Christmas Friends

Tonight I am being tired from working on trimming shrubs.  Yep, it is the time of year to trim those evergreen shrubs.  Just in time to make about a half dozen arrangements with yew, cedar, holly and flaming bush stems.  A few years back I saw an example for making arrangements for outdoor planters and containers.  That has become yet another one of my holiday traditions.  And the outdoor arrangements will hold well into February.  Adds interest outside the windows during dreary winter days.

Another tradition we have is knocking on our neighborhood doors on Christmas morning with a gift of fresh homemade breads for breakfast.  It is wonderful to see the pleasure this little gift does to a neighbor that we only wave across the yard with the rest of the year.  Last year as we were leaving town a few days before Christmas, we made the "Christmas bread" deliveries early.  One neighbor that has been receiving these breads for about 12 or 15 years now had a gift for us, Christmas angels.

Tonight after coming in from doing the yard work, the Christmas angel neighbors showed up with a gift before Christmas.  This gift is a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.  I immediately set up the tree with the neighbor watching.  I had almost bought one for our guest bedroom.  Just for the fun of having yet one more room with Christmas cheer.

What a blessing it is to live in a neighborhood for 20 years.  To watch as children grow and mature into grown men and women.  To see neighbors as grandparents or like the Christmas angel neighbors, dressing as Mr. and Mrs Claus.  These two visit neighborhood children just to give a special treat.  Yes, I am blessed to have such wonderful Christmas Friends.