Grace Lasat

Of  course the season will not be complete without gifts.  Here are some I received from friends.

a big grocery basket from the Don Bosco Community

wines

and our center table in the sala the place where we gather them and open on Christmas day.

Gifts are not only for children.  They give cheers to anyone.

I have not put up a tree for years now ‘coz the tree I had since my sons were born had said good-bye.

Thus, in my attempt to be artistic, I looked for dry soft branches of tree in an empty lot next to our house.  And, here is the result.

This was made up just to have a place for my Christmas balls.

Not bad but I will do better next time.

Many of those displayed for the season are gifts from friends and relatives and some are my personal collections.

Like my mugs:

Candy caddies:

Place mats

Plate – a gift from my sister which she bought on her trip to Germany

Angel – which my cousin gave me.

The Christmas tree plate which our Japanese friend gave us.

I wish I could have something new next Christmas!!!

Here are some artwork my Mom had prepared for the season which I have kept over the years.  She really anticipates the season and months before you will find her going around the malls looking for things to dress up the house for the season.

This is actually a baby milk bottle which is curved like a letter C for Christmas.  The bottle is suppose to teach a baby to hold to his/her bottle — the reason why it is curved as C.  My Mom filled it up with jelly like rocks, covered the bottle and put a Christmas ribbon.

This is actually a thing to be hang on a Christmas tree but instead my Mom inverted it placed it on a glass dish and surround it with flat marbles.

This is an empty wine bottle.  My Mom filled it up with scented potpourri to give and effect of Christmas flowers.

This is a hot pot plate with a common season’s plant/leaves.  My Mom instead pasted colored foil on one side.

This tier is suppose to be a serving tray for cupcakes.  My Mom instead found a glass candle holder that fits and was able to find flower shaped candles too.

There was a time I placed Christmas balls here instead of these candles.

and, of course the Christmas bell.

This is actually a candy tray for the season.  However, my Mom filled it up again with potpourri and covered the tray with carton and made it simple as a display.  Note how she arranged the reds and the greens to give the effect of the bell.

I do not have that artistry like my Mom.   Or, maybe I really have not put time to painstakingly work on it.

I am lucky to have her artworks for my collection.

The Baby Jesus has always been the Star of the Season and has been placed on top of the center table in the sala.

In the past when my Mom used to take charge in decorating the house for the season, she would make the crib look like a manger in a barn. Like this back in 2007

Those are dried rice stalks neatly arranged around the crib.

That is when I miss my Mom who is now old and weak to do this for me.

The other decors with the Baby Jesus:

The gold Christmas Tree was bought at a very discounted price.  Would you believe this is expensive at the department store in Manila.  Luckily I saw an announcement of items for sale at a warehouse within our subdivision.  Just like any woman, got to see what’s on sale  ….and bongga items that I saw expensive in the department stores are only made here!!!!

The gold star used to be on top of our Christmas tree then.  Now that tree had aged too I need to find a place for the star.  Thus, it now part of the manger.  Look what my Mom did with the star.  she added and angel and ribbon to give accent to the star.  I have no idea where she got the star also.

It’s been year since I posted on the Season that was.

Yes, the season of Christmas is when I feel the joy of taking pictures of my Christmas decors at home.  Well, nothing new except I have rotated them and made variations in combinations.

As in the past our Belen has been the center of season’s decor.  The Belen I acquired last year is now placed on top of our piano for a more wider space and be more visible to people who come to the house.  Also, it has been adorned with Christmas lights and a blinking star from the loft to have the effect of the star that shone and lit the way of the Magis to the manger.

And here’s the the effect of lights from the loft

The farm animals around are actually collection of my Mom.  There is no shepherd or sheep that comes with the set.  I need now to find one to add for next December 2012 decor.

really with a bang  …Happy New Year everyone!!!

In mid-October 2010 I posted

“huhuhu …bad trip ….kainis …kahinayang ……..
found out that many of my books that I have preserved for years have been eaten up by termites!!!! ….lalo na yung mga collections on rice researches during my IRRI days!!!! ….I could not take pictures of those that were damaged …just felt soooooo sooooo very bad”

Yes, I could not stand to see the extent of the damage caused by the termites.  While cleaning up the mess, it was difficult for me to decide whether to retain or throw away those damaged.  Those which were heavily damaged I just have to close my eyes and accept that they are gone.  Those with slight damage without any second thoughts, I retained them.

Somehow I felt depressed    ..there is that guilt that I have not attended to them for quite sometime now   ….I regularly clean up the shelves at least twice a year or be opening the glass sliding doors every so often to pick up a book or simply peep in for some references   …But since I have separated my personal collection of books from the references, I have neglected them   ….one major cause the multiplication of the pest is the heat – it has been so hot the past year, almost the whole year   …..they are the type of pest that really eat on paper   …..after cleaning up the shelves I sprayed and sprayed the shelves with pesticide specific for termites and left them for awhile.

Thus, a room in the house became their temporary home.

It was only by the end of November did I find time to put them back.  Well, maybe not that I really did not find time to do it but more of the thought that they be attacked again.  Yet, it is more painful to see them all just scattered there unattended.

So, back to their place again.

So the lesson is make it a yearly routine to go though the shelves even you do not need anything to read on.  And, open the shelves during Summer.

This has been my obsession to have my library but the library has to be taken cared of too!!!!

I cannot say any better what this poster we have framed and hang in our house means   ….not just a Christmas message but a message we have to imbibe in our hearts.

Another set of decors I got at home last season was Christmas tree candles.  I forgot where I got them   …well usually on sale and I know the gold ones were acquired in Jeddah when we vacationed there when my husband was still there.

Did you know that tier where the small flower candles are placed is actually a “serving tray” for cupcakes?  That is again the idea of my Mom.  Where she got the candle holders that fit the holes????    don’t ask me   ….

the gold tree candle may soon give up for display  …..for it wants to bend already  ….

the tree candles were accessorized with flowers and marbles   …you see that wine bottle?  my Mom filled it up with potpourri to add the ‘Christmas-y”  effect.

The one on the left is actually suppose to be a tree decor to be hanged but my Mom was able to make it look as a tree by inverting the decor place green marbles as base in a petri dish.  The one on the right is suppose to be a decorative salt in a triangular-shaped bottle.

So that’s how I enjoyed the Season!!!!