O Little Town of Bethlehem December 20, 2011
Posted by nrhatch in Art & Photography, Gratitude, Home & Garden.trackback
Years ago, we hosted an Open House each year during the holidays for friends, family, co-workers, and the occasional random acquaintance.
One year, my best friend’s father attended and gave me the little red Santa as a hostess gift. Always happy to add another Santa to my growing collection, I thanked him for the kind gesture.
A few days later, while moving the gift from Point A to Point B, I turned it over and noticed an inscription on the bottom ~ My First Santa, by E Dix.
As the words sunk in, I realized he had hand-carved the Santa just for me!
A more profuse and effusive “THANK YOU!!!” followed the discovery.
O Little Town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight
Another Christmas craft idea ~ use paint, markers, crayons, or colored pencils to create a “Shaker” tree standing in a spool of thread with simple hearts and stars dangling from its branches.
May you delight in the light and love so evident at this festive time of year.
For a darling Christmas poem (written from a child’s perspective) . . . check out The Longest Wait on Fantasy Fic.
For a darling Christmas poem (written from a parent’s perspective) . . . check out ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas on Write Up My Life.
Nancy, I love handmade gifts and ornaments! They help us stay connected to our memories of people and places that have passed through our lives.
They’re my favorite! Great reminders of wonderful times. 😀
Oh, this would have surprised me as well. It isn’t often we are given something so pretty and.. handmade! How precious it must be,now that you know!
He carved birds as a hobby, winning awards and ribbons for the detail . . . this is the first (and last!) Santa he ever carved. 😀
[…] O Little Town of Bethlehem (Spirit Ligths the Way […]
What a generous and heartwarming gift! And it’s exquisite!
I agree . . . one of the nicest “hostess gifts” ever!
What a lovely gift, given by a modest man. It makes me smile…inside.
Thanks for the mention of my poem on this blog. Much appreciated 🙂
You’re welcome. Your poem is darling . . . definitely reminded me of the interminable wait for Christmas as a child.
I must know the story of the zebra. Is it also a Christmas carving, or does it live there year-round?
The Santa is so cute. A very talented friend.
The Zebra is a year round visitor, along with several others (a coffee drinking zebra, a “hippo-zebra,” a fishing zebra, a Mexican burro-zebra, and lots of photos and paintings of zebras . . . laughing, reflecting, grazing).
Zebras rock!
Oooh, might try that Christmas craft idea with the kids!
It’s EASY and FUN . . . using shapes that they are used to creating ~ hearts and stars. And the results are darling.
Wow, what a nice gesture from your friend. I look forward to your Holiday stories. 🙂
Thanks, Marie. It’s been FUN sharing them.
Carved birds occupied the majority of time he carved out for his hobby . . . so receiving a Santa was a real treat.
A hand carved Santa – what an amazing gift.
A very special treat.
Hope you’re enjoying your yuletide snowfall in Provence, EB. Blizzards in the mid-west and Texas have brought traffic to a standstill in many places.
And they’re running out of rooms “at the Inn.” 😉
A hand carved Santa, what a lovely gift!
Boas Festas e Feliz Natal!
PiP
Thanks, PiP! Feliz Natal!
What a Christmas gift…a hand carved anything! Glad you noticed the signature in time to be “more profuse and effusive”!
Same here, Amy. How awful if the lightbulb hadn’t gone off within a few days of the party.
How cool to find out he carved it (usually we look on the underside of a gift and see ‘made in China’). Okay, I’m exaggerating a little, but still it must be a sweet feeling to know you have a true one-of-a-kind!
Hand-crafted items are my favorite . . . especially when I know the artist made it with me in mind.
Those “Made in China” stickers are rather ubiquitous . . . I wonder if they say “Made in China” on the back? 😛
That is just so sweet, Nancy 🙂
A delightful surprise. 😀
The very best kind of gift
I agree. Giving and receiving hand-crafted items extends holiday warmth past the parameters of the year.
Thanks for sharing my post Nancy!
The Longest Wait really made me laugh. Do you remember those old clock radios where the numbers actually flipped? My brother and I used to wake up at 3 in the morning and just watch those numbers move for 3 hours (we weren’t allowed to go downstairs until 6). Oh the agony of waiting! 🙂
Yes! We had one of those in our room and we also had a “curfew” in effect until at least 6 am on Christmas. I ALWAYS woke up too early to go downstairs and get my stocking.
“May you delight in the light and love so evident at this festive time of year.”
Amen to that and the gorgeous hand made Santa in your collection. 🙂
Until she read this post, my sister didn’t know/remember that I had a hand-carved Santa from E. Dix . . . she’s coming tonight to drop off my nieces.
I’ll have to keep an eye on the little guy! 😉