{"id":25213,"date":"2012-12-24T18:20:54","date_gmt":"2012-12-24T23:20:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/?p=25213"},"modified":"2012-12-31T01:19:52","modified_gmt":"2012-12-31T06:19:52","slug":"elves-and-merry-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/2012\/12\/24\/elves-and-merry-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"Elves and Merry Christmas!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Three year olds Alastair and Aliya, share a hug. Don’t they look like elves? They are all jammied up after watching the nighttime Christmas parade. Their joy and excitement are infectious.<\/p><\/div>\n

The world has been celebrating Christmas for nearly 2000 years now.\u00c2\u00a0 In the past 100 years, there have been many\u00c2\u00a0 changes documented in my beloved vintage Needlecraft\/Home Arts magazines. Alastair and Alyia, in their knit and serged holiday pajamas are dressed very differently from this little guy in 1928.<\/p>\n

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But it this 1936 Home Arts shows that footed sleepers are not new.<\/p>\n

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This season of joy has been upon us for 4 weeks now, but the magic culminates tonight, Christmas Eve. \u00c2\u00a0 Cookies have been baked, shopping is completed, gifts have been wrapped and holiday parties have brought friends together.\u00c2\u00a0 And, of course, there has been holiday sewing.<\/p>\n

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The green corduroy jumper sports an appliqued elf from Applique Market.<\/p><\/div>\n

Early on, I knew that with all the baby sewing I wanted to do, any Christmas outfits would have to be quick and easy.\u00c2\u00a0 First, I purchased some adorable tights from Sophie<\/a>, with kelly, lime, pink and red polka dots.\u00c2\u00a0 A simple green corduroy A-line jumper wouldn’t take long.\u00c2\u00a0 When I saw the almost identical fabric, I snatched it up for an applique.\u00c2\u00a0 Wouldn’t she be cute with the tights and an elf applique with that same pattern?<\/p>\n

I should have remembered our Sunday morning struggles with tights to match her heirloom dresses. Alas, she detests them–she can never get the toe seam lined up to suit her.\u00c2\u00a0 No amount of 8 year-old fashion sense can overcome this problem.\u00c2\u00a0 So for the homeschoolers’ caroling party to a nursing home,\u00c2\u00a0 she wore the jumper with white leggings and her ruby red Dorothy of Oz shoes.<\/p>\n

After my disappointment when I saw this picture, I decided to cut off the tights’ sock and simply serge the ankle opening to make leggings.<\/p>\n

Just yesterday, the elf, wearing polka dot leggings (no photo yet) and her sweet mother were at the homeless shelter by 6 a.m. as part of a crew to make and serve a pancake breakfast.\u00c2\u00a0 She confided that one little boy thought she was a real elf!\u00c2\u00a0 Bringing joy and helping others makes her truly happy.<\/p>\n

Christmas elves seem to be relatively new to the holiday scene.\u00c2\u00a0 They appear in none of my vintage Christmas mags.\u00c2\u00a0 Elf on the Shelf<\/a> has been a fun, new\u00c2\u00a0 tradition at homes across the country.<\/p>\n

Laurel and Robert have loved his visits<\/a> to our house. When they were here a few days ago, Peter Elf had gone fishing.<\/p>\n

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Laurel squealed, “He used a knitting needle for his fishing pole and a safety pin for the hook! He is such a clever elf! “\u00c2\u00a0 Robert the pragmatist said, “He’d catch a lot more fish with a real hook.”<\/p><\/div>\n

In spite of the changes in celebration styles and\u00c2\u00a0 traditions, the true meaning of Christmas has not changed.<\/p>\n

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Around the world, Christians celebrate the birth of the Christ child.\u00c2\u00a0 To each of you, I wish a merry Christmas, well expressed in the old carol, A Wassail Song<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Love and joy come to you,
\nAnd to you your wassail, too,
\nAnd God bless you, and send you
\nA Happy New Year,
\nAnd God send you a Happy New Year.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n