Last weekend, Taido and I went downtown by ourselves and we walked up and down Union Street and did just a tiny bit of shopping. Mostly we just enjoyed looking at the lights that are making Aberdeen’s city center shine so bright! LOVE! Then we went to a pub, where I had an ale that was infused with heather (so yummy) and we met some super kind Scottish folk who told us all about Hogmanay (New Year’s) in Stonehaven. (We’re going!) Also, they tried to guess where we were from because of our accents and they couldn’t! Their three tries were: Israel, South Africa and Canada. Funny, right? Southern Drawl + Dreadlocks really throws people off I suppose.
Here are a few more fun highlights in my thankful list this week having to do with this season:
My Instagram feed blown up with twinkle lights and Christmas Markets.
New decorations and lights appearing in windows on our (dark) walks home from school.
Silver spray paint and tea lights
A family moving back to the US this month gifting us their Christmas tree + lights. (Making a seven year old in our house VERY happy!)
Listening to my Daddy’s sermon for the beginning of advent, a season of waiting.
Attending the classical Carol Service at St. Machar’s Cathedral. Because a choir carrying candles and singing acapella in a 1500 year old church is pretty much the best there is. I was blown away.
Related: The verses of It Came Upon A Midnight Clear are full of the best kind of joy and light and hope and I have never even noticed! Maybe it was that the tune was different (like this) that I paid closer attention to the words. My all time favorite lines of a Christmas hymn are from Hark The Herald Angels Sing:
Mild he lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die.
born to raise the sons of earth,
born to give them second birth.
I cannot sing those words without crying, but now I have to add as a close second these words from It Came Upon A Midnight Clear:
And you, beneath life’s crushing load
whose forms are bending low,
who toil along the climbing way
with painful steps and slow,
look now! for glad and golden hours
come swiftly on the wing;
oh, rest beside the weary road,
and hear the angels sing.
If you have the chance to attend a carol service this Christmas, I highly recommend it!
Here are a few other Christmas-y links for your wintery weekend.
On making do with what you have this Christmas.
On reading Christmas. (This is the irrational season. When love blooms bright and wild.)
Something about this little gesture of courtesy touched me.
I’ve been saving toilet tissue rolls for a couple of weeks, so Simon and I are all set to make this nativity this weekend.
You have probably already seen this one, but SUCH a precious idea!
In the gift guides times infinity category, here are some I’ve liked: Ethical gifts for dudes. Epic List For Travelers, esp Photographers. Best Kitchen/Foodie gift guide
The Chino House Gift Guide is pretty minimalist. It goes like this:
Give books. Or travel.
Give this book to a family. This one to an adult. This one to your BFF. This one to your Star Wars geek. This one to a creative. This one to a middle schooler. This one to an elementary school child. And these for toddlers.
Also, if my house is any indication, then I’m pretty sure all teenagers want headphones. Just saying.
I hope you sing a carol out at the top of your lungs this weekend, and that the singing lifts life’s crushing load just a little bit!
Happy Christmas!
Beautiful, as always. Thanks Alison
Thanks so much Maria! 🙂 Happy Christmas, friend.