12 drummers drumming, people!  That is what you get on the 12th day of Christmas!

So this is it.  We have finally come to the end of the Christmas season on the Day of Epiphany, a Christian Feast day that celebrates the revelation of God the Son who came as a human being in Jesus Christ, and of course – the observance of the Wise Men visiting Baby Jesus.

I got my Christmas cards done!  Now to get them mailed to the out of towners…a whole different project!

And may I just say – getting the one perfect shot for this card…well, it never actually happened.  Stormie had to “fix the stall,” and paste in a face or two from a different shot and you might notice the pot near the manger?  It isn’t just crooked, it was actually falling.  When everyone else looks best in the pot-falling shot, you just ignore the pot!

This is the back of the card. The Nativity in the living room…because we felt Evangeline should not actually have to be in a real barn quite yet…everyone owns a manger, yes?

Nativity-Photoshoot day was as loud as 12 drummers drumming, I can guarantee you that!

It was a wild, hilarious, very short, but intense sliver of time.  My little lamb so wanted to scurry away and the littlest Wise Man was an hour past his nap time.  The tiny angel’s halo didn’t fit right and the biggest Wise Man’s head gear was strapped on so tight he almost got a headache.  There is the cutest shot of Guini laughing, which I thought was maybe her Uncle Rocky being funny, but Averi informed me it was when Kai tooted right in the middle of getting the pictures taken.

Inside, left of the Christmas card

And it is always so funny, because I am always hoping for this one perfect shot for the card, but honestly, when you go back later, it’s the crazy ones that make you laugh and re-live the fun moments of the day.  However, for posterity I must write this here: we only used 1 camera and that is a mistake with a big group like this.  We’ve usually always had 3 or 4 going and that way – something is bound to work.  Must do that again from now on…for as long as these sweet-peas will let me do this.

Baby Jesus slept blissfully through it all, swaddled in a Jessica McClintock fleece and green velvet throw.

This is the inside, right

Amelie Belle told me today that she plans to be Mary next year and Averi says she wants to be a Wise Man.  So, I guess it’s still on for 2014!  :)  Happy Nonna!

On the card, I adapted some of Howard Thurman’s words, which seem appropriate in light of the Christmas season coming to a close:

“When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The real work of Christmas begins.”

Because, Christmas = Christ Mass = Worshiping Jesus Christ.  It’s never really over.  So it’s time, friends and family to do the works of Jesus (Luke 4) as an act of worship: proclaim good news to the poor, recovery of sight for the blind, proclaim freedom for the prisoners, set the oppressed free and proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.  We have our marching orders – so much great stuff to do in His Name!  Merry Christmas, bright New Year and God’s favor upon you!

Only 352 days until Christmas…  :)

A bonus song with a wish for you.  May you be blessed in the coming year and find Jesus to be your all in all.

“‘Til the Season Comes ‘Round Again,” by Kenny Rogers

“May the new year be blessed with good tidings

‘Til the next time I see you again

If we must say goodbye

Let the spirit go with you

And we’ll love and we’ll laugh

In the time that we had

‘Til the season comes ’round again”