My children and I went to two craft fairs today as the rain poured down and it never truly felt like daylight arrived. One of the craft fairs was held in a building that has seen soldiers train for world war. We didn't find anything to purchase there but across the road was a gentleman dressed in bright yellow head to toe rain gear. He faithfully covers every part of his house and a majority of his yard in Christmas lights every year. Today he was working on his electrical pole. His house is like a beacon and it exudes his creativity and exuberance for the season. I had not seen him closely before so today I looked at him as I drove away and saw that he was a man of considerable years. He starts his decorating early in November and adds to it all through the months of November and December. Every portion of his roof is covered in lights, every part of the walls of his house are as well and he has wooden reindeer on his roof. This is not an easy or quick labor of love. I wanted to ask him his story. Why does he do this and when did it start?
The next craft fair was in the Evergreen Hall. Before life was like it is now, community halls were a place the community gathered regularly for many things. They still are in this day and age but somehow it is not the same when a town gets so large. Today though it felt like a moment from the past. The hall was filled with cheery music, Christmas decor, and so many people. Each of my children found treasures as did I. There was a lady who had made the sweetest felted purses, animals and coasters. There was a lady who had filled fine china tea cups with a wee plant, fairy and mushrooms she had made. There were crochet stuffed animals, smoked salmon, a lady who made you a custom charcuterie box full of snacks, pottery, painted art, bedazzled art, wooden creations and more. My oldest daughter, my grandson and son in law arrived and I asked my son in law to teach me about a table filled with fly fishing lures. You learn new things every day. I came home wishing to create something, to decorate my house with lights. My husband took my children to the river to collect rocks for his next creative creation.
There are many dark days in life of course, many dark hours. Today was happy and light even though the sun never shone. Today felt victorious and important. I don't take that forgranted.
It isn't even December yet but the Christmas season has already brought warmth and joy to our home. Having a baby who finds the world wonder filled and delightful helps everything as well. She tiptoes into my room to see gifts being wrapped and exclaims in awe and excitement.
Next weekend we will venture forth again to another small community hall up on a mountain to once again enter into the joy of a craft fair ~ I can hardly wait.
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