I must confess, it really isn't my favorite time of the year. It's too cold and too expensive. Traffic is hard to maneuver. But when you add the seasonal snow and ice, it's a nightmare. The stores are packed with people and you get the idea. We all suffer. Most of us anyway.
I have really tried through the years to embrace the spirit and feel the love. Fake it til you make it, I would tell myself. That was the worse advice ever. The harder I did fall. I finally realized the "fake" of it all is what disgusted me the most. It's probably my family's fault but we will save that for a therapist.
I decided not to be so hard on myself. Making candy, sharing and eating candy is fun. I will do that and that's it. Okay, probably should send out cards, don't want to hurt any one's feelings. And there are a few little ones on my nice list that probably are expecting a gesture of love via a present. Wouldn't want to disappoint. Bah hum bug!
There seems to be hope for me yet. What keeps drawing me in more and more, year after year is the vintage costume jewelry with a Christmas theme. There seems to be more tree brooches than anything else. But you could probably find a fine example of anything Christmas, for example: wreaths, bells, reindeer, Santa, sleigh, fireplaces, poinsettias, candles, toys, stockings, tree lights, snowflakes, snowmen, presents, bows, candy canes, ice skates, pine cones, etc. And they all are done with the dazzle and fine craftsmanship we have come to expect from the vintage designers. Some are signed and some are not. The usual rules still apply.
I think I remember receiving this type of jewelry during gift exchanges either at church or school when I was much younger and not liking them very much. "If I only knew then..." I loved looking at all the different jewelry pieces. Entertained me for hours. These pics are just a sampling of what's available on the Internet.
