Welcome Everyone, to the Virtual Advent Tour

It's so very nice of you to stop by. 

I'm happy to be joining the Virtual Advent Tour for 2012. (The tentative schedule for the posts can be found here.)

It's my first time and I was really excited to sign up, but then reality set in. What was I going to share?

As I cast back through the years to my favorite Christmas moments in search of a topic, they all have one thing in common - the warm glow of colored lights on the tree, in the garlands framing the windows and mantle, and any place else I could find to put them. Just thinking about those lights brings back the sights, sounds, and scents of the holiday.

We usually don't take our Christmas lights down until after the Epiphany, (January 6) but have been known to leave them up until well into February, for no reason other than that we liked the way the house feels with them on.

I looked and looked, but I was not able to find a poem about Christmas lights. I'll have to rectify that for next year. In the meantime I'd like to share with you a Christmas poem. It's not one of the usual poems we see at this time of the year, but it's a sweet little one about that mainstay of the season, the Christmas tree.

[little tree]
- E. E. Cummings

little tree

little silent Christmas tree

you are so little

you are more like a flower

who found you in the green forest

and were you very sorry to come away?

see          i will comfort you

because you smell so sweetly

i will kiss your cool bark

and hug you safe and tight

just as your mother would,

only don't be afraid

look          the spangles

that sleep all the year in a dark box

dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine,

the balls the chains red and gold the fluffy threads,

put up your little arms

and i'll give them all to you to hold

every finger shall have its ring

and there won't be a single place dark or unhappy

then when you're quite dressed

you'll stand in the window for everyone to see

and how they'll stare!

oh but you'll be very proud

and my little sister and i will take hands

and looking up at our beautiful tree

we'll dance and sing

"Noel Noel"

I wish for you and yours a wish that everyone can share

Peace on Earth ~ Good Will to All