Christmas 2014

Many years ago a Singles Group met at the Grace Congregational Church in Rutland, VT. We did things such as going through the Pittsford Haunted House and attending First Night events on New Year's Eve. Over a decade ago the group disbanded, but a few of us still get together for a holiday dinner out each December.

Here Mary is admiring a place mat Sue, in the background, quilted.

Part of the fun is a Yankee Swap. Each person brings a wrapped gift. We pick numbers to determine the order for picking a gift which the person opens and then decides if they want to keep it or exchange it with a previously opened gift. Since #1 has no previously opened gifts, at the end whoever has #1 gets to exchange with any gift. A popular gift often moves from person to person!

This Christmas tree had been super tall, but scraggly. By the time Griff and I had found the best shape, it was a short tree! This year the tree and village are under the living room window. These are the boxes I have saved from past years, laid out to be the foundation for the village.

Meanwhile, Ursula completed her project for Heritage Day at her school. During my visit to England and my first visit to France I had picked up cards that opened up to create old buildings. I used most of them in my classroom, but I still had 3, one of which was a double decker bus, but Ursula's puppy, Chase, ate that one...

 A local hardware store decided to stop selling Christmas village items and were selling the last of their miniature houses at a price I couldn't resist. I bought a boys' school and a mansion that could easily be a hotel so I also decided to retire my very plain looking Inn. I also picked up a few more people including one man walking his dog, a boy with a hoop and another pony. Griff says my village is my adult dollhouse. I think he's right...

Finishing the village was a birthday present to myself. The next morning Mary and I had breakfast (the least expensive meal to eat out) at the WhistleStop and exchanged our Christmas gifts.

Gregg, Sarah and Ursula arrived on Christmas Eve.

After dinner Ursula carefully laid out all the gifts. It made her feel better to see how big her pile was, but she still was angling to open a package or two.

I told Ursula how years ago I would send her dad his Christmas present at the very last minute because I knew that if he got it early, he wouldn't wait to open it. Instead, he usually got it late. She enjoyed that story enough to quit asking.

Gregg told Ursula how he and Griff would have to wait upstairs until both parents were up, dressed, and ready to go downstairs where the tree and presents were waiting.

I told Ursula that Gregg got a dinghy one Christmas. His dad and I had managed to get it into the house and into the living room. Gregg spent Christmas day sitting in that dinghy!

I asked Ursula if she knew where I had hidden the oars that went with the dinghy. It was a story she hadn't heard yet so I explained that I put them under his bed figuring he would never look there. They even stuck out a bit and for over a week he never noticed.

At long last Christmas arrived! (and as usual, my camera has the date wrong in the morning)

 Ursula spent hours playing her new electronic game while listening to music.

A lot less messy than past Christmases. There was even enough room on the floor for a new doggie bed that Chase realized was for him...

Griff is now called Uncle Ham Sandwich.

Griff first met Chase when Chase was a tiny puppy. Griff shared his ham sandwich with Chase and Chase has never forgotten. Whenever Griff is around, it's obvious that Chase adores him!  


The weather for Christmas was quite warm. Water started moving into the small silt pond and the waterfall into the bigger pond unfroze.

When I took this picture, I didn't notice that some of the cards had flipped over. I've taken a new picture, but until I have time to replace this one, you can see if the card you sent is here.


"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"