s True Confession time: My very favorites are the handmade ornaments. My heart literally melts every time I take an ornament out that Benjamin made in preschool, or that he crafted with me. These special ones always seem to make it onto the Christmas tree every year no matter the size of our Christmas tree, big or small.
Each of these individual ornaments holds a special place in our hearts and minds. These special ornaments are crafting a unique handmade look to our family tree every year. Each ornament holding a special story or memory attached to it… one of the reasons what makes the Christmas season so special for all of us in the Searcy household. The handmade family Christmas tree.
Wilkes County Hardware is featuring its own handmade holiday Christmas tree this year! These beautiful ornaments are handmade and ready to add to your collection or would make a fantastic holiday present for someone special on your gift list this year. Thanks to Little Corner Pottery for these beautiful handmade ornaments. These are selling quickly!
As you begin to enjoy your Hometown Homemade Holidays in 2024, Ultimately, you might need to venture into the hardware store to pick up a new strand or two of lights, maybe even find an electric timer so your beautifully decorated Christmas tree turns on automatically, grab a new extension cord, or maybe even a power strip to connect all the lights and cords.
Stop by Wilkes County Hardware to pick up a Santa 🔑 Key. The Magic Santa Key only works ONE night a year, Christmas Eve. Leave this key out for Santa 🎅🏻.
But, have you ever thought about crafting your own Christmas magic? Handmade ornaments can be made with materials right inside your favorite hometown hardware store. Yes, we have the usual materials like green string, glue, tape, dowel rods, nuts, bolts, and washers… my question to you today…what unique materials could you use to craft a memorable ornament for your tree this year???
Maybe crafting isn’t your forte. That’s ok. We have your Santa gift list ready to go! Wilkes County Hardware features some of the finest local artisans from our local area. Nothing is better than the gift of handmade for the holidays. The gift of handmade is a special gift will be remembered year after year and can’t be found inside a big box store.
Handcrafted by Keegan Watson has been a local featured artisan inside Wilkes County Hardware for several years now. His award winning work has been featured in Our State Magazine.Often times customers ask, how do I use this piece??? Larger bowls make wonderful ways to display collections(see photo above), use in daily food prep, or anyway you need it!Local soap, shampoo and conditioner bars by Land of CanaanPottery pieces by Little Corner Pottery Shop along the featured ladder wall to find Little Corner pottery and Handcrafted by Keegan Watson. Handmade towels by The Vintage Home Studio Pottery by Blue Door Studio New artisan: Redeemed Rust, Christmas ornaments and magnets are flying out the door this year! These handmade dishcloths are routinely sold out! 2 for $5 We feature a local artist each season with our updated window art work each season! Thank you to Andrea Baldwin for keeping us festive all year long!!!A Handmade Holiday, A Christmas to REMEMBER!
November 1st hit me hard this year. October is a very, very busy month in our world… two festivals occur each year in Downtown North Wilkesboro. Apple Festival begins the month of October and Spooktacular concludes the month.
As I began to put the Halloween decorations away, it occurred to me that Light Up Downtown was 21 days away. Literally, as a downtown merchant we are moving from Halloween into Christmas season as quickly as possible 😬.
Always a fun time when Santa drops in for a visit!
Wow! So much prep work gets underway between each holiday season and festival… BUT that would require a different day and blog post!
My mind wandering, task in hand, Halloween decorations being packed away and beginning to think about the upcoming Christmas season ahead… Light Up Downtown North Wilkesboro marks the official beginning of our “Hometown Holidays” here in Wilkes. I began to reminisce about my personal experiences of Christmases past in our hometown.
Time flooded my memories… the ultimate focus, making memories with our son by recalling upon the Christmas experiences that we shared together here in our hometown.
All of these Christmas memories were a core holiday remembrance that I have coined as a “Hometown Holiday” Memory.
A visit with Santa at Talia
I can vividly recall taking “B” to Light Up Downtown to view all the lights in the Downtown corridor, seeing Santa at Talia, or even snacking on a homemade cookie as we wandered through the Christmas Open House at the old Wilkes Courthouse.
And it simply wasn’t a Hometown Holiday without heading down to Memorial Park to select a Christmas tree.
Our Hometown holiday experiences continued with The Annual Christmas parade sponsored by the Wilkes County Chamber of Commerce. The ultimate celebration of the parade each year, was the final view of Santa as he waved to all, boasting a joyful Merry Christmas !!!!
