Home For Christmas by Alice Taylor

Author:Alice Taylor [Alice Taylor]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781847179852
Publisher: The O'Brien Press
Published: 2017-11-23T05:00:00+00:00

In the seomra ciúin, the fireplace is the starting point. The overmantel is a great structure on which to hang Christmas decorations. Before the draping begins, holly branches are laid along the top, and, if the branches fall correctly they extend out along over the frames of the two portraits on either side. These are portraits of the two Lenas, grandmother and granddaughter, painted by local artist Jerry Larkin. It was Lena Senior who engendered a love of Christmas in all her tribe.

Now for the string of tiny brightly coloured boxes that twine up and down through the various tiny shelves and curves of the overmantel. Then on go waxed wreaths bought so long ago that I forget where. These are the only constant performers as all the other bits and pieces get put wherever the fancy takes. Usually two fat Santas strut their stuff on the small shelves, and gradually all the other candidates find a home. There is much twigging and tweaking until satisfaction is reached. If you enjoy painting or flower arranging, the chances are that you enjoy Christmas decorating.

Around the room, holly is edged along the tops of the pictures, with particular attention paid to the painting of my old home that hangs on the wall over a desk, right opposite the door. This old roll-top desk was bought years ago in a junk shop wearing a coat of black peeling paint. When, with blood, sweat and tears, the dreadful coat was eased off, there was a body of warm honey-coloured oak underneath. It has served me faithfully for years – first as a base for doing accounts but in more recent times for the more enjoyable pursuit of letter-writing. Yes, I am one of those antiques who still write letters.

In the painting above the desk I tried to capture the ambience of the home house in oils, and now this painting brings my old home into the room. It is not a masterpiece, but it was painted with love. In the same shop where I found the desk was an old gilt frame that fitted this picture like a glove.

Different little Christmas mementoes find their way onto the top of the desk and along bookshelves around the room until I am left with an empty box. All that remains to be done in this room is the wooden crib for the window, but that is a job for closer to Christmas.

Next on the agenda is the front hall. Another bundle of holly from the back porch is landed centre stage, and two more boxes from the Christmas press are brought forth. Out of the boxes containing the Christmas cloths comes the colourful banner of the Holy Family. This goes on the back of the front door, which has been its location every Christmas since it was given to me, about twelve years ago, by my niece Eileen. She bought it at a Christmas market held as a fund-raiser for the Cope Foundation.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.