337 The tree must go up!

 This is the beginning!  The tree is up and nearly decorated.  Eliot's bone is hanging on the mantelpiece waiting for Santa and the Advent boxes are being opened ... 

Favourite ornaments are unwrapped and find new positions ... the decorative and Christian in a happy mix with the seasonal and pagan ... 

 You'll not be surprised to find a turtle or two (or more) hanging from the branches ...  and there are four of these little robins if you look carefully. 

The real candles are lit only for short periods of time and are watched carefully.  They do give a wonderful natural glow that the fairy lights don't. 

Home made ornaments take their place among the expensive ones from Harrods or Amsterdam and the cheap ones from bargain shops... each has a place and most have a memory.  This little mill house was one of the earliest made by my niece and nephew and it, with a matching other one, always take pride of place on the tree.

There's something about the links to other Christmas celebrations that enriches each new one.  The memory bank grows and as the tree groans under the weight of ornaments it holds the history in full view during the holiday season.  

It's been a long time since I've had a "real" tree.  That was possible when I had much larger living rooms and there was space for a huge tree.  This artificial one has been around for a while now and seems to have survived for another year.  The branches have a little more candle wax on them, the shape is "interesting" but it has one big advantage - it is narrow!  The disadvantage is that it is no longer big enough for all the decorations!

In between bits of work this morning I made a quick dash to the Christmas Continental Market - to get coffee!  Can you believe that I'd allowed myself to run out of coffee?

 Jimmy Bean's was my goal and I'm now stocked up on "Blue Espresso" beans.  He was also serving a very acceptable blend today as well so I wandered around with a warming drink... and it was bitterly cold today.  No fresh snow but a biting wind. 

 The colours of the Peruvian goods brightens up even the dullest day ...

 ... but I didn't linger long there.  And was only adventurous enough to have a Kangaroo burger for lunch.  That too (with the chilli and garlic sauce that I added) was also a warming bite!  The young guy on the stand says that he gets his photograph taken hundreds of times in the day.  

It was fun to be spotted by my sister and her husband as I headed back to the car.  Telepathy works ... we'd both parked in the same multi-storey!  Good to catch up on "family gossip"!  In a city the size of Belfast what are the chances of two sisters bumping into each other when neither knows that the other even plans to be in the city centre?  Same place ... same time ... it's a bit odd, if you ask me!

So that's the first week of Advent just about over.  One last look (for today) at the tree with this paper folded angel - she's made from old music books ... very fine paper folded in a fan and stuck to a wooden head.  Very simple and beautiful.  

Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe,

eternal creator of light and darkness.

In this season of Advent,

when the sun's light is swallowed up

by the growing darkness of the night,

you renew your promise to reveal among us

the splendour of your glory,

made flesh and visible to us in Jesus Christ your Son/

Through the prophets

you teach us to hope for his reign of peace.

Through the outpouring of his Spirit,

you open our blindness to the glory of his presence.

Strengthen us in our weakness;

support us in our stumbling efforts to do your will,

and free our tongues to sing your praise.

For to you all honour and blessing are due,

now and for ever.  Amen. 

The Promise of His Glory

from Praise God in Song