"Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest."
~ Henry Van Dyke

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Magical Christmas Day!

What is it that creates the magic of Christmas Day? That answer would be different for each of us I think. It is also many elements to each of us. One part of Christmas magic is nutcrackers.


Each year, I put out my collection and the magic starts once again...


I have a collection of colorful ones and of natural ones...


Last night, I watched a production of The Nutcracker Ballet by the San Francisco Ballet on German satellite television. My mother asked me don't I ever get sick of watching it. Christmas is not Christmas if I have not seen The Nutcracker.


Wishing each of you a very Merry Christmas!

6 comments:

Anne said...

Merry Christmas Heidi to you and your family! I love the Nutcracker Ballet too and it is a tradition in our family to go see it live. Love all your Nutcrackers!!

onlymehere said...

My Christmas was never complete without watching "It's a Wonderful Life" and this year I didn't have time. I was just too busy enjoying having my boy home again! Now the new year will be here and we'll be back in the old routines as he goes back to work and then the university in the summer. I'm just treasuring every day and blogging friends like you who have let me into your home, your traditions, and your heart. Merry Christmas Heidi and may it be a very good year for us all!

onlymehere said...

P.S. I never tire of seeing those nutcrackers either! You have a fun collection.

Vicki said...

I hope that your Christmas was whatever you wanted it to be, Heidi! Mine was quiet; I caught a flu bug, but the ability to rest with the house silent wasn't such a bad thing (just me and the dogs; you could tell they were worried about me as they cuddled close). I was grateful my husband could be with my mother, and we were all connected by phone, of course. I'm from Southern California and the weather was perfect for Christmas Day, warm and sunny, around 74 degrees (F); not "Christmasy" kind of weather, but certainly better for travelers.

Indeed we do have our traditions here in the U.S. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" repeated on the television; the original "Miracle on 34th Street" with the wee Natalie Wood. I know it sounds incredible, but I've never seen "It's a Wonderful Life." For some reason I've yet to understand, my mother did not like that movie, so I think we kids associated it with something not good. I told my husband, "next year, I'm going to watch it from beginning to end."

And, yes, if you can see any theatrical production of "The Nutcracket" ballet it's never a disappointment. One of the best I ever saw was our local ballet company in a relatively-small city. The story is precious.

Your nutcrackers are great; my obsession-collection are the repro cardboard houses/churches with glitter and tissue paper-covered windows from my childhood in the 50s/60s. I loved to "build" a little village under the tree, with a "snow" blanket, little plastic deer, the bottle-brush trees. Our dogs would nose around and knock everything down. I'd get so frustrated; my masterpiece momentarily decimated. Every year, I would have to "reconstruct" the church's steeple with aluminum foil. When Christmases have been not the lovely chaos of earlier years, much like mine this year, I think of all the old times; they sustain us, don't they? Not sad; instead, comforting! Magical, yes...and joyous memories!

Anonymous said...

I have lovely memories of taking my youngest daughter to the Nutcracker throughout her childhood. It was held at our 1800s era Music Hall in Cincinnati and always so beautiful.

Nancy said...

Yes, I was talking to you as you were watching this and also I was there when you put the nutcrackers out this year. You gave me one to bring home so I have a part of your collection here with me now.
Love you, Mom