Do You See What I See? St. Mary's at Christmas

December 22nd was the day to decorate St. Mary's for Christmas. We gathered at the Church with just a few...but we all work well together and from years of experience...we know what job we are suited for. I love the quiet way we women work. It is a place of worship and just being there brings a reverent feeling. I feel so privileged to be on this committee. The white poinsettias started arriving. A young man from a local florist came through the door with a long flat box full of these beauties. He said that he had a van full and that he would have to make two trips back to the florist to get them all. The day wasn't so cold, so he didn't have to hurry to get them out of the weather. We selected white ones again this year. The flowers each have a name on them to remember a person or family in our Church. We had 47 plants this year. He kept coming in the door with more and more. We wondered what we would do with them all. We started out using two plant stands on either side of the ambo (speaker's podium)

We pressed the special white and gold, Christmas Altar cloths and hung the banners on the Altar wall. An extension ladder was used. One of the younger gals went up the ladder to affix the banners. We decorated some brass horns with greens, cones, and beautiful ribbon bows...and hung one on each side in the middle of the banner. The reason that we used some metallic green ribbon is that there is a wedding in our Church in early January. The wedding colors are green, so we thought that we would coordinate with the wedding colors. What a beautiful wedding that will be with all these decorations. I think that Christmas time is so special for a wedding. St. Joseph is adorned with white poinsettias.

Our Advent candelabra was changed leaving just the white candle symbolizing the birth of Christ. We took the purple draping off and replace it with white satin fabric and put the white poinsettias in the candle's place.

We raised the Christmas trees, so that they would be more visible behind the Altar. Using all white lights...this year. It took a couple of hours of "fluffing" to get the branches just so.

Then the lights were turned on by our Manger scene. Statues of Mary and Joseph were put there in their places....waiting for Christmas Eve to put the babe in the Manger.

And finally the Statue of Mary adorned the same as St. Joseph. A few years ago this statue wasn't on the Altar. Only recently have we brought her back to where she belongs....after all we are St. Mary's Church.

As you can see, it takes a lot of planning and then implementing those plans to make a beautiful sight for all to see on Christmas Eve. As we worked, people quietly came in to get a "preview" Some of the workers and people who were there for meetings tip toed in and took in the scene. I would like to tell about a young girl who helped us. She was the only young one there. While she worked...she hummed Christmas carols, and took the broken poinsettias and put them in her hair while twirling in a little dance. She seemed to be such a happy girl. She ran up and down the stairs for us countless times , getting things that we needed from the storeroom. Never heard her complain. She was trying her hardest to teach me Spanish phrases. She is a special girl...so anxious for Christmas... anyway this morning, Joe and I went over to take these pictures. Liz was cleaning the Sanctuary, when we arrived, and I got to work and took some shots. Joe sat in one of the pews and found a kneeler that was broken. My handy man husband fixed the kneeler and laughed as he reminded me that once he took a screwdriver to Church to fix another kneeler. It takes a lot of people to take care of our house of worship....from our Priest to the cleaning crew, to the committees, the office people, the music department, and even the man who repaired the kneelers.

We are so blessed to have freedom of religion in our country. I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a happy healthy new year.

Balisha