Across the Fence

Each and every year, when I have set up the Christmas tree, I also arrange our nativity scene in a special place where it gets its well-deserved visibility. My husband once bought it way before we even met – it is a classical mud people nativity scene from Spain. At first, I had to get […]

There have been years when I didn’t set up a Christmas tree because I was a single and didn’t think the effort worthwhile. As soon as I was married that changed again. And our Christmas tree features the magic of all our past Christmases as grown-ups, embodied by ornaments that were crafted or purchased year […]

Kids are almost bursting with anticipation these days. Adults do rarely – our lightheartedness has often been taken over by stress and anxiety as to how the holidays will pass. Pass, indeed, not be enjoyed. There are so many aspects of what we fear – imperfection of the setting, imperfection of human relationships, imperfection of […]

Are you checking off your lists again? Does your home look perfect for receiving your Christmas guests? Is the schedule for the upcoming holidays watertight? Will everybody have fun-stuff to do? Is the wine cellar filled, and will the food on the table be sufficient? Ah, what is sufficient?! I have stopped going to the […]

Christmas is connected to angels from its very beginning. Angels are considered to be harbingers of God, creatures of light, and are most often imagined to have wings and halos. They pervade sacred art from cute little cherubs of very human toddler quality to the awe-inspiring and forbidding guardians of Paradise. But often we also […]

Are you feeling stressed out because there is still so much to do till Christmas and so little time to do it? Cut yourself some slack and make coziness part of your daily schedule. Switch off your phone, stop checking for emails or messages – these are just stress factors that don’t get anything done […]

One of my favorite things to do in winter is star gazing – provided the sky is not clouded, of course. You can turn star gazing into an actual evening event. There are websites that tell you which constellations are to be seen in the night skies. Now, dress yourself warmly, get yourself a hot […]

Do you have a little time on your hands and don’t feel like reading or watching TV? Do something creative and start crafting! You could work on some table decoration for your Christmas dinner. Or you could come up with a new ornament for your tree or evergreen branches. You might even find that there […]