Christmas cheer inside and out

Yesterday's prep work... Today's accomplishments... A felt Nativity for the kids to play with and tell the story of Christ's birth. My mom made one of these when my brothers and I were young, and I always loved to play with it. She bequeathed the pattern to me and I started this set three or so years ago...but here it is, finished, and while my kids are still young enough to enjoy it! Well, almost finished...it needs some ground for everyone to stand on, but I don't have enough of the brown that I want, so that'll be added next time I go to the store. (It also needs a better hanging system, but packing tape worked for the picture!) I finally put up the outside Christmas lights today. The first year we were here in Georgia, I was putting up the lights wearing only jeans and a sweatshirt -- with the sleeves pushed up -- and I was reflecting on the year that I put up lights on our house in Chicago when it was bitterly cold and sleeting and my hands were frozen stiff. Upon that reflection, I told myself that I would never complain about "cold" again. But...it's been cold down here this year, so I've been putting off this up-on-a-ladder-in-the-wind job! Nonetheless, it's done now. Phew. (...and there was no sleet to contend with, thankfully.) Bruce has been working on making his annual batch of Banket, an absolutely delectable Dutch pastry filled with almond paste. He makes it from scratch, and although it's rather labor-intensive, I deem all of his hard work well worth it. It's good stuff!