The baby shower is over. Last time it was a wedding shower. Both times they were disappointing in the lack of attendance or at least the courtesy of an RSVP. I guess to each person and RSVP doesn't seem that important, after all they are just one person. But, to the party giver/ host its very important and definitely peeves them off when half the expected guests don't show up.

Most of the no shows had called us. All of those were friends of my sister though. The ones that did not call or email were family. That's just plain rude really. We had made truckloads of sweets and sandwiches that we didn't need. All that time could have been spent on other things. I didn't even get time to shop much for a shower gift. In the end I gave her a few things I picked up along the shower trail.

That's the other shower thing I was going to write about. The putting on of the shower. All that planning and buying of basic party goods: throw away table ware, shower game prizes and the food and drink for the guests. It came to a few hundred dollars as far as I can tell. I lost count at a few points.

The dollar store was a great place to find table ware and the odd (not too cheap looking) shower prize. We also made almost 30 stained glass paper butterflies with black construction paper (craft store had a better deal and better quality than the dollar store) and tissue paper. Some of the tissue paper came from past birthday parties and such. Reduce, reuse and recycle! Thanks to Martha Stewart for the butterfly template. The idea is not new but her template was simple and elegant. We actually saw them on her TV show one night and the rest is herstory.

Anyway, shower games, a phrase that strikes dread into the heart of the modern career type woman. Most shower games I looked at were far too silly and childish. The baby is the one who is a child, not the women coming to the shower. Sure, some people love that stuff, not me. So my game of choice was making quilt squares in a non-sewing way. Non-sewing for the guests at least. I went to the local Goodwill, we have a great one here, and I searched for a good quality sheet in a nice, light, genderless colour. I found a light beige one which was in good shape, clean and had not been the bottom (elastic) sheet. Then I bought permanent markers at Zellers, a Canadian department store chain not unlike WalMart. At the shower I cut/ ripped the sheet into squares and rounded up guests to contribute their writing and artsiness for the baby's quilt. Later I will sew all the squares together and add a border, etc. Everyone signed it at least. Some did more. We gave away a prize for the best one. The future big brother picked the winners. He surprised me by picking one which was a poem, no pictures.

I did something like this for her wedding shower several years ago. That time I also found a sheet but I bought it fresh from the department store. I used glitter markers that turned out to be mostly goopy. I got almost everyone to write something on the sheet. I think she still has that sheet but I doubt she uses it. Those markers were not a good thing. This time I made sure to use a plain ink version.

By the time we opened gifts it was time to get homeward bound. Somehow the time passed pretty fast once people began arriving. Funny cause I was sure it was going to drag on and I would be left with everyone looking at me to amuse them. Conversation and good food were enough though. We didn't get to any of the games I had in reserve.

So that was the baby shower. I've promised myself it will be the last one I will do. But, it did turn out ok so, who knows... maybe next sister I will do it all again after all. Luckily, I only have 2 sisters and a brother. There can't be many more showers lurking about after all.

What do you do with a group of women coming to your home, one of them your pregnant sister, the rest her friends and the odd female family members tossed in? Why, you throw a baby shower, make them play games children in kindergarten would scorn and feed them a lot of rich, sweet deserts. At least that's the plan.

I've been baking cheesecakes, cookies (tomorrow) and planning finger sandwiches and salads. We've looked at baby shower games on the Net. We made stained glass butterflies, as seen on Martha Stewart. Tonight I strung them all, they look good all 25 of them, together. We even had the elastic thread though I ran out of it by the time I was stringing the last two.

I think the shower games are my least favourite part of this thing. Either they are babyish or they require you to know the other women pretty darn well. I don't really know any of them. I'm just the worker bee on this one. My Mom and I, she's painting the bathroom tonight.

Oh well, by Sunday night it will all be over. Whatever didn't get dusted, washed or baked won't matter. The best thing will be eating that cheesecake. It turned out really great, mocha with chocolate chips. The other cheesecake is a fruit type, not my favourite.

Second best thing about the shower will be watching my sister be coerced into playing all those silly games I have lined up for her. Pictures are a must!

Here it is, Christmas Eve, there's almost a magic you can feel.

The Christmas tree glows with its electric lights and the ornaments add sparkle, romance and mystery. Outside the house there are lights up and down the street and on our own home too. The odd car goes by, people out at parties, doing last minute shopping or just out driving around admiring the lights and decorations.

Is Christmas Eve better than Christmas Day? Sure you open all those presents under the tree but then the mystery, the hopes and dreams are gone. Once you open them the magic slips away.

On Christmas Eve the snow glows in the moonlight, if there is any snow. The day looks kind of stark without snow. On Christmas Eve the snow or the darkness hide the stark winter landscape. I think having snow is better. Snow makes so many great things: snow balls, snow forts and snow flakes. Can you catch a snowflake on your tongue? They say each snowflake is different, there are no two exactly the same. With so many snowflakes it seems impossible for them to all be different. Each one just a frozen drop of water.

Merrry Christmas to you all!

Do you put out milk and cookies for Santa? How about a little change from tradition this year. Maybe Santa would like a ginger ale and cyrstalized ginger. Or something like ice cubes and water and peach pie, a little summery treat at the start of winter. What ideas can you think of?

Did you send Christmas cards this year? Its nice to get them too. Here is a little bit about Christmas card history:

"The sending of commercially printed Christmas cards originated in London in 1843. By 1822, Christmas greetings were so popular in the U.S., the postal service had to hire sixteen extra mail carriers. "

This came from the WonderKorner site.

Its kind of late to start sending cards now. The mail carriers need at least a week for delivering Christmas cards. There are so many being sent they have trouble keeping up.

Christmas carols, poinsettias, the Christmas tree with all its flashing lights and ornaments, decorated shopping malls and sparkling drifts of snow those are my favourite things at Christmastime.

I still have a golden angel from when I was a very little girl. She used to play Silent Night but her music box wore out. Its still my favourite Christmas carol.

Silent night, holy night, All is calm, all is bright Round yon virgin mother and child. Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace. Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night, Shepherds quake at the sight, Glories stream from heaven afar, Heavely hosts sing alleluia; Christ the Saviour, is born! Christ the Saviour, is born!

Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus, Lord, at thy birth. Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

Seasons Greetings