Christmas 2010 begins

Finally, the day is here. Let the games fun begin: Today is the official opening of Christmas season 2010. At least in my books. According to tradition, Christmas decorating in Germany does not begin until after the last Sunday before Advent. The first of Advent, i.e. the first of the four Sundays before Christmas Day, is next weekend. I had been aching to get my Chrimbo decorations down from the attic, but had to wait until Mr Craft-Werk was ready to face my annual Christmas marathon. Truth is - I just love Christmas. Always have, always will. Even if others think it is phoney or overly commercialised these days. For me it is still the family celebration it was in my childhood. And I insist on giving my children the same experience of the magical time up until and on Christmas - even though I live in a country now that boasts little if any great Christmas traditions. No matter. Christmas is firmly German in our household.

Nonetheless, life is about those little compromises. And if Mr Craft-Werk doesn't care much for the occasion, I will at least not subject him to it full-on. So I started off quite lightly today and so far have only decorated a bit in the drawing room. My most coveted item of Christmas decorations is up first - the nativity - and gets centre-stage on the drawing room mantle.

While I was rooting for the nativity and stockings it occurred to me that it was a real shame that I would have to go through the boxes again once I am ready to decorate the tree shortly before Christmas. But then I thought, why not organise that now - and make the best of it by keeping my collection of baubles at hand and also display them.

Out they came out of their boxes. I simply filled them in a large glass bowl.

Some of the baubles are cheap red glass balls. The purple ones I picked up really cheaply this January in the sales. And the silver ones are antique. They came to me from my grandmother (who is now 92). According to family lore, they were bought when my grandmother was born in 1918.


So there is a bit of glamour in the drawing room now, but really just a handy way of storing the baubles in an easily accessible place until I dig them out to put on the tree.

With half the drawing room under my belt, I look forward to starting on the kitchen now. How far have you come??

Best,