Cozy Nooks and Christmas Books

Have a cup of cheer!

Obviously the best thing to do in midwinter is to find a cozy nook and read a good book. 

The girls had their last day of school before winter break on the 20th, so we're about to do a whole lot more of that.

So far, though, we've found some moments to revisit our favorite traditions and create merriment.

Part One: Children Laughing, People Passing

During the annual Placerville Christmas parade downtown, we gathered with friends and family in front of the Bookery. I was technically working with Darin that day, which made it convenient to watch the parade too! There had been a strong chance of rain, but the sun came out about an hour before the parade came down the road. I think for that reason, it was less crowded than usual, and just about perfect as far as I'm concerned.

The girls took their chance to get cozy in the kids' section at Bookery and read for a good long time. I love how comfortable they are here. They are growing up in a bookstore just like I always hoped. I have so much to be grateful for this season, seriously.

Part Two: Deck the Halls

It has been a rushed holiday season since Thanksgiving came so late this year. We were in a hurry to get our tree and had to decorate the next day. Tootie is always my best tree trimming partner.

These next five little ornaments represented all the five kids in my family as we were growing up.  It went like this:

Addie = angel

Heather (me) = stocking

Matt = snowman

Mikie = Santa

Joey = cherub

Tootie gave them characteristics as we hung them on the tree. This was her litany. 

Addie: Magic and happy. Heather: Kindness and Smartness. Matt: Adventurous and Good-hearted. Mikie: Funny and energetic. Joey: Fun and loving. (I wrote it down while she chanted it out.)

A few other favorite decorations. I just got this snowglobe this year and I love it. 

I made the welcome sign when I was pregnant with Polly, for my "winter burrow" baby shower, and I use it pretty much every year. It had a second part that said "BABY." And even though I obviously don't use that banner anymore, it still reminds me of a Christmastime (2013) when I had one beautiful one year old and one beautiful huge belly with a baby inside!

Part Three: Don we now our gay apparel.

In December, I pretty much enjoy being festively attired all month long.

I liked my outfit on parade day. I think big billowy roses should come into play more often during the holidays. Also, my favorite color scheme for Christmas this year has been red-pink-turquoise.

But mostly I wore my Bookery apron.

Darin thinks it is hilarious when I want outfit shots so he took this close up to tease me. But I actually like it because it captures what I love about the outfit! The colors and the flounce!

We all wore velvet to Polly's kindergarten winter performance on the 19th. She was so proud and adorable up there!

 

Without planning to, our two kindergarten stars Polly and Scout both wore evergreen long sleeved dresses and were so excited to "match." 

And then it turned out that Lucy also matched (by accident) with her adorable best friend, Lauren.

Their deep red velvet dresses were making me jealous. ;)

Here is Lucy's solstice outfit. My mom thrifted her the dress, which we are calling her "Meet me in St. Louis dress." 

This was my solstice dress, a vintage one Emily gave me years ago, and I'm posing in front of a moon painting that Darin gifted me for Winter Solstice, made by our amazing artist friend, Loren Christofferson.

Whenever we bake in December, of course we all wear our Christmas aprons. We made our Christmas sugar cookies early in the month, and had plenty of time to frost and decorate the extras! One of our favorite holiday traditions, and the girls have gotten really good at it.

Darin and I also donned festive outfits for the Bookery Christmas party that Nancy and Celia always host. A rare date night for us, my mom came to babysit the girls and snapped this picture of us.

But most of all, what I love to wear all December long are my festive flannel nightgowns.

In fact, we all love our Christmas jammies around here.

The kids even got to wear their jammies to school on the last Friday before our winter break.

Part Four: There'll Be Parties for Hosting

That same day, the last Friday of school, my mom hosted her annual kid-cousins Christmas party. She had crafts for them to do and lots of treats. The kids strung up dried citrus to make pretty natural garlands, and they each decorated a gingerbread house made of graham crackers. She even had little gifts for them. 

They had so much fun!

I love love love all my mom's vintage Christmas decorations. Her little cottage is always warm and cozy and inviting.

As for parties, we also hosted a small bonfire party on Solstice eve. By lantern light, I read everyone my new favorite book, The Shortest Day, which has the most incredible illustrations by Carson Ellis that take my breath away. 

My favorite thing about Solstice night is letting the kids run wild outside with lanterns. Link and Lucy pushed each other on the swing and went for wild rides through the sky in the darkness. I was happy to witness to their sparkling flight.

Lucy and Polly made snowflakes and hung them to decorate the night before. 

I still haven't fully incorporated the level of ritual I seek for Solstice, but our bonfire is always a wonderfully cozy and uplifting gathering. I am taking inspiration from all corners for next year's celebration. The girls and I talked a lot about why we celebrate the Solstice, and I think that the connection between the reborn Sun and the baby Jesus has become clear to them. I feel more richly full with the spirit of celebration this time of year when I attempt to make connection with our ancestors. 

 Part Five: Where the Love Light Gleams

Reading books and getting cozy is the very best midwinter activity. I usually like to show some of our favorite holiday books, so I'll add a few more this year. 

This is an advent book I ordered online because I could tell we were going to love it, and we did. 

Each day has either a song, activity, or story, and the pictures are so cute. 

Here is a fun old book we discovered this year with some cassette tapes from my childhood. The colors in these illustrations make me happy.

A new one I've gotten a hold of this year that I want to read to the girls. 

It's really fun having a true reader in the house this Christmas. She can read to her sister, read to me, cuddle up and read for hours with almost any book. In addition to reading Christmas books, she's starting the Series of Unfortunate Events and reading Harry Potter with daddy.

Here is another lovely book we fell in love with this year. My girls have been really into the nutcracker story, Clara and the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Mouse King and all of it!

Part Six: God Rest Ye Merry Kitty Cats

What would the coziest midwinter season be without cats curled up everywhere.

Even in the doll's cradle. All is right with the world.

From our home to yours, I wish you all the joy and exuberance of the solstice revels, and all the peace and quiet of the Silent Night. My Christmas wish for anyone reading this is a healthy body and a happy heart.