Last week I had the honor of decorating banquet tables for a Christmas dinner. It was sponsored by a non profit organization in my town. ATLAS is a ministry that reaches out to people who have fallen on hard times. They offer financial and spiritual help~free of charge~to anyone who comes through their door. This dinner is offered to the clients that have been touched this year. For some, this may be the only Christmas meal that they have.
I found a beautiful patterened wool sweater at my second hand shop and traced little mittens on the wool and cut them out and little flat mittens. I laid pairs of mittens on the dinner tables next to candles in clear glass globes. The votive candles were nestled into sparkling drifts of salt that emulated snow and I tied rustic twine around the neck of the globes. Each pair of "mittens" was different depending upon what part of the wool sweater they were cut from. They were are 3 inches tall. I also found vintage images on google and printed them out on sepia colored paper and these also adorned the center of the tables with the little mittens.
I wanted the banquet attenders to feel transported back to their childhood and the warm memories of their youth. I hoped that the table decor would help them forget their immediate concerns or problems and for just a few minutes feel a bit like a child again. Most of us can think back to times in the past when we had no worries or cares and someone else was the "grown up".
Our world is sadder today reflecting on the events of this past Friday. Innocence stolen, hopes dashed and little lights snuffed out too soon. As we reflect on this Christmas season may we love each other from our hearts and remember the joys of being a child. Most importantly may this world celebrate the real meaning of this time of year. A baby sent from God to be our Savior. We need a Savior! It's not about the gifts it's about LOVE!
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