Treasures

We have a lifetime collection of Christmas ornaments and decorations, so box after box must be hauled down from the attic each December.  As John pushes them through the ceiling hole and I grab from below, I'd swear those tubs multiplied over the summer.  We both love Christmas, even though I grumble about the work and mess and he doesn't.  (Well, the work and mess doesn't affect him much.)  We live pretty modestly and quietly all the year, so maybe Christmas should be a bit excessive in this dark, dreary season in the Northwest.

When the house is finally decorated and I'm sitting in the beautifully cluttered living room, sometimes I wonder what I would keep, if I could only save a few things. Top on the list would be the white and gold Mexican nativity set I bought in Tijuana in the 1970's. I was poor, and it was a big splurge purchase at the time. That set has traveled across the country and been packed and unpacked for almost 40 Christmases, and not one piece is chipped or missing.  It is very precious to me.

This sweet little plaster set is even older, and I remember it from when I was Nova's age on our farm in Pennsylvania. There were once more animals and figures, but isn't it kind of a miracle that the major players are the only ones that survived? It looks like the family set Dan and Becky display at their condo in Mexico.  You can see a picture on their Casa de Terrible blog photo stream.

And there's our Grandma's celluloid German Santa. He's light as a feather and delicate as an eggshell, yet here he is, still hanging out In Seattle, 70 years later.  I call that longevity.

And Amanda's wooden Pinocchio, bought in Venice when she was even younger than Nova.  He gets packed away in the Christmas box every year, and he looks like new.

Speaking of new, I bought this guy a couple years ago at a sale.  Last year when she was two, Nova did not like him, and would not even look in his direction.  We'll see what she thinks this time around. (I think a bit of shock and awe is a good thing at Christmastime.)

Oh, yes.  Remember the fairy garden?  The planter is still sitting outside the back door, but the fairies and all their stuff have gone in for the winter.  The garden has fallen into neglect, John was saying it looked kind of "sad."  But when everyone comes next week, I thought I'd decorate it for the holidays with this inexpensive nativity set I found at Bartell's.  Sixty years from now, maybe Nova and Maya will be remembering Christmas at Nana and Grandpas house, too.