How We Did Christmas Decorations

I've written and re-written this post in an effort to explain our Christmas this year, but I'm at a loss for flowery words, so let's just cut to the chase: we owned Christmas. Being so far from family, we had to take the celebration into our own hands this year.

Everything we personally own, besides all of that which was sold before we left and whatever we fit into our 11 pieces of luggage when we came, is on a crate somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic... or it might just be sitting in the States waiting for the "o.k." to be shipped. We don't know. Anyway, "everything" also includes all of our Christmas decorations; the tree, the lights, the ornaments, the handmade stockings, all of it. Then, we landed in Madagascar for two weeks and were flown to west Africa for a month of training. By the time we got back, it was two weeks until Thanksgiving and we hadn't even considered what the holidays would be like for us. 

It wasn't until after Thanksgiving that we even really talked about decorating or celebrating. Then, we set out in search of the perfect stand-in Christmas tree: a hand-carved, one-of-a-kind baobab, which we decorated with white lights (Chandler's request) that we found in a local shop...

and handmade, hand-painted, salt dough ornaments forged in the oven by yours truly and decorated by the little one.

We also got creative with our very own "Merry Christmas" bunting. Designed and assembled by yours truly, painted by the little one.

We also bought that little nativity in a small town known for it's crafts; the same town where we purchased our baobab. We discovered later that our angel is missing a wing, Mary is missing something, and Joseph is just plain missing... unless he brought gifts to baby Jesus because we do have, what seems to be, four wise men. Ahh, Africa. 

Oh, and Chandler made sugar cookies sans cookie cutters. Not too shabby.

Then, just a few days before Christmas, we received a package in the mail containing more decorations: a Christmas tree which went in Waverly's room, three stockings, and more cookie mixes, cake mixes, candy-making supplies, lots of sprinkles, and a gingerbread house kit!

Gingerbread cookies for our language teacher.

A carrot cake, apple pie, and cooler weather later, it definitely felt like Christmas!