Christmas is not over yet!!

I have been reading about others saying that Christmas is over and they are taking their stuff down already. But I guess if the stuff goes up right after Thanksgiving, it has been up a month or more already. Or almost a month. In actuality, Christmas is NOT over. Today is actually Day 4 of the twelve days of Christmas. After the twelve days, then it is Epiphany which is observed on January 6th. Last year January 6 fell on a Sunday and we did an Epiphany pageant at church. Right now we are waiting for the Wise Men to visit the Baby Jesus. Epiphany is when we celebrate the Wise Men's visit to see Baby Jesus. So I am not ready to say Christmas is over because it is not. Not yet. I got another Angel for Christmas! I guess this is an Angel Christmas for me. This one above arrived in the mail yesterday from my husband's brother. The same brother who gave us the blue stained glass angel I had posted for a Blue Monday once. Notice this one is blue too. I just LOVE this angel. I am keeping it out all year. I can't stand the thought of putting this pretty angel away for the year until next Christmas. This beautiful nativity scene was on display at church on Christmas Eve. It is not out anymore. I noticed that when I went to the church last night to practice the organ for today's service. Isn't it gorgeous?

The church was also decorated with poinsettas. People donate them in memory of loved ones. It is posted in the bullentin who donated them and who they are in memory of for this year. They are displayed so nicely this year. Well, actually they are every year.

Here is the tree at church which is also still up. The tree is decorated with Chrismons. Some are made out of styrofoam and beads and gold foil. The women's group made them one year. Quite a few years ago. Okay a lot of years ago. They are still holding up well. The small round ones are cross stitched and in small embroidery hoops for frames. One year when we were adding those to the collection my daughter, my mother and I all helped to make a few of those. Each of the Chrismons have a meaning. One year we did a program where each one was described and what it meant as they were put on the tree. On this first Sunday after Christmas we are doing only one service of lessons and carols. So today as the organist I have lots of hymns to play. It will keep me hopping on the organ bench for sure. I spent over two hours practicing last night. And this morning we will get over there at least one hour early so I can warm up my fingers for the service. As soon as I finish this post, I will need to sign off and start getting ready to go. I made or rather my husband made copies of each of the hymns I will be playing. That way I don't have to be flipping through books. I will just arrange the copied hymns in order and go for it. Also today everyone is supposed to bring goodies to share after church. I am bringing mine in the pretty tree shaped dish. This was another gift from a secret sister in a previous year. I do remember who this one is from. If she is there I will have to show her I am using her gift. Here it is filled with the goodies I made. Yum yum yummy! This time I used Christmas colored M&M's for the centers. These are the same goodies I made for my co-workers that I posted about for Blue Monday last week. So Happy 4th day of Christmas!!

Three Or More Thursdays #7

I guess when you have three or more of something it is time to call it a collection. No wonder I seem to have so many collections. Makes me think of that song......darn I can't remember the title or the words to that song. Oh well. Well, here goes, my collections for today's Three or More Thursday. Thank you to Tam at The Gypsy Corner for hosting Three or More Thursdays.

First up is my tree collection. The one in the middle is made from wood. It was a gift to me one year from a secret pal when I was working for the school district. The school I was at did a secret sister thing most years. I have always loved this tree. The little bows have come off a couple of the packages. I should probably replace them with new bows since it really isn't that hard to do. I have just been lazy or forget to think about getting some really small bows when ever I am out. The other 2 trees are from Avon. I don't remember how come I ended up with two. I think both came from my mother-in-law. She gave me one, then maybe forgetting she gave me one already she gave me another one. Actually I don't remember if that is how it happened or not. But that is okay I like having two. I never use them for their intended purpose. The little holes on them are for toothpicks with either gumdrops or little cheese squares stuck on them. And the little bear and doll hold salt and pepper if you want. But I don't use them for that. I like to just display them somewhere every year. This is my first time to actually group them together like this.
My next collection is angels. These are Christmas angels. I have other angels one of which I have shown on here before, the blue stained glass one. This one is a Wildflower Angel-Narcissus for December. This was also given to me from a secret sister for my birthday one year. Boy, I am realizing I have gotten some nice things from the various secret sisters I have had over the years. The next two are from the House of Lloyd. The one above I got because her name is Sara and my daughter's name is Sara. I think I will have to turn this one over to her eventually. I may have given to her as a gift, but it is still in my Christmas things. So my sweet daughter, when you read this, is this one of the things I have given to you and I am supposed to eventually give it back to you? Along with the white dala horse and the blue Shirley Temple pitcher. Anything else? Oh and the boxes of the Ashton Drake Doll ornaments. These two bear angels are singing their hearts out for Christmas. I just love this one since I do have a bear collection too and that was why I had to buy it. It does say on the bottom that they are part of The Bearsley Family Collection and their names are Jeremiah and Penelope and that they were from House of Lloyd. This is the only thing I have from The Bearsley Family. Now I wish I had been able to get more. After all, they are bears. Thank you for visiting me today. Happy Holidays to everyone. I can't believe Christmas is only a week away. Aack! I need to get my kids stuff mailed. Like today!!