HOME at CHRISTMAS ( includes grandmother's shortbread recipe)

"For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas ,when its mighty Founder was a child himself..." 

                                                                                -Charles Dickens  "A Christmas Carol)

"Christmas is the celebration of the keeping of a promise. A saving promise...."

                                                                              -Michael Card

My favourite fabric to work with, especially for Christmas , is blingy sari fabric, beads trims, stars, reusing  what I've found at thrift stores, or online.  I rip them apart ,and repurpose every part , into shiny "new" things, draping here and there....there and here....

I also love vintage pixies...I've collected oodles of them. About 60 or so ( sigh, they are everywhere at Christmas...naughty things like to swing from light fixtures) They also like to sing  "Silent Night", using my mother's mini carol book from 1950. Pixies usually sing off key, by the way......

"The magical dust of Christmas glittered on the cheeks of humanity ever so briefly, reminding us of what is worth having, and what we were intended to be...." -Max Lucado

"Much of the beauty of Christmas lies in its challenge to look further, deeper, until we find its secret in the heart of God......" -Dale Evans

"It is Christmas , every time you let God love others thru you..." -Mother Teresa

"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to  you not as the world gives. Don't be troubled or afraid...." -John 14:27

"Merry Christmas. Nollaig Shona Dhuit (Irish), Eftihismena Christougenna 

( Greece), Zalig Kerstfeest (Dutch speaking countries), Sretan Bozic (Croatian)...." 

                                  "The ancient dream. A cold clear night......." -Lucinda Franks

Grandmother's BIG PAN of SHORTBREAD

2 cups butter ( can use plant butter these days!), 1 cup icing sugar

3 ½ cups flour, ½ cup cornstarch

Blend all together. Press into parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake about 20 minutes at 325 degrees (check and add time as needed). When done, take out of oven, slice the warm dough into squares or rectangles. Let cool completely. Drizzle with dark and white chocolate. Package up in little clear bags for yummy treats.

 My mother used to keep shortbread in a large glass jar she'd powder with icing sugar. Her shortbread was covered with  silver dragees and candied peel, stuffed into the tops. I used to sneak shortbread out at midnight, scrape off the dragees and peel, then gobble them one by one .....every  night  for a week. She always knew it was me. Cause I'd drop the yukky toppings to the bottom of the jar.......

"The time draws near.....the moon is hid; the night is still; Christmas bells from hill to hill; Answer each other in the mist...." -Tennyson

"The week before Christmas ....was the moment for carol singing..." -Laurie Lee

2024 Photographs