Christmas Secrets and Some Christmas Fun

Yes, Christmas is drawing near and it's a time for secrets. If all of you promise not to tell, I'll let you in on some of the secrets that I've been cooking up, but you must promise to keep your lips sealed. Of course you are all good at keeping Christmas secrets, so here goes:

Yesterday hubby and I took Mom to Micheals. Mom had mentioned on Saturday night that she was feeling a little lonely. Though she keeps busy, I'm sure that loneliness sets in once in a while because she lives alone. I do call her every night before I go to bed, but I'm sure there's times when the day is long. Sometimes I talk to her two or three times a day, just to be sure that she is doing okay.

We don't usually shop on Sunday, but I thought Micheals would be a nice treat for Mom. She loves that store and is a very crafty person. I'm not so much, but every once in a while I like to make something for somebody. This time I decided to make something for my daughter and her family.

Micheals was packed when we got there about 2:30 pm. However, as we looked around, the people starting dwindling. That was okay by me since I don't like crowds very much. Crowds will make my Christmas spirit fly out the window faster than anything else and so I try to always avoid them. I usually have all of my shopping done early and only go to the stores to see the Christmas decorations at this time of year.

But I'm getting off track. We looked around the store and saw many lovely Christmas decorations as well as the supplies needed to make them. I was looking for nativity supplies, as I thought I might like to make a nativity set. But alas, there was nothing. Then I spotted these lovely birch bark Santas. They have a base, but the beard, hair and eyebrows are made from birch bark. Being a lover of nature, they tickled my fancy. Then I saw the pine brooms. Being a lover of these vintage looking brooms, I decided I would make something with the brooms and the Santas. Here is the finished product.

It was hard to get a good photo of this, so here are some closeups. First, the birch bark Santa.

Then the berries and the holly that I placed strategically on the handle slightly above Santa.

And finally, the last finishing touch - silver bells and pine near the top.

The photos do not do it justice, but you get the general idea. I enjoyed playing around and creating a little something to give to the boys and their parents that was made with love by Grandma. In fact, I think I will print a label and attach it to the back, so someday they can treasure it. I made one identical for myself and one day the boys can have it too, so there will be one for each of them.

Being a little crafty got me into the Christmas spirit. We aren't giving much to the boys this year, as we are taking them to Florida. However, they needed a little something to open on Christmas Day. Most of the gifts we got them will be going in a large Disney World bag and they will be opened while we're traveling. I really want to keep the boys occupied while we're driving because if they get bored, they will drive us insane. LOL So, I wrapped the boys gifts that they will be receiving on the 25th. I am not quite finished, as I still have to add the ribbon and all the fancy things I place on their packages to make them look nice.

Now that you all know my Christmas secrets, there is one more portion to this post. I want you to guess what are in the boys packages. The person that comes the closest to getting the right answer will win a copy of the book, Loving the Children from the Guideposts series, Listening to the Animals. My story The Old Red Barn is in the book and Renie Burghardt's story Chicken Dreams Can Come True is also featured. If the winner would like, I will autograph the book for them. So let's have some fun and see if you can guess what is in these packages. The fun will stop on Wednesday night at midnight EST - my time and I will divulge what is in the package and who the winner is on Thursday. Remember to think boys.