UF3 for background, garland, and ornaments, apophysis for the tree, tinsel, and garland snowflakes, assembled in PSP. This Thursday will be the Thanksgiving Holiday in the U.S. Many people use this long holiday weekend to bring out all the decorations and begin the time consuming task of decortating the tree, the outside of the house, and the yard. There are already houses on my street decorated and lit up at night, this early! My fondest memories are of my childhood christmases in my mother's German tradition that the christmas tree was not seen until Christmas Eve. I remember my father bundling me up and driving me all around town in the old blue Buick and looking at all the houses lit up with Christmas lights and the twinkling of the Christmas trees shining through frosted windows. When he considered that a suitable amount of time had passed, he prompted me to look towards the heavens saying that he had just seen Santa's sleigh and the beacon of Rudolph's bright shiny nose heading towards our house, and shouldn't we hurry home to see? The house appeared dark, and the curtains were closed. When we entered, what to my wondering eyes should appear but the bright shining and sparkling christmas tree, complete with the shiny, heavy golden tinsel that my grandmother had sent from Germany, and real candles carefully situated all around the tree, on branches that could support their weight, and each one of them lit, adding magical light to the darkened room, and softly illuminating all the colorfully wrapped presents under the tree! I think that was the year that I got a bicycle for Christmas. No telling how hard and fast my mother and brother had to work to get everything ready before we got home, since we didn't have cell phones back then. Even now, in our own home, I try to wait until just a couple of days before Christmas to decorate the tree, and turn on the lights in a darkened room, while listening to christmas carols and gathering all our loved ones together. Whatever holiday traditions you celebrate this Thanksgiving and Christmas, may they be filled with laughter and love, and the cherished memories of Thankgiving dinners and Christmases past. May your loved ones be with you, or near in spirit, and may your harvest be plentiful with many things to be thankful for, the least of which being the presents under the tree, but the many things that you hold dear to your heart that bring you joy during this special time of year, and all throughout the year. Thanks for all your generous views and comments on previous images and a Happy Holiday Season to all! ...:)Maria