We always enjoyed the togetherness and loyally participated every year. We gathered with friends to enjoy the moments of Hometown Holidays that seemed to happened seamlessly every year. To those who put these events together, I say Thank You! The Christmas memories are precious and very special to not only my family, but to many families who participate in these local holiday celebrations and events every year!
Another part of Hometown Holidays: Christmas plays, and church on Christmas Eve
My personal reflections went even deeper. The Gifts we give at Christmas will often be forgotten years down the road, but these “Hometown Holidays” memories will stay with us and will be remembered always.
That thought put a bit a perspective into Hometown Holidays Season that is now upcoming for 2024. So my personal goal for this Christmas is to explore and experience new Christmas hometown holiday events.
All the Christmas lights are on! Light Up Downtown 2024
Will you also accept this opportunity??? What new memories will we all make this Christmas 2024 by experiencing something new in our hometown??? After all, Christmas is a special time with family and what could be better than by establishing new traditions and memories.
Looking at the list below, our hometown is full of opportunities for families to gather and create hometown Christmas traditions and memories. Christmas Memories are simply timeless treasures of the heart. Go make some new Hometown memories this holiday season!
I’m looking forward to new Hometown Holiday Memories, and a return trip to the Gingerbread Festival this year! Last year was our first time seeing the talent of all of our local gingerbread makers, and can’t wait to see what’s in store for this year!Coming Soon: Look for the next edition on the blog, Handmade for the Holidays.
What special hometown holidays events do you always look forward to each year???
Hometown Holiday Events in Wilkes at a Glance! (Definitely not a complete list but gets you started)
Light Up Downtown North Wilkesboro- November 22, 2024
Reindeer Games- Wilkes Playmakers December 5-8
Wilkes Literacy Gingerbread Festival- December 6-7, 2024 at The 1915 Event Venue
Christmas in the Commons- in Downtown Wilkesboro December 7, 2024 3:30-8pm
Holly Jolly Christmas Party- Wilkes Art Gallery- December 6th
Wilkes Chamber Singers- Performance of The 12 Days of Christmas – December 8th St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 3pm, Tuesday December 10th North Wilkesboro Presbyterian 7:30pm.
Community Lovefeast- Candlelight Service in the Moravian Tradition, North Wilkesboro Baptist Church Sunday December 8, 2024 7pm.
Sip and Shop Holiday Market- Wilkes Art Gallery December 9, 2024 5pm-6:30pm
Annual Holiday Market- Wilkes Art Gallery December 10-21
A Storybook Christmas Parade- Saturday December 7th 3pm
Wilkes Heritage Museum Christmas Open House- December 7th 10am-4pm
Christmas Carriage Rides-in Downtown North Wilkesboro December 5, 7, 19, 20,21
Santa And Mrs. Claus visits Tripp Mercantile- December 7, 20,21 (4-7pm) during carriage rides
Christmas at the Cross- Candlelight service at Faithfest Thursday December 12th 6pm.
Friends of the Library Holiday Book Sale- December 12 5-7pm, December 13-14 9am-5pm. 611 Cherry Street North Wilkesboro (buy one get one holiday books on Friday and Saturday!)
Santa at Liberty Theater and FREE movie-Polar Express Friday December 13 6pm. FREE movie runs from December 13-19, 2024.
Breakfast with Santa- Wilkes Playmakers Saturday December 14 9am-12pm
Santa at Dom’s Bakery- Saturday December 14th 2-4pm
Grand Ole Christmas Show- JAWC- December 19th 7:30 pm
Festival of Tables- Benton Hall Thursday December 19th, 2024 6pm.
Santa at Cook’s Sporting Goods-Saturday December 21, 2024 1-4pm
AND Don’t forget your memory making Annual shopping trips to Wilkes County Hardware for handmade Christmas gifts, stocking stuffers, picking up a Santa key for the kids, and warming by the stove.
The opening paragraphs are the same if you read the first blog in this series… but just wanted to share the beginning again with those who may have missed the last two blog posts in this series of Christmas memories.
When my son was much younger, he loved sprinkles. We literally put sprinkles on everything… cookies, ice cream, cupcakes… anything he deemed sprinkle worthy. I had a specific kitchen cabinet where the bounty of sprinkles were stashed away, ready for a quick, special treat. We had multiple flavors and colors to select from and it was such a joyful experience for him.
