The gloom of the world is but a shadow. Behind it, yet within our reach, is joy. TAKE JOY!
~Fra Giovanni
WELCOME
WELCOME to the Take Joy Society. We are a group of ladies who first met because of our love of Tasha Tudor's art and lifestyle. We are broadening our focus to include other artists/writers/people of interest who embody Tasha's philosophy to Take Joy in all the good that life has to offer. Here you will find a record of our get-togethers and resources to help you see that the gloom of the world is but a shadow so that you, too, can Take Joy by Creating Joy in your life!
On the second day of Christmas I gave my true loves:
The gift of Enthusiasm
Who better than a child to look to for enthusiasm. Do you think just for today you could get as excited about something as simple as a ride in a wagon around the living room--and then share your enthusiasm with someone?
On the first day of Christmas, I gave to my true loves:
The gift of my Undivided Attention
This one will not come naturally or easily during these last 12 days before Christmas if you still have shopping and baking and card writing and the million and one things on your list still yet to do. But just for today any person or animal you come in contact with, give your undivided attention to them.
Sarah Ban Breathnach writes in Simple Abundance, "All those bright, pretty baubles blowing your budget are only symbols of the gifts you really long to give." She says she knows "a one-size-fits-all gift that would be absolutely thrilling for everyone on your list: the gift of yourself."
For the next 12 days leading up to Christmas I will be sharing each day one way Sarah says we can share ourselves. It will cost you time, creative energy, and emotion, Sarah says, but the rewards will be well worth it.
The Take Joy Society got together today for a Susan Branch Christmas Luncheon. I've been a fan of Susan's art for years. I was finally able to meet her at the Friends of Gladys Taber Reunion last year. She is a gracious and inspiring lady, always full of joy for life and people.
While I finished getting everything ready in the kitchen with the help of my terrific husband, everyone had a chance to look through Susan's books. . . .
There was so much more I could have put out: calendars, recipe holder books, scrapbook pages, journals of all kinds!
I used recipes from Susan's books and website. I served Cucumber, Egg Salad, and Chicken Salad sandwiches. I liked the added touch of minced parsley on the edges of the cucumber sandwiches. . . .
I decided to omit the endive in the Orange Watercress Salad as Susan suggested if the endive was too bitter, and it was fine without it. . . .
I used raspberries and blackberries in the Fresh Fruit Salad. The topping made it a real treat . . . .
And the Rice Pudding, hot right out of the oven, was a hit--real comfort food. . . .
My table was decorated in the style of Susan Branch. . . .
........With dangling prisms on candle bobeches, Rose Chintz dishes, Christmas crackers as name placecards (mine contained chocolate kisses). It was even remarked that the wrapping paper on my gift to my guests, "Christmas Joys," looked like Susan's style of painting. . . . .
Here we are ready to eat. Two of our members were not able to join us for lunch, unfortunately. . . .
After lunch we exchanged gifts--handmade ornaments. . . .
I herded everyone downstairs so we could look at Susan's Blog on the big Screen TV. I showed them these Christmas-themed posts by Susan as well as Yankee Magazine's photo shoot:
I had several crafts in mind for us: Moravian Stars and Snowflakes (click for tutorials), but I decided on this Christmas Star. They are really easy to make. Here is a tutorial:
Here are the ones we made. . . .
I thought they'd be nice to string on a ribbon to make a garland.
By now it was mid-afternoon--time for a tea break. I served Lemon Pepper Tea Biscuits, Ginger Crisps, and Snowballs along with Susan's Apricot Jam Tea. . . .
I made these in my heart-shaped cast iron pan. I love pepper, but I think I got carried away with TOO much pepper on mine and not enough sugar. . . .
Susan also makes these with chocolate chips. You can find that recipe on this post.
These turned out great. . . .
as did these. . . .
