home for the holidays [photo post]

Hanna and I are staying here in Boston for the second year in a row this holiday season. It's really nice not to have the stress of travel or the press of social obligations pile up on the end of the year. Instead, both our places of work close up shop for the week between Christmas and New Years and we have eleven days (December 22-January 1) to putter around the house.

This weekend, we're doing our wrapping and card-writing for all the presents that need to be posted on Monday. The cats have been very helpful.

(We've had to put our Christmas lights and decorations up high this year because of Teazle the Ever Inquisitive Kitten.)

Today, we dug out our store of candles while we were doing a little tidying, and they looked so pleasing lined up on the bookshelf that I pulled out the camera and took a few photographs.

Thanks to my in-laws, we have some lovely new apple crates for additional book storage. They helped us get the candles high enough that Teazle wouldn't burn her whiskers trying to figure out what flame is all about.

We found this little guy at our local Ten Thousand Villages store when we were out shopping for Christmas presents in November. He doesn't have a name yet, but we like his air of insouciance.

 Geraldine watched the proceedings with a skeptical eye...

... while Teazle was eager to assist with wrapping and packing of presents.

Perhaps she is interested in traveling the world?

Thanks to Mom for the tapers, which she sent last year and we've finally getting around to burning. They cast a lovely light!

The best thing about this time of year is the candlelight that long evenings allow to come to the fore.

And the fairy lights a night never get old. 

Although I, for one, am a glutton for daylight and will be thankful for the earth to turn and tilt and begin it's journey back to summer as we cross deep of winter and the days start to stretch before us.