Christmas memories are very much the same way, a sprinkle of sweetness in our hearts and minds of a very special Christmas moment. These moments can be recreated by establishing traditions that are repeated year after year during the Christmas season… like the sprinkles of sweetness on top of a very special treat.
Sometimes as I am working inside our hardware store, I often see glimpses of these special Christmas memories from interactions with our customers, or stocking the shelves with products, and yes, even the endless search for new product offerings to bring to you, can create a sense of nostalgia of Christmas past. So here’s a small sprinkling of Christmas memories through my eyes as I wander through the hardware store… I hope you will enjoy this mini series of blog posts centered around on of the most wonderful times of the year, Christmas.
Christmas Eve
Last year, Christmas Eve, 2022, ranks in the top 5 of one of the hardest days as a hardware store owner. The extreme cold snap had caused tremendous damage to many of our customers homes.
Our neighbors tree came down in our driveway during that big cold snap last December 23, 2022. It was inches away from hitting Richard’s truck and B’s car. We were very lucky!
Frozen pipes were everywhere and the water issues that come with that… Power was out, and devastation was impacting our community. If I’m remembering correctly, Power outages were commonplace on Christmas Eve in some parts of the county.
Warming by the fire is always a sweet memory that our customers love to share…
Many of our employees were already spending time with their families, so Richard and I were left to deal with the day. Normally the overtones of Joy of the holiday season abounds on Christmas Eve. But the tone of our conversations with customers last Christmas Eve, was somber and often sobering… learning of the devastation that many were facing during the holiday. Gratitude and exhaustion set in by the end of that workday. Richard and I survived last Christmas Eve through the small smiles of our customers who found what they were searching for and the tired faces that thanked us for being there to help them.
Just ONE of the many items that was in popular demand last December during the extreme cold snap .
It took us both a long moment to readjust and reframe our mindset after we closed up for the day that last Christmas Eve in 2022. But that’s the thing about memories, some are absolutely beautiful and precious and some are very powerful. This one was powerful. I began to think about past, poignant, Christmas Eve memories from my childhood and adult life. Christmas Day memories are something of a blur because of the endless hours of play, joy, and pure excitement of the day. I don’t truly remember a specific toy or year that I received something extra special. Each year was special! But, THE EXPERIENCE and EXCITEMENT of Christmas Eve and build up to Christmas Day seems to fit perfectly! I hope that you will enjoy a few Christmas Eve memories I have selected for you in this blog post.
Christmas Eve Memories opening presents at Granny and Papa’s house every Christmas Eve!!!!
1. The Trip to Granny and Papa’s House… Christmas Eve was the day that was selected for my mom’s side of the family to gather together and celebrate Christmas. A traditional big family meal was always planned and of course, presents! As young children, the morning of Christmas Eve, absolutely was the longest day ever!!!! My sister and I looked forward to seeing our cousins and opening the FIRST Christmas presents on Christmas Eve at Granny and Papa’s House. I’m not really sure how Mom survived all those Christmas Eve days with us… the excitement bubbling over all day long, the building anticipation of Christmas Day, and preparing food for the holiday meals.
Mom was a pro, and she kept us busy every Christmas Eve. The day steadily progressed and before we knew it, we were loaded up into the car, gifts in tow, all giggles and smiles… our destination, Christmas Eve at Granny’s and Papa’s House. I think before Dad could turn the car off, we were both running around the house grabbing hugs, and kisses and then we were off to play before the feast of a meal was placed onto the kitchen table. Then it was finally time to gather around to say a prayer, eating a meal together prior to celebrating the occasion of Christmas with presents.
We would OR could hardly eat anything because the presents under the tree were simply too much to resist! As our parents wanted to linger in conversation after dinner, the quick reminder came from all of us kids, that it was time to open the 🎁 presents! Hearty laughter from throughout the kitchen could be heard and footsteps would be trod towards the fully lit Christmas tree in the front living room. It didn’t take long for the litter of the remnants of Christmas wrapping paper to be found across the floor… mostly by the kids in the family. We played with our new toys/gifts while the kitchen was cleaned, and the was car packed to leave. Everyone said their final goodbyes and Merry Christmas. Mom made final plans for breakfast at our house, (Granny and Papa, made it a special treat to visit each of us on Christmas Day, they had breakfast with us, then went to visit our cousins afterwards each Christmas morning).
