#21 - 21st Christmas Tree post, a Belated Christmas Tree Farm entry

[Flying Biscuit Cafe - Memorial City Houston (their promotion)

This tree showed up in an online magazine that I get, "Only in Your State" [URL] yesterday.  Dollar late.  

See my Christmas Tree posts for last Christmas year, click here.

..

#20 - 20th Christmas Tree post, the Christmas Story

Manger scene, live by little children 

What you see is a beginning scenario of the Biblical Christmas story put on by the children of our church at 4PM yesterday, Christmas Eve Candlelight service.  

The characters took the stage category of the folks at the birth of the Baby Jesus.  It began with Mary, center woman, standing by her 'husband', Joseph, as she picks up the baby from the manger in which He was born.  You may remember the song that children love to sing, "Away in a Manger," we sang it in grade school at Nebraska. 

Then up the isle beside our seats came the two shepherds, taking their place next to Joseph on the right, followed by four sheep siting on the floor in front.   Then up the isle cam the three angels to station on the left.  

Finally there three wisemen, here to be on the left but the Bible, book of Matthew, says that Jesus and his parents were in their home for the wisemen visit.  The group stayed for much singing.  The scene above the manger group is a projection that stayed for much of the program but was replaced by the lyrics of the songs when the congregation was to sing.  

The children left after the singing and would be replaced by the pastor.  His sermon was based on the use of the word, "Behold" as it meandered here and there as the Christmas story was discussed.  It started in the book of Issiah with a prophesy of Jesus' coming.  

 

Picture courtesy of Hobby Lobby

Luke 2 New King James Version:  

Christ Born of Mary 

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. 

 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed a wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

 Glory in the Highest 

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 

 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 

 14     “Glory to God in the highest, 

         And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” 

 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the, shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. 

     _ _ _ _ 

If you would like to have a Bible to read this passage, and more--like a Bible search for one, you could get one on-line here, as I have done, then save it with your Favorites, or other, click here: https://www.biblegateway.com/

.. 

#19 - 19th Christmas Tree post,

[Photo copied from a FB friend, thank you]

     Santa  Ready 

'Tis Christmas Eve 

Stockings are hung 

All are asleep 

Santa will come 

Will he bring toys 

He aims to please 

All girls and boys 

So he'll for me 

Thanks in advance 

I'll dance for joy 

 _ _ _ 

- Ditty Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2023, all Rights Reserved 

.. 

#18 - 18th Christmas Tree post, NYC

It's time for my Christmas tree blog again this year. Today will be the eighteenth when I post it, I started December 05, a Tuesday.   Click here to see them for 2023-1 for the first and here for the later ones at 2023-2.  

NYC Rockerfeller Plaza Christmas tree

Courtesy of NBC "Today Show", opening photo

No, we weren't in NYC for this Christmas tree time, we have seen it before though.  I like to see the ice skating; this will be there until Spring.  The Rockefeller Center, left out of sight, has shows featuring among other things, the Rockets Dancers. 

To the right, are the windows of the Today Show program, the outside visitors are in the open space between the lighted baron tree and the building.

KP and Mrs. Jim 
on the Today Show 
.

Mrs. Jim and KP were there with the outside audience a day in 2022, I caught them with my camera of a saved 'replay' from our TV.   They enjoyed that visit and were enjoying others.  Their words were "We're from Houston!!"

..

#17 - 17th Christmas Tree post, Store Colection

Our Walmart Christmas tree section 
[click picture for a MUCH larger view]

Did you buy a tree here, one of Walmart's Christmas sections?  We've had our current tree when we moved here nine years ago.  We bought an 'on sale' pre-lighted seven-footer (much shorter than our former--there we had 19-foot living room ceiling, here it is 23 feet, tree at XXX Department store near us in Katy, Texas.  So far all of its white lights still burn. 

We are greeted at the front door of our Walmart store by this huge blow-up Santa. It is over nine years old; it was here when we came.  

Blow up yard decorations, someone stole our younger daughter's Rudolph from their front yard.  Could it be the ones who stole our wheeled green garbage recycle can sever years ago.

..

 

#16 - 16th Christmas Tree post, a Decoration - 2023

Mrs. Jim's Santa helper guy 

This is Mrs. Jim's LSU Santa helper.  He stays either under our tree or on the hearth.  We got him a few years ago at an After Christmas sale in Houston.  One side of his sales tag says "Handmade" and the other's said "Made in China".  

..

#15 - 15th Christmas Tree - 2023 - DirecTV's Tree

DirecTV's 2023 Christmas tree

This came on tonight when we had paused the television.  The TV channels are music, I generally listen to Channel 803, 1960's music.  But I did not know that DirecTV was playing Christmas music on Channel 815.  Will check it out soon. 

..  

#14 - 14th Christmas Tree - 2023 - Our Tree

Our Burger King's 2023 Christmas tree

Yesterday Mrs. Jim and I had breakfast at our local Burger King fast food restaurant.  We each had a egg, meat, and cheese in a croissant sandwich with coffee and a shared order of fried potato tots.  Mine was sausage, hers was deli ham.  

We used a coupon.  Mrs. Jim's coffee was senior priced, fifty cents, the rest was coupon priced at $5.99.  We have more, they will all expire at midnight on December 31. 

..

13th Christmas Tree - 2023 - Our Tree

Our Christmas Tree 
You can click on any picture to make it larger

We didn't decorate our tree this year.  Company has been here and gone to their families, some are off skiing, and we will be alone, the two of us.  That is alright, just that hasn't happened for a long time.  

Below the tree is our Fisher Price Nativity set.  We've had it for a long time.  Before that though, we purchased another nativity set in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, back in 1980.  I may show it later, it is displayed year-round in the bookcase boarding the fireplace.  (See the Snowman hiding behind.) 

  

Santa is to the right in the picture above, standing on the fireplace hearth.  

This is the snowman that was hiding behind the nativity set.  I don't know his history, we've had him for a long time also.   

A note:

I searched for some of our prior trees.  Click here, they are mixed in with a lot of other trees, all years.

..

#12 - 12th Christmas Tree - 2023 - Deer

This fellow greeted me as I was to put my Bible on the entrance table at a Men's Room at our church.  He is one of our seasonal holiday time employees. 

From Monday's Houston Chronicle's;

Just the opposite of our daughter's experience with her cat, Dutch.  See my last Sunday's post, 

https://jimmiehov7.blogspot.com/2023/12/05x-5xth-christmas-tree-2023-dutch.html?m=0

. ..