Light of the Season! The Celebrations of December

Merry Christmas! 

Today is Christmas, and I hope you all, who are celebrating this day, are celebrating in peace and joy!

For this post, I will begin at the beginning! (Of December, that is.)

First off,  one of my top 5 Christmas Songs!!!  It was originally written for Frank Sinatra who first recorded it in 1954, as a "B" side to a cover of "White Christmas." This recording is from just a few years ago, but I seem to love every version!

A few days after thanksgiving my cousin Allie came over for dinner, and decorating! We also looked through my albums of Christmas cards and photos, and reminisced about the holidays of yore! What a lovely evening!

Allie helping with the beads on my little bird and butterfly tree. LOVE beads on a tree!

My mom, for years, had been wanting to have a mother daughter gathering for our old friends from Ventura, where I grew up. The moms still get together, and a few of us girls, but many of us don't and certainly not all together at once! These are all ladies that have known each other for 40 years!

Here, a few of the daughters, who are now older than the mothers were, when they all met!

It was such a lovely afternoon, in Ojai. I stayed up there through my birthday and did some celebrating, in Ojai and Ventura style!

Bonnie Lu's for my birthday pumpkin pancakes!

Then, Indian food in Ventura with my high school friends ...

In making a wish, great focus is necessary!

And then two different nights out in Los Angeles, for Italian food! I might have gotten a bit carried away this year. I mean, carb coma is to be expected, but two nights in a row of tiramisu?  

And wine, of course ...

One of the lovely ladies from my pastel group had a holiday party for us at her beautiful home ...

And a few of us at my work, The Wizard of Art, were invited for a night of Hanukkah, by Anna (one of my amazing students I've known for 6 years!) and her very cool mom Carol.

Anna, Audrey and Mekenzie

It was my first time at a Hanukkah dinner and it was so special spending it with my Wizard girls!  I do think I ate at least a half dozen crispy latkes, with applesauce and sour cream. Yum!

My first Hanukkah present ... this beautiful hand crocheted necklace! Love!

And at the Wizard, there was definitely some Christmas spirit, among the kids!

Lorelei with her Rudolph and Clarice acrylic painting!

Marielle and her watercolor of Santa with Woodland Creatures ...

And Ava, with her pastel of Hot Cocoa and Christmas Cookies! (Note the size ratio of Ava and the paper! So Cute!)

And, at least once a year, I like to experience the throngs of humanity, last minute shopping. I was under no pressure because my shopping was done, except for Christmas ornaments, which go one sale a the end of the season.

These were taken at the The Grove shopping Center, in Los Angeles. Don't you love twinkle lights?

It's that time of year

When the world falls in love

Every song you hear seems to say

"Merry Christmas,

May your New Year dreams come true."

And this song of mine

in three-quarter time,

Wishes you and yours

The same thing too.

~Sammy Cahn

Many Blessings,

Peace and light 

to you 

and

Yours!