My sister and I loaded up our enthusiastic little bodies back into the car to await Santa’s arrival. I’m not really sure how much sleep we actually got on those childhood Christmas Eve nights. I feel pretty confident that our parents were sleep deprived the next morning… but these Christmas Eve memories were joyful and some of the absolute best Christmas memories ever.
2. Christmas Eve Cookies for Santa, Reindeer Foodand the Santa Key
When Benjamin was little, we established the tradition of making Chocolate chip cookies each Christmas Eve before bedtime. B would put a few of the freshly baked cookies onto the Santa plate, ready for him to grab a snack as he was placing gifts from the North Pole, under our Christmas tree. Benjamin would always assist in making cookies, never wanting to alter the type of cookies, because Santa liked Chocolate Chip cookies the best!
After Santa’s cookies were made, we would turn our attention to his reindeer… And… Santa’s reindeer had to be fed! They must be starving by the time they arrived at our house!!! Carrots and celery were placed onto the plate next to the cookies and milk for Santa. Lastly, the Santa key had to be placed on the front door, hanging in view of Santa’s sleigh arrival. Sleepy slumber would soon follow and he was off to bed from the busy Christmas Eve activities.
A sweet little sprinkle of a Christmas Eve memory… the Santa Key
It was always so exciting each Christmas morning to see the “nubs” of the reindeer food that was left. Santa was always so kind, leaving a note to thank Benjamin for the cookies and reindeer food. That small little tradition created so much fun and excitement for B when he walked into the living room every Christmas morning, checking the empty Santa plate, FIRST, before moving to see what was under the Christmas tree.
Santa also had a “Santa Key” that we had to put out every Christmas Eve. Wilkes County Hardware has a tree full of Santa keys! Stop by and pick one up for your kids, or grandkids. It’s a sweet tradition to begin in 2023.
3. Christmas Eve Church
There’s absolutely nothing more powerful than a beautiful Christmas Eve service filled with music, and the celebration of the birth of Jesus. The joyful sounds of Christmas carols ushering in the reason for the Christmas celebration ending with a beautiful favorite, SilentNight.
The events of last Christmas Eve were heavy on the mind and in our hearts … the extremely cold temperatures, frozen pipes, busted water lines…. but as the Christmas Eve service began, the sadness of the day lifted and the joy of Christmas came to the forefront… “Silent Night, Holy Night…”
Everyone who attends Christmas Eve church brings an extra bit of joy, happiness and warmth into this special Christmas Eve service as they enter into church and leave with a glow of light and peace… “ Son of God, loves pure light… radiant beams from Thy holy face with the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth!”
Our family tradition of Christmas Eve church began many years ago when Benjamin was younger and involved in the children’s church Christmas play… held every Christmas Eve at the 6pm service. He loved to be one of the shepherds watching in the field during the play… “Silent night! Holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar, heav’nly hosts sing, “Alleluia! Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born!”
These nativity sets have been very popular this year at Wilkes County Hardware
As he grew older, his role changed as his responsibilities became more important as an acolyte. He served as an acolyte in the Christmas Eve late service, beginning at 10:30 pm. This Christmas Eve service became the traditional Christmas holiday service that we enjoyed the most.
B all ready for Easter service at church
Nothing is more beautiful than enjoying the extensive variety of Christmas music (especially the vocals, strings, brass), the message of the birth of Jesus, partaking in communion, and the service ending with the traditional candlelight vigil and concluding with Silent Night.
Each person in the church holding a single candle, sharing the light of the flame with each other… “Wondrous star, lend thy light; with the angels let us sing “Alleluia” to our King: “Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born.”
Make a sprinkling of new memories this Christmas Eve, star gazing, church, gather with family and friends
The sanctuary is darkened and initially only a few small candles are visible… the flame begins to slowly spread across the room… creating light. In a matter of a few moments, as the first few verses of Silent Night concludes, the glow of candlelight can be seen throughout the entire church. and the many Faces of the crowd are highlighted by the candlelight. The old, vintage, stained glass windows are illuminated by the mass of candlelight across the sanctuary… “All is calm , allis bright.”
As I conclude this series of Christmas memories on the blog, I would just like to leave you with one more thought. Christmas is a very special time of the year. Make the memories, all the other things will fade with time. Memories will last forever in your heart and soul. Merry Christmas Y’all!
Christmas Eve 2022Christmas Eve photos at Church… this one was from a few years ago but the laughter was a sweet sprinkling of a memory. Merry Christmas!
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The Hardware Life - A wife's journey into the hardware business 