We discussed our upcoming plans: a class on writing a children's picture book led by Edie (who is a published author) with a visit to a nearby Museum that is featuring the art of the Little Golden Books; a Beatrix Potter/Peter Rabbit-themed afternoon; a plant shopping expedition to Landis Valley Villages's annual plant sale, and our postponed Grandma Moses Painting Party. We ended the afternoon finding out whose tea cup saucer had the Susan Branch sticker affixed to the bottom. It was Carol! Which meant she won Susan's first cookbook: HEART OF THE HOME. . . .
Based on the diaries Susan has kept since she was in her twenties, The Fairy Tale Girl is an illustrated memoir filled with original watercolors and personal photographs. Susan's new book is an age-old story of love and loss, mystery and magic that begins in a geranium-colored house in California and ends up, like any good fairy tale, on the right side of the rabbit hole, in a small cottage in the woods on the New England Island of Martha's Vineyard.
The sequel to this book, MARTHA'S VINEYARD ISLE OF DREAMS, will be out in the Spring and can be pre-ordered HERE.
In Mary Mason Campbell's "The New England Butt'ry Shelf Almanac," illustratated by Tasha Tudor, she writes, "The original meaning of the word 'Wassail' remains rather obscure, but it may have meant 'Be Thou Well,' or a kind of 'Here's-to-you' toast of good will not necessarily confined to Christmas festivities. The early custom was for a servant or the host to bring in a bowl filled with appropriate liquor made from cider, ale, wine or rum and spices, usually heated and with roasted apples bobbing on top. As he did so, he would call 'Wassail! wassail! wassail!' ...The ceremony has carried over in our custom of sharing the Christmas season with friends and neighbors with a bowl of spiced punch or eggnog or syllabub..."
(To print, drag to desk top)
Christmas is a WONDERFUL time of the year not only because we celebrate Jesus' birth, but because it can bring out the child-like qualities in us all---even the year-long scrooges!
Tasha Tudor is well known for how she celebrated Christmas. In "A Time to Keep" she tells us, "Christmas was the best of all times to keep." She'd begin the celebration by putting up the Christmas pyramid and Advent calendar on St. Nicholas Day. She'd light the Advent wreath and serve St. Nicholas cake. . . .
One of my favorite of her traditions was the creche in the woods which I did one year when my children were still at home. . . .
Then Christmas eve the family would go into the woods to cut down a tree. We started the tradition of cutting down our tree from a tree farm the first year we were married. Tasha's tree would not be decorated until Christmas night and the children would be kept out of the room until it was all done. In "Take Joy" (her 1966 Christmas book) she writes, "By the time the evening chores are finished, everyone is in the proper state of excitement. At last the tree is completely decorated and lighted and the presents are piled beneath and around it. Now Seth winds up the antique music box and sets it at Hark! the Herald Angles Sing. This is the signal the children have been waiting for. The doors burst open--and there stands the tree in all its shimmering glory. The rest of the evening is spent in that happy enjoyment only Christmas brings". . . .
Tasha celebrated Christmas through other books, too, such as "Snow Before Christmas". . . .
A few years ago the Historic Odessa Foundation in Odessa, Delaware had a very inspiring exhibit called A Joyful Tasha Tudor Christmas. I did a post about it last year which can be found HERE.
If Christmas is your special holiday, too, then "Forever Christmas" is a must-have book. In it you get to see up-close and personal photographs by Jay Paul as Tasha prepares for her celebration. . . .such as these gingerbread ornaments she made every year with the children. . . .
Note: All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.
Book links take you to Amazon where you can take a look inside.
I hope you have been inspired to slow down and really celebrate the season--not just go through the motions. If it means down-sizing what you usually do, then so be it. It is better to enjoy just a few activities than to wear yourself out with worry or work.
Do you do celebrate Christmas with any of the same traditions as Tasha?
Sarah Ban Breathnach uses the story of The Velveteen Rabbit, written by Margery Williams in 1927, to talk about authenticity. She writes, "For a long time, the bunny remained just another plaything in the nursery. But he didn't mind because he was able to carry on long, philosophical discussions with the old Skin Horse who was very old, wise, and experienced in the strange ways of nursery magic." One day the rabbit asked the Skin Horse , "What is REAL? Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?" The horse replied . . . .
