Merry-Making with Maya

I may have been a little overly optimistic about a post a day. No matter, here we go with the next one. A few scenes from Maya's first Christmas and other seasonal festivities.

First, we took her tree hunting. After wandering down a number of rows, we found a contender. Papa and Maya tried it on for size.

Then Maya watched (or didn't) while Mama wielded the saw.

Back at home, I hauled the Christmas bin up from the basement and got to work. After several days of a bit here and there, during naps and after bedtime, the tree was trimmed, the stockings were hung, lights twinkled inside and out, and the scent of evergreen filled the house. I do love December and  the decorating that goes along with it. I was glad to have the process fairly streamlined by now, though, because there wasn't much extra time for puttering this year!

With the house feeling festive, it was time to welcome friends and neighbors for what has become an annual December potluck and cookie-decorating party. Fire burning, candles flickering, soup on the stove, lots of coats and boots piled up by the door...just the right kind of simple and cozy.

Maya was thrilled to have playtime with Katie and Leah, the two little (big) girls who live down the street.

We've done the cookie-decorating enough times now that that's fairly streamlined, too - the gingerbread cutouts and bowls of icing, the various sprinkles that I keep in the uppermost cupboard and get out just for this, year after year. We skipped making the gingerbread house pieces to simplify things, but we did have a box of graham crackers on hand for anyone who wanted to work in three dimensions. Sure enough, the masterpiece of the night was this chalet by our friend Sue (with front steps contributed by Michelle, a gumdrop resident made by Kristen, and even a garage, not pictured, assembled by Dave).

To my dismay, our snow all melted and, by Christmas Eve, rain was falling on the bare ground. We had a quiet night at home with just the three of us, although we ventured out to the State Theater for an interfaith service that was packed to overflowing with hundreds of people seeking meaning for the season. So, not so quiet after all, until we came home, put Maya to bed, and Nick and I made dinner and listened to the rain fall.

Then it was Christmas morning and time for Maya's first encounter with her stocking. Thanks to Grandma Marla for knitting her a special one, and to Grandpa Bill for fixing up this sweet little rocking chair (which was mine when I was small enough to sit in it)!

Later that day, we loaded up the car and headed to Petoskey to spend the evening with my parents and Jeff and Courtney. This little Christmas elf had a delightful time high-fiving everyone and scootering the slippery packages around the room. (Did I mention she started crawling in early December?)

Then Christmas was over, but the fiesta was just beginning. On the 26th, Ursula, Christina, and Jason arrived from Wisconsin. The lack of snow meant most of our usual outdoor winter activities were out, but we filled the days just the same, with everything from movies and board games to playing racquetball, climbing trees, and making a Spotted Dick pudding. We finally got a group photo just before they departed on New Year's Day.

Five-sixths of the crew. (Uncle Jason was loading the car and managed to avoid the camera.)

A rare full-family photo.

More Christmas photos and other wintry fun here in this album.