Merry Christmas to one and all!

While 2020 has been a tough year for most of us in one way or another, I hope you have still found some blessings in your everyday life to be thankful for, and that this Christmas, all those blessings are doubled and even tripled for you! May joy abound all around!

To add a little Christmas cheer, here’s my Christmas 2020 Eye-Spy game and jigsaw puzzle for you! I hope you enjoy them!

I’ll also announce the winners of the last give-away in this year’s Christmas series. And so… read on!

You can click on the image above for a larger version.

The theme of this year’s Christmas Eye Spy is stars. Stars and Christmas go quite well together!

The Christmas star that drew the Magi to Bethlehem is a pivotal part of the Christmas Story. Christ was descended from the House of David, represented by a star. Many people top their trees with stars.

And my favorite Christmas cookies are are shaped like stars! (Therefore, stars must be very important!)

In Kansas, our state motto is Ad Astra per Aspera – to the stars through difficulties. The notion behind the motto is that we can achieve the (seemingly) impossible, if we’re willing to go through the difficulties we will encounter along the way.

In other words, difficulties are ok. They make us better people, and they take us to greater heights.

When I saw the Great Conjunction on the 21st of December, I couldn’t help thinking about the sheer magnificence of the stars, the vastness of the universe, the scope of time and eternity… and those thoughts helped me put all life’s difficulties into context.

It’s all a matter of perspective!

As the poet Gerard Manly Hopkins put it… Look at the stars! Look, look up at the skies! The stars are Magnificent Things. And they give us hope.

There are quite a few stars in the image above. Can you find them all?

Forty-three stars are speckled about;
One-and-twenty birds you’ll find hanging out.

Can you find a mouse? Just one you will see.
And pretty scissor fobs, a total of three.

Four needle threaders you’ll find here and there,
Five Christmas trees and twelve sweets to share.

Seven candy canes, and scissors! There are six!
With nineteen jingle bells thrown into the mix.

Ten holly charms hidden among all the clutter,
Twelve vintage spools to make your heart flutter.

Nine green pins scattered far, scattered wide,
And six little stockings with secrets inside.

Ornament hangers – there are four, so I’m told,
And fourteen more pins in red, white, and gold.

Jigsaw

If you like to work jigsaw puzzles on your computer, you can enjoy the photo above as a jigsaw though the following link. You can adjust the number of pieces, too, so if you want something more or less challenging, customize it!

Christmas 2020 Eye Spy Jigsaw from Needle ‘n Thread.

Winners

The winners of last Monday’s give-away for the different collections of books from Search Press are:

Mary from AZ – her goal is to finish up UFOs (un-finished objects)!

Lois Abadie – her goal is to expand her skills into stumpwork and to take on more of Trish Burr’s long and short stitch projects.

Janet – who is also tackling UFOs!

Thanks to all for participating in this year’s series, and thanks to all the small businesses who have contributed to make the series a fun success!

Time Off!

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and many blessings in the New Year!

I’m going to take a little time off (about a week), during which I’ll be preparing new and exciting things for 2021.

I hope you have a chance to bond with your needle and thread over the holiday weekends, and I will see you soon!