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In this Issue

Yes, November is basically over, but we wanted to say "hi" before month's end. We're still eating turkey, but Shelia's been busy getting the autumn decorations put away, and the Christmas decorations set out. I also set up the little dab of Christmas lighting we usually put in the front yard, but our neighbors on both sides have "upped the ante" this year, so maybe I should be thinking of something to add.

Back to indoors, since we had two helpers this past weekend, we also got the tree up and decorated. We went to artificial trees when the kids went off to college. This way the ones who were home could decorate the tree the day after Thanksgiving, and it was already up in plenty of time for whenever they started getting home for Christmas. Now they're all teachers and the same dynamic applies.

Our first artificial "family tree" was a big imitation fir. It was so convincing in fact, that guests kept having to feel the needles to make certain it wasn't real. It's the tree I used on our article on "Making Artificial Trees Look Less Artificial":

http://familychristmasonline.com/trees/artificial/faux_fir.htm

That said, we replaced it three years ago with a skinnier one that looks more like a "scrubby" pine. The first year, certain members of the family thought we should use ALL the ornaments we had used on the fake fir, which was about 18" bigger in diameter. So you could almost tell there was a tree in there somewhere.

Last year, our kids were too busy to help us set things up at Thanksgiving, so Shelia and I set up the "scrubby" pine and decorated it very lightly, with a fat ribbon, several Christmas cards, and some straw-and-wicker animals. Frankly, the minimalist look was refreshing, and it took almost no time to put away.

This year we had two helpers, so we compromised. Shelia and the girls decided which subset of ornaments we'd use on the tree. Shelia packed the rest of them back, so the tree is displaying our family's favorite ornaments, both home-made and purchased ones. But it's not overwhelmed. And the ones we don't have to see every year may start finding other homes.

I suppose the moral is that you can have too much, and you can get by with a lot less than you're used to, and it's nice to have a compromise between the two once in a while. In the meantime we still have visitation rights to the big fake fir - it's at Shelia's niece's house and still looks great.

Shelia has added a "musing" this month about what it feels like to decide she has enough stuff. Plus she's had requests to reprint earlier articles in regional or local publications. She has another article for December's newsletter as well.

Speaking of contributing authors . . .

• In years past, Tess Hoffman's article on family nativities, "The Line for the Family Stable Starts Here" has been republished - with permission of course - in church newsletters. This year her abbreviated version of A Christmas Carol is being serialized in a weekly community newspaper in Newport, Washington.

• Paul has had various articles reprinted as well. In addition, Paul's SATB arrangement of "The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy" has been sung by a church choir in New England and by students in an English language school in Tibet.

• Shelia's story "Small Miracles" has also been reprinted in an out-of-state church newsletter. This year, it's being reprinted in a North Florida family magazine.

It is fun to see how far a little grace and warmth can go. Like around the world. Literally!

Topics discussed in this update include:

• How Much Do We Really Need, Anyway? - Shelia's latest published musing.

• Jan Brett's Kids' Activity Pages for Christmas - Fun pages from a popular Children's author and artist.

• Christmas Train Day, 2015 - Report with photos

• Don't Wait too Long to Test your Train (or Order the One You Want)

How Much Do We Really Need, Anyway?

http://familychristmasonline.com/musings/life_inflation/how_much_do_we_need.htm

Jan Brett's Christmas Coloring Pages

• Hedgie Trims a Christmas Tree
• Hedgie and his friends play Dreidel ~ Happy Hanukkah
• Santa and His Elves
• Christmas Placemat Placement

Jan Brett's other coloring sheets are here:

• Jan Brett's Activities Page
• Jan Brett's Bookmark Page

Christmas Train Day, 2015

Click on the following link to see our report, including some pretty cool photos, if I say so myself.

http://familygardentrains.com/newbost/15_11_14_train_day/train_day_2015.htm

Our event is over, but there will be two big Large Scale indoor railroads open for viewing in the region, and, come December, a VERY nice outdoor railroad on display in northern Kentucky, Christmas lights, Christmas trains, and all.

Click on the following link to see some remaining opportunities to see big trains running this season:

http://familygardentrains.com/outside_resources/openhouses/christmas_open_houses_2015.htm

Don't Wait Don't Wait too Long to Test your Train (or Order the One You Want)

• If you have a train you plan to set around your tree, get it out and test it NOW.

• If you don't have a train and want one, please don't wait too long to order the one you want.

Every year I get anxious e-mails from folks who find out last-minute that their family train isn't working this year or the train they had their eye on has become unavailable. And they want me to "save Christmas" for their family by telling them where to get their trains fixed or how to get a specific train in the next 24 hours. (I used to get frantic Christmas Eve phone calls, until I took my phone number off my web page.)

Last year, I got so many e-mails about broken or unavailable Christmas trains, that I didn't get them all answered until about St. Patrick's day - a little late to save anybody's Christmas, wouldn't you agree?

If a new train is in your future, here is a link to a section of our Trains-N-Towns newsletter (for Big Indoor Trains and Christmas trains) that gives details on what was available early this week.

http://bigindoortrains.com/trains_n_towns/15_11_newsletter_indoor.htm#train_market

Keep in Touch

Each month, we get more interest in this newsletter, in our Christmas sites, and in the Christmas traditions, ideas, and memories we discuss. We welcome your questions and comments as indicators of what we should be working on next (also, we always try to answer reader questions quickly). In addition, if you have any photos, tips, or articles you'd like to share with your fellow Christmas enthusiasts, please let us know.

Best Wishes!

As always, our hope is that we can continue helping you and your family (as Dickens said of Scrooge):

Honor Christmas in your heart, and
"try to keep it all the year."

In the meantime, please keep in touch, and let us know what you'd like to see added or changed.

May God grant you joy and wonder every season of this year,

Paul and Shelia Race

http://FamilyChristmasOnline.com

http://CardboardChristmas.com

http://OldChristmasTreeLights.com

Click the following link to view our October 2015 newsletter:

http://familychristmasonline.com/fco_newsletter/15_10_c_times.htm

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