Sarah says, "In order for us to become Real, we must become lovers of real life in all its complexity and uncertainty....The Velveteen Rabbit isn't alone in wishing to become Real without any uncomfortable or unpleasant things happening." She suggests growing gradually into our authenticity to alleviate some of the discomfort that comes with change. She says, "As you learn to acknowledge, accept, and appreciate what it is that makes you different from [everyone else], the process begins. As you learn to trust the wisdom of your heart and make creative choices based on what you know is right for you, process becomes progress. As you learn to endow even the smallest moment of each day with Love, progress becomes reality perfected."
When we are children if we feel neglected we too often try to please those around us so we will gain their love and attention. Sometimes we give up and just go for their attention which can be gotten either in the form of getting into trouble or becoming perfectionists. You may not even realize that you are not your "real" self because it's the only self you've ever known. That is the hard part of becoming real--digging deep, tearing away the layers, and finally reaching the most sensitive part of yourself. If you have someone in your life who will love you no matter what, the process will go more quickly. Their unconditional love will enable you to begin to change. It helps to let the people in your life know that you've begun this journey and ask for their understanding and support. In the end, though, it's your own commitment to do what your heart leads you to do.
For me, this has been my spiritual journey--discovering who I was created to be, and how that would play out in what I do. My process began when I realized that I could not become a lover of real life unless I knew there was Someone who was able to look out for me. As my faith grew I realized that the God who created me is good and wants only what is best for me. I knew He would love me no matter what--that I could go to Him when others did not understand. And that even the hard things work together for my good.
Skin Horse said, "You can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." Once I became confident in God's love I no longer needed others' approval. Now I am beautiful in God's sight, and that's all that matters.
In November Mary Mason Campell writes in her book, The New England Butt'ry Shelf Almanac, illustrated by Tasha Tudor, that the herb, Rosemary, means "Remembrance." Besides being used to flavor foods--I love it in potatoes and bread--it can be used as tea, and has medicinal properties, as well. Mrs. Campbell suggests adding a bit to your Thanksgiving Turkey gravy. Rosemary is not winter hardy even here in Maryland so I must bring in my plant each Autumn. There is an old adage that "The Mistress rules the house where Rosemary flourishes." Another reason to have it in the house! ☺︎ Here is her recipe for Turkey soup. No doubt her dried herbs included Rosemary. . . .
(To print, drag to desktop)
The highlight in November for Tasha Tudor was Thanksgiving because she would always roast her turkey before the fire in her tin oven. But November was also the month she made her year's supply of candles and her Christmas gifts. . . .
(Click to enlarge)
"A Time to Keep"
"Around the Year"
I grew up loving Thanksgiving. It was always a big family celebration in our household, whether we went to one of my grandparents' or people came to our house. I've continued my mother's tradition of making "Heavenly Hash" (also called Ambrosia) every year. Sometimes I become very nostalgic for my Mamaw's Chess Pie, and even though no one else in my family likes it, I will make it in addition to our traditional Pumpkin and Apple pies.
Do you have a traditional dish for Thanksgiving besides the Turkey and stuffing?
In November Mary Mason Campell writes in her book, The New England Butt'ry Shelf Almanac, illustrated by Tasha Tudor, that the herb, Rosemary, means "Remembrance." Besides being used to flavor foods--I love it in potatoes and bread--it can be used as tea, and has medicinal properties, as well. Mrs. Campbell suggests adding a bit to your Thanksgiving Turkey gravy. Rosemary is not winter hardy even here in Maryland so I must bring in my plant each Autumn. There is an old adage that "The Mistress rules the house where Rosemary flourishes." Another reason to have it in the house! ☺︎ Here is her recipe for Turkey soup. No doubt her dried herbs included Rosemary. . . .
