It's Beginning to Look a Little Like Christmas

Although Christmas decorations have been in stores for weeks, they don't come out at our house until after Thanksgiving. Thanks go some new decorations that Billie bought on clearance last year, we split decorating into two days, putting most of the things up last night and finishing with the tree today. For comparison, you can take a look at last year's pictures (and our relatively restrained decorating two years ago). Now, on to this year's pictures:

Here is the entryway with our new garland and some new small trees up on the landing.

Speaking of the landing, here are our new trees. One seems a bit weaker than the others...

Despite being seven years old, our regular-size tree is still doing pretty well.

Finally, here is the fireplace with more new garland and some old stockings. Billie bought four of these lighted garlands last year but we only used one.

Now that the decorating is done it is time for pizza, spiced wine, and Love Actually.

Around Reading: Koziar's Christmas Village

Up near Bernville, PA, which is about 15 miles northwest of Reading, is Koziar's Christmas Village. The website says it has over a half million Christmas lights. Last year we didn't know that it existed but Billie found out about it and we went there on December 4. Since you couldn't be there with us, here are some pictures. As you will see, there is something for just about everyone.

This was the view from the road. We went close to the time that it opened for the night and traffic was backed up for about a half mile. When we left the traffic waiting to get in was backed up for about four miles.

I'm not sure if this indicates belief in a young Earth or just the fact that dinosaurs liked getting presents, too.

After the dinosaurs died off, Noah gave his wife two of every animal for Christmas (and you thought there were a lot of animals in the twelve days of Christmas!).

These pandas apparently couldn't wait to start repopulating the Earth.

A while after the waters subsided, some of the animals attended the birth of this baby (I think it happened in Texas, since Texans think they are God's gift to the world).

Shortly after his birth, the baby realized that living in Texas is terribly hot and, in a fit of overreaction, decided to move to the North Pole.

I think that the baby grew up to be Santa Claus.

Santa's house is the cause of the Northern Lights.

Once a year, Santa visit's Lissa's Christmas village.

Santa also visits farms in Berks County.

Maybe the farm provides trees for Bill's side-job as a tree salesman.

If Bill is out of mistletoe, I know where you can get some.

Here is a picture of Mom in her younger days...

Maybe she was teaching about Christmas around the world.

Here is a pedal car for dad (it even says "Volunteer"!).

This is to prove we were actually there.

This one seems pretty self explanatory.

Christmas around the House

It was weeks before Christmas and outside our house, some lights and a wreath faced away from the south.

While inside the entryway there were some strings, of red and gold plastic on banisters and things.

The stockings were hung by the gas fireplace with care,

with one by the basement door in case Santa comes through there.

Some caterpillars gathered in the room without TV,

and last but not least, we put up a tree.

Around Reading: Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center

On December 5 we went to "Christmas on the Farm" at the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center. We got to walk around the old buildings and there were some people with tables set up selling food and various other items. We also learned a bit about the Belsnickle, which is like a mean version of Santa Claus who comes around bearing candy (for the good kids) and switches (for the bad ones).

This house was so full that baby Jesus had to lay out in the front yard!

It is a little-known fact that fire hydrants have protected barns for hundreds of years.

Billie enjoying the first snow of the year.

The snow was beginning to accumulate in our yard when we got home...

Christmas Time in Reading

We put up our first Christmas tree in Reading on the weekend after Thanksgiving (sorry the picture is a little blurry).