“To Write About Something is to Live it Twice”

And, I am glad that I have, and can. I have told you that I “write for myself to remember,” but also to share. This holiday season, (like everyone else) I have not been able to get out for holiday activities and events. Well, to be truthful, what I have enjoyed doing in the past has been cancelled for this COVID year. But, I have been enjoying my previous holiday adventures rereading them, and a compiling them here for my pleasure. You may wish to browse through also, clicking on the links to my previous holiday adventures, and enjoy. Let me take you back through nine years of holiday posts. You may (please) click on the linked “red” titles for the full posts.

MERRY CHRISTMAS from “44” – 24 DECEMBER 2019

 

the above image I included from 29 December 2016. One thing I love about Walpole is that not much has changed since the late 19th century. The Gazebo is new in the past 14 or so years, but the same each year.

Following our massive snow fall (over two feet) on 17 December 2020, Larry and Celia Slason sent me the below image for the CLARION, and I need to share it here also – click for a large size.

how can you not love it?

One thing I will not see this year is the live Nativity following Christmas Eve church services. You know that this is how that story ends.

For a number of years I have put my “trees” out. Not as many this year, but I did buy four more, “new to me.” One is now in the shop, and three that I found at the Stone House Antique Center are on the mantle in the front informal parlor where I enjoy them each evening. Below is on the island in my kitchen.

Holiday traditions help make the holidays special. With friends I have enjoyed traveling from Inn to Inn in nearby Vermont seeing decorations and sampling goods. I miss that this year, but here is the link to last year’s

OKEMO VALLEY INNDULGENCE TOUR 2019
8 DECEMBER 2019

and, an image below when we finished the tour at Grafton . Do click the link above for decorations and snowy scenes.

 

For my newspaper, THE WALPOLE CLARION, I wrote an article about the history of candles in windows. I have not found out what website picked up the story and linked to it but I have had over 3,700 views from all over the world, most of those views in the past several months. You know I write to share, so take a look at –

CANDLES IN THE WINDOW
THE HISTORY BEHIND

 

 

This event below was really something different and special –

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
SANTA’S LAND – AND MORE
25 NOVEMBER 2018

The event at the Harkness House in Springfield, Vermont, was exceptional and festive. I would happily do it again. At the end of this post I provided some recommendations for holiday events – things I had done in the past, and still hoped to do, many “still on the list.”

 

I am really disappointed that I could not again experience these events that I enjoyed in December 2017, but again, I have my posts –

HOLIDAY EXPLORATIONS – GETTING YOU IN THE MOOD
6 and 9 DECEMBER 2017

This post includes the holiday festivities at Storrowton Village in Springfield, Massachusetts, and the Manchester (Vermont) Holiday Inn Tour.  The tour in Manchester was similar to the “Inndulgence Tours,” but further “west” in Manchester, and great.

Here are some “teasers” so hopefully you will click the link above:

 

Next in 2017 I visited one of my favorite places of enjoyment – Old Sturbridge Village for:

CHRISTMAS BY CANDLELIGHT
OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE – 2017

Here in the parson’s house is The Ghost of Christmas Present who greeted you. He was decked out in his finery and mounds of food – faithfully replicating the original illustration in the first edition of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. This post you should visit for holiday decorations, circa 1830, and then a tour of my trees at “44.”

I ended the year back in Massachusetts visiting Ventfort Hall in Lenox, Massachusetts; and, yes, just down the road – The Red Lion Inn. Below the link are just a few images from this great excursion, so click and take a look (only the first is Ventfort Hall):

YEAR END HOLIDAY HURRAHS
28 and 30 DECEMBER 2017

 

The post below was a trip to Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, but while there I discovered a Festival of Trees nearby. Lots of wonderful decoration ideas. I really enjoyed this stop, and if you have time, click on this link and scroll down past Thanksgiving at Strawbery Banke to gaze in amazement.

 

PORTSMOUTH (NH) HOLIDAY PREPARATIONS
19-20 NOVEMBER 2017

 

Just a leisurely drive can refresh and get you in the mood. I enjoy an old country store in Fairlee, Vermont, and the The Grafton Inn never disappoints:

HOLIDAY GREETINGS and TRADITIONS
19-20 DECEMBER 2016

But what about Plymouth Notch, you ask? This post is GREAT with GREAT IMAGES – just ask me. No, just click and visit with me:

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION IN PLYMOUTH NOTCH
10 DECEMBER 2016

Images so great, in fact, that the Vermont Tourism Board used my image below on some of their advertising.

 

 

I attended the Christmas celebrations in Plymouth Notch several years, and for a number of visits there was a special holiday hat contest following a hat fashion show given by the Black River Historical Society. Guess who was a top winner?

And, you may also enjoy the 2013 visit for Christmas at Plymouth Notch using this link:

PLYMOUTH NOTCH, VERMONT 15 DECEMBER 2013

 

 

If you have followed my posts these past almost ten years, you know I like images through windows, shadows, and texture.

 

Below is the first “Inndulgence Tour” – and it was fantastic — please click on this link and travel along with an great ending at The Grafton Inn. (the images directly below are at The Castle in Proctorsville).

INN-DULGENCE TOUR – OKEMO VALLEY, VERMONT
3 DECEMBER 2016

and at the out of the way  Blue Gentian Lodge near Magic Mountain.

I do hope you take some time, and take a look at these posts to enjoy some of the holidays I have enjoyed. I know that I will be looking back through several times tonight and tomorrow.

MERRY CHRISTMAS
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Please Stay Safe, and Stay Well
Love, RAY

and, another of my favorites taken at “The Castle”