 |
| Sister Star Quilt Block |
Do you love to quilt AND love to read? I invite you to join the free, online Quilters' Book Club. Each month, we read a book, discuss it through comments on my blog posts, and then make a quilt block to represent that book. I research several potential blocks to go with the book's themes, setting, main characters, and events. And I find the patterns free on the internet, making it easy for everyone to access. Each member can choose the block or blocks they'd like to make.
To join, become a follower of my blog so you won't miss any blog post. To make it super convenient, you can also sign up for my posts to be delivered right to you via email. It is never too late to join and begin reading and sewing along with us.
Our book to read and discuss during December 2013 is The Christmas Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini. Get the book from your local library or bookstore and join us!
There are two themes in this book. The first is Family Holiday Traditions and Memories. The second is Tension in Family Relationships. If you'd like to make a block to represent the themes in The Christmas Quilt, here are some ideas to get you started:
Family Holiday Traditions and Memories:
Memory Quilt Block
Memory Wreath Quilt Block
 |
| Home Circle Quilt Block |
Mother's Dream Quilt Block
You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post Christmas Wallhanging and a Song for Sunday.
I think I've learned as I grow older that we have to accept people as they are. We are not going to change anyone. The more we hold onto past hurts, the more we hurt ourselves. Learn to let go!
ReplyDeleteWe have a tradition of going to the Christmas concert at our alma mater each December. We enjoyed it very much this year.
ReplyDeleteThe big traditions in Japan center around New Years. Of course we do our best to celebrate a meal together and the church has many activities. New Years seems to go from Christmas to the first three or four days of the new year. The house is cleaned top to bottom and special foods are prepared. Those foods are what you serve family and guests when they visit, and they are items that keep through the season so the housewife does not have to be cooking at all. In former times, the shops were all closed for the first three or four days so the preparations were important. When we held a reunion with out kids in Oregon, we also prepared the traditional foods. Some of the ingredients we could buy there and some we brought from Japan. There is usually a trip to a shrine where you get your fortune for the year. If it is a good one, you take it home, but if it is not so good, you fold the paper and tie it there to leave bad luck behind. It is also a good time to go birding because the winter visitors will have arrived. There are also fun games to play ... and our own family tradition is a huge jigsaw puzzle that can be worked on by everyone throughout the week.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about poor relations. Life is too short to waste on that kind of thing. Families need to stick together and support each other.
We usually have a tradition for the immediate family to get together Xmas Eve where we make a huge fruit punch drink. About 15 litres. This gets us through the night and xmas day as well & then we enjoy getting to the fruit at the bottom once is completely soaked with alcohol.
ReplyDeleteYum.....
As for family tensions. I always believe that you can choose your friends but family are there whether you want them or not. Don't try and force people to be together if they don't want to be. It is always happier if the family that wants to enjoy each other's company be together and the others do what they want
ReplyDeleteWe have a nice meal on Christmas Day and of course go to Mass to celebrate the Birth of Our Lord. The big present giving day is Epiphany or Three Kings Day or 12th Day of Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI love the Sister Star block! It is one of my favorite blocks. Yours looks like a present with a bow on it.
ReplyDeleteWe always attend Christmas Eve services as a family. Once when our sons were teens it was really cold and we wore red sweatshirts. Our older son was really embarrassed. We always spent Christmas Day with both sets of grandparents--they lived within 10 miles of each other; I even did when I was young. Many memories. Now family lives farther away but we all get together sometime during the season. Love the Sister Star block.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas tradition was getting together with my family to make tamales. We have a great time!!
ReplyDeleteWe, as a family don't dwell on disagreements because we've learned very painful lessons by hanging on to them so we don't leave each other angry. We always talk it out.
Just wanted to say thank you again - I have finished Secret Santa and LOVED IT!!! Thank you so very much!!!
ReplyDeleteSince the arrival of my first grandaughter I've established a tradition of doing a Christmas craft each year. We (three grandchildren now) get together and make a special ornament for them to take or send to members of the family. The oldest are now in high school but still enjoy the get together each year.
ReplyDeleteYes, Susan, it is a tradition brought from Spain to Puerto Rico (where I was born). Present giving is for that day – It is a nice way to end the 12 days of Christmas. Decorations go down then. AND I can buy presents for the kids at after Christmas sales – better than before Christmas.
ReplyDeleteYou can go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany_(holiday)
and
here: http://gopuertorico.about.com/od/eventsandholidays/tp/The-History-And-Meaning-Of-Three-Kings-Day-In-Puerto-Rico.htm While some have gone to the big presents on Christmas, we give presents on Three Kings Day.