Decking the Halls

As the days grow shorter in daylight I seem to feel an urgency that I must get things done. Part is my own clock ticking away. But I think the majority of this feeling is triggered by the overwhelming commercial push to buy BUY BUY!! before the deadline of December 25.
Sigh. . .wait. . . Slow down. . . Breath!
Even though I feel rushed to have the house decorated for our Open house this weekend, I wanted to feel good about the winter season and the solstice coming up.

Here are some pictures for my German friends to enjoy. Our tree Tannenbaum is decorated with apples, gilded walnuts, Strohn Sterne (star stars),Morovian stars, and natural animals, fox/owl/hedgehogs and Candles. . .yes Candles, real ones.



When American's see these candles thier first reaction is Fear. They must think that we light them and walk away. No no no no. Even in Germany they don't do that.
We light them for about 15-30 minutes at a time and stay in the living room to enjoy it. Now there are regular tree lights on the tree as most American trees. But there is not an over abundance of them.







We have a small collection of items we have brought back from Germany that are very typical. All wood.




Over the years I have become enamoured with clear or glass looking items. Here are two displays of a Santa/reindeer then a picture of the ice castle.





The Globe Theater in London. (Shakespeare's theater).


Then there is the corner with my bit of humor in it. I just love these pigs/hippos/elephants.





Next set of photos will be the village. And the outside of house.