"These are a few of my favorite things...

Of course top billing goes to my dog Miles! Doesn't he look positively thrilled!


This makes me happy. I think that reindeer are amazing creatures. I just read recently that they can travel over 200 miles in 24 hours without stopping for water or food. Feel free to take this reindeer quiz. I'm so fond of my reindeer that here is another picture of her. Someone just told me that female reindeer have antlers in the winter and male reindeer in the summer but I haven't had time to check and see if that's true.



Here is a photo of a few of the reindeer displayed in a yard in my neighborhood. I didn't take a picture of Santa in his sleigh because the reindeer are so cool that I hardly notice him.


Another aspect of Christmas that I really like are the lights. Granted some could adopt the "less is more" attitude, but in general they literally brighten up the long, dark nights. I particularly like blue lights.




Here's a question for the musically inclined. Do the blurry blue lights remind you of anything? If you're not sure click on the photo below to make it larger and I think that you will see what I see.


I even like lights when they are covered with snow.






Here are some of my favorite Christmas ornaments. I bought a number of these wooden angels during my first trip abroad back in 1980.






These two ornaments I bought on the NWPR musical Mozart tour a few years ago. The green glass ball is from Praque and the blue star was bought at the Kriskindlmarkt in Vienna right in front of City Hall.





This is one of my all-time favorite Christmas ornaments. I realize that it is just a cheap piece of plastic but as a child these were magical! I was fascinated by the bells, santas and snowmen "captured" inside the bright, glittering balls. The colors have faded over the years but the magic has not; hanging them on the tree is still a thrill for me.

















When I hear the word "crafts" I generally start to feel faint, nauseous and disoriented but I confess to making dough reindeer one year with my mom. I think that they are really cute!



Spritz cookies!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah!!!!!!! I love to look at them and I love to eat them....I just don't like making them. In fact, I have NEVER made a spritz cookie in my life in spite of the fact that they are delightfully delicious.



Something happened to our family Nativity scene and it had to be thrown away but I always thought that it was an especially nice one, primarily because the stable was made of real wood. One year my mom purchased this one for me. It's not quite as nice as our old one but I still enjoy taking it out and putting it up every year.



Check out this picture I hang on the wall behind my tree. I found an old card that I made for my parents, a note to Santa and a note from Santa and taped them to a board with some wrapping paper on it. Another attempt at crafting! Frankly, this deer picture was the highlight of my artistic career.



What are some of your favorite things about the holidays?