As the days race toward Christmas it is getting more and more difficult to keep the kids focused on schoolwork.  They’ve got the proverbial “visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads”. 

Admittedly, I do as well.  If I weren’t so busy with the business of school, housework, grocery shopping and all the other mundane tasks that take up my time I would be spending my days on holiday crafts and making every corner of the house bright.

Today I relented somewhat, and after some perfunctory math and writing exercises we dove into some paper crafts.  Hand prints on brown paper became reindeer ornaments, colored construction paper became the backdrop for wintery tomten pictures.

I am quite taken with Scandinavian style and folklore, and the tomten is no exception.  I think I like him particularly because of his traditional connection to farmers.  On a lark I traced out a paper cut design to see if I could make a reasonable garland from red paper.

Well, it is reasonable.  I didn’t say I was making a stellar garland.  I wanted this for over the kitchen sink, and that is where these little fellows hang, for now.  The construction paper was a bit too something.  Not quite right for this project.  Tissue paper was too thin.  I am thinking I will re-do this not on paper, but perhaps on felt.  Much sturdier, no need for tape.  That way it can also be reused every year.  Perhaps some single appliques for pillows even?

This holiday season is going to fly by way too quickly for me to accomplish all of the blissfully fun things I want to do.  St. Lucia’s Day is coming up soon and there are buns to bake.  The solstice will be here not long after and there will be celebrating to be done then.  Before we know it SAnta will be making his yearly deliveries and just like that it will be over.

But, then I suppose the season wouldn’t be so special if it weren’t also so very fleeting.