German and French Christmas decorations

I could not resist sharing a few more Christmas decorations with you. I just took them out of the cupboard today, now that Christmas Eve is so close.
First, these are two very traditional German Christmas decorations from the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge in German): the angel and the miner. They always go together. Later today I will put candles in the holders on their hands and we will light them when we have our Christmas celebration.

And this is our nativity scene which I put up today. These little figurines are from the French region of "Provence" which is in Southern France. They are called Santons. I've been collecting them for a while and really like them. A little different than the typical nativity, but not too much :).

Christmas meme

Mrs. Darling posted her own Christmas meme on her blog. So here are my answers:

1. What is your favorite Christmas carol: Ich steh an Deiner Krippen hier (I am standing at your manger) by Paul Gerhardt who wrote many German Protestant hymns.

2. What is your favorite secular Christmas song? Spontaneously "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas". It hardly ever snows here on Christmas...

3. What is your favorite Christmas movie? The Muppet Christmas Carol

4. What is your favorite Christmas memory growing up? Christmas in Norway with lots of snow and looking at picture books while sitting in a nook behind the Christmas tree.

5. Do you shop early or a you a late shopper? I want to shop early, but then suddenly it's only two weeks until Christmas... WAH!

6. Is your tree real or artificial? Real of course!

7. Do you still put tinsel on your tree? Yes, but only silver tinsel.

8. Do you read the Christmas story every year on Christmas day? I read it on Christmas Eve, but by myself. At our home we did not have this as a tradition. I hope to do this differently in my on family.

9. Would you consider yourself to be a grinch? I have to admit that I never watched the movie or read the book...

10. Are you more like Scrooge or Father Christmas? Father Christmas, I think.

11. Do you make homemade gifts for friends and family? Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.

12. What was the worst Christmas present you ever received? I don't remember although I'm sure something would qualify...

13. What was your favorite Christmas present ever? The engagement ring I received last year :).

And I'll skip no. 14 because I don't have any kids. So feel tagged everyone and if you do the meme, leave a comment please. I'm looking forward to your answers!

Advent season

Now the month of November is almost gone and December is at the door. The season of Advent will begin this weekend, a season of darkness and increasing light, a season of waiting and preparing ourselves for the birth of our Savior. Did you know that in all four gospels Christ is called the Savior only twice? The first time He is announced as the Savior by the angel who appeared to the shepherds (Luke 2:10). Savior - what a wonderful word!
We always have an advent wreath which by the lightening of more candles each Sunday points us to the arrival of Christ, our light in the darkness of this world.
This is the first advent in a long time where I only work 9 hrs. a week, but there is so much to do before I start a full-time job in January... Still I want to keep myself focused on what Advent and Christmas are really about, to keep it introspective and directed towards the good news the angel proclaimed on Christmas.
We just started decorating our place, so here are two peeks for you: