A Season of Christmas

It has been the most Christlike Christmas Season than I can ever recall having . . . and I have loved every single day. The highlight has been going on nightly treasure hunts to find some of the Presepi in our neighborhood and other nearby neighborhoods. "Presepi" is the plural word for Nativities. (pronounced like preh-ZEP-pee) Going in search of Baby Jesus all month long has been an infinitely meaningful way to prepare to celebrate His Holy Birth. 

For the past several weeks, the scene that I have cherished the most is this one . . . I look out my window on any given day and I see the Babe lying in a manger, with His earthly parents tenderly at His side . . . I see the humble shepherds, who made haste to come and worship the Lamb of God . . . and I see the Wise Men, who with patience and devotion, continue on their lengthy journey to pay tribute to and worship the Christ Child. 

Some days, the skies were crisp and clear and the scene was very visible . . .

Other days, it was a struggle to see them through the thick, foggy layers . . .

It seems like a relevant metaphor for our life here on the earth . . . where on some days all seems clear to us: our purpose, our divinity, and God's abundant love for us. On other days, however, those same truths may feel frustatingly obscured and even far away. 

But search on we must . . . it takes effort and time to feel close to Jesus Christ. But it is all worth every magnificent ounce that we put in.

Come on a walk with me to see the Presepi . . . 

There were 42 Nativity scenes in all, according to this very helpful map. Over the course of a month, we completed our goal to see every single one. The furthest ones to the NW took us a little over an hour round trip to walk there and back. The ones to the NE we had to drive to because they were much farther away, and the road is quite narrow and scary with no pedestrian path for safety. 

Number 1 is situated at the Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Giuseppe in Maddalene, or St. Joseph's Church in Maddalene. When I first took this photo, I thought it was #1, but it was not, ha ha. Instead, it was more of an explanation for the Strada dei Presepi, or Nativity Walk. 

Click photo below to better see the translation of the sign . . .

Some of the Nativities were behind glass or plexiglass. Others were open, or creatively constructed in a variety of ways.

Some had placed Baby Jesus in the manger, while others did not. We circled back to a few of them on Christmas Day and I'm happy to report that He was in His manger by then. :)

Signs were placed regularly along the walking route so that you could find at least a handful to enjoy nearby, if you didn't have access to the map.

Some were less elaborate than others, and some had incredible detail work or handcrafted care.

Some were in a booth of sorts, and others were staked into the ground as a yard display . . .

Video of the scene above: (10 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/U965opmSCKpy8Q3y9

This next one was one of my favorites . . . the tree consisted of multiple levels and they all spun slowly around.

Video here: (9 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/aSUEfwpFEZKpe7SZ7

At each Nativity, there was a sign indicating who had created it, along with any details they wished to convey. Some even had a notebook where you could sign your name, or offer comments. 

Below: This was an especially elaborate one (#8) that sits at the top of the hill behind our home . . . They had set up a village with little makeshift "fires", along with mill wheels and other moving parts that conveyed the life of the village.

Video here: (38 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/snNkTBhrJTs9cj8A7

This next one was another favorite of mine . . . (#12) It seemed the most authentic looking, as far as Bethlehem goes, and what it may have looked like anciently.

Video here: (19 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/WdrbEVAYTihQd4CQ7

We finally found the ACTUAL #1 on the side of the church on a different day . . .

Also, have you ever come across a church with flashing Christms lights? For me, I think this was a first. This is the St. Joseph's Church where the Nativity Walk begins . . .

Video here: (8 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/GiwMNNB33PrCsFDa6

#2 was quite pretty with all the layers, sort of like the German Pyramid style . . . It was located behind the aforementioned church.

This one was set back a ways behind a large gate, so we didn't get to see it very well. We used our headlamps to spotlight what we were trying to see at each station, whenever we went out after dark.

This next one was another favorite of mine . . . It was just SO CLEVER!! Someone had built a wooden train - quite large, in fact - and each car had a different scene relating to the Nativity. (#5 I believe)

Video here: (28 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/KMieoab6kJoBExD48

And another video walking back, where I noticed something new that I hadn't seen the first time:

(20 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/4LJ6AAFaKw781ZMD9

I also loved this next one (#6). It felt a bit Scandinavian to me, but also had some Dutch clogs placed neatly down on the lower shelf . . . It was very cozy and inviting with the crocheted afghans, light, and warmth that the whole scene exuded. 

They included a little explanation about their theme on a sign next to the display. I'll share a little portion of their translated story:

Nativity Scene: The Bed Warmer!

A simple old woman and her fire, a cradle for Baby Jesus.

This is how we imagined Baby Jesus, the one who comes to "warm" relationships in our families, in our neighborhoods, in our cities, in our world . . .

We all need to learn to speak warm, respectful, and above all peaceful words!

...this is our wish for a Merry Christmas to all of you!

 

Near the Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena is a cozy square with apartment buildings that overlook and even share a portion of what used to be the ancient church. The whole neighborhood, albeit small, was lit up and festively decorated.

This was probably where the most elaborate Nativity scene of all is situated (#24) . . . in the cloister, or outdoor hallway of the Church, was a very large display. You could walk almost all the way around it, and as you did so, you'd hear the occasional sound of a donkey braying, and the regular crowing of roosters at various intervals.

Video #1 of this elaborate Nativity: (17 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/Bihr9EPzKUCYFPYe8

Video #2 of the same Nativity: (21 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/t3FKkErEA5CR2ne69

Video #3 of the same Nativity: (27 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/JdVUej9RuBjzGMLv9

This next one was a bit of a surprise as I was studying it for this blog post. I didn't notice when I was standing in front it (#15), but there are several important scenes from the Bible portrayed, as well as some important scenes from the life of Jesus Christ. 

For example: 

~ Starting on the lower right - The Inn (Locanda)

~ Moving clockwise, Strong Herod (Forte Erode)

~ Census (Censimento)

~ Moses parts the waters (Mose separa le acque)

~ Jesus in the desert (Gesu nel deserto)

~ Mount Sinai & the Tablets of the Law (Le Tavole della Legge)

~ Calvary and the Sepulchre or Tomb (Calvario & the Sepolcro)

~ The Olive Garden, which could represent the Garden of Gethsemane (Orto degli Olivi)

And the caption that encompasses everything simply says: 

~ La Nascita & La Morte, Una Grande Storia (The Birth & Death, A Great Story)

To give the whole perspective of the entire scene, it looks like this . . . along with the words, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all the visitors!"

Around the corner was an unusual Santa Claus . . . I think they decorated the lamp post, ha ha, but he just looked so creepy . . .

And here is another beautiful Bethlehem scene, gently aglow at night . . . This was a large display and appeared to be handcarved from wood, complete with a waterwheel and little steps going up.

I shared this next one with my grandson, Jack, because of his love for tractors and construction vehicles. This Nativity scene was quite large, and taught me (yet again) that Jesus can be (and IS) with us anywhere and everywhere. It's not so irreverent to imagine the Savior coming to stay on a busy working farm. Those people need Jesus just as much as the rest of us do. 

Video #1 of the Nativity "farm": (20 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/1ri8rYHu4YWeBSnYA

Video #2 of the Nativity "farm": (15 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/Aa1e7GNSXBoCNfSs5

Pace means Peace in Italian. (pronounced like PAW-chay)

Video of the beautiful handpainted Nativity above: 

(15 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/WnoDXYXvG9n6j1yb8

The weekend before Christmas, we drove over to see some of the last Nativities that were a bit out of reach on foot from our house. We found a safe place to park, and then we walked a short distance to each one from there.

This one (#37) is situated underneath what used to be an ancient Roman aqueduct . . .

#36 was right next to the scary road, with not much space to maneuver, so we didn't stay for long . . .

Above and Below: #42 was close to two large fishing ponds, which I was excited to discover. In my mind, it's just another reason for my grandchildren to come and pay us a visit! We saw a guy catch a pretty good-sized fish right next to us . . .

#38 - 41 were all on the same street, so we found a place to park safely out on the main road and then we enjoyed walking down the long lane to see each of them. 

#39 was unique because the figures of Joseph, Mary, and Baby Jesus were all made from a beautiful blue glass. 

#40 was clearly created from the mind of an artist . . . XOXO

#41 surprised us because it was part of an actual FARM!! The lane had been getting progressively muddier as we got closer, so that would explain why. 

Turns out, this was a farm that I had saved on Google Maps some time ago as a potential place we could bring our grandchildren to. We just hadn't made the effort to come here yet . . . It's a goat farm, but we also saw donkeys and a large herd of cattle, too. There's a shop down the street where you can buy goat milk, goat cheese, other goaty gifts, and even SAUSAGE. (don't tell them . . . ssshhhhh)

This cute little billy goat was very adept as he walked along the skinny 1-inch wide railing to see us. 

Video of him here: (40 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/magtfiaRH29H1cZG6

And one more short video of him: (11 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/RP5WM4anTXoPqzN88

We also saw a man giving horse rides down the lane to a little boy and girl, one at a time. 

(3 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/rMSZcjxgXQFfV3Mp7

This one was a little bit of a stretch, in our opinion . . . What do you think, as far as the explanation above . . . I mean, maybe . . .

While this next one's appearance may seem a little underwhelming, the message underneath the woodburned scenes is beautiful: (translated) 

"The light has come into the world, and the darkness did not conquer it."

Just a few more!!

Corks and more corks helped to make this Nativity scene . . .

And finally, this one is #23 and we had to come all the way over here twice. The first time we came, it was very dark outside and it wasn't lit up like we thought it would be. It was hard to see the fine workmanship with just our headlamps, ha ha.

Behind the Santa Maria Maddalene Church, there is a spring and a small pond area called Seriola Springs. Artists have steadily increased the Natiivty figures almost every year since the project began in 2009. 

~ 2009: Joseph, Mary, Baby Jesus, the shepherd, and shepherdess

~ 2010: The ox, donkey, and sheep were added

~ 2014: A boy and a girl were created

~ 2019: The Three Wise Men were added

~ 2020: A shepherd with a lamb were added

~ 2023: A bagpipe player was added

~ 2024: The angel and the mallards that float in the water were added

~ 2025: The fisherman, the flute player, and two swans have been added

All the sculptures are made of Lebanese cedar wood and the Nativity scene is set up every single year.

Video of the peaceful scene: (17 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/1hDHmePN7FomS39Q8

We went for a nice long walk on Christmas Day, where we saw the above Seriola Springs and then, on our way home, we peeked in the massive and very elaborate Nativity that we had seen before (in the cloister of the Maddalene Church) to see if Baby Jesus had been placed in His manger . . . and yes, He was now there.

And now I have some catching up to do on the rest of the Christmas happenings from the past month . . .

Early in the month, I joined with a few of my friends at a local Indian restaurant for a luncheon to honor Trish Scott ( blue shirt on the far left). Trish and her family are moving up to Germany for the next chapter of their military life. 

From L to R: Trish Scott, Emily Thompson, Leslie Rollins, Kelly Campbell, and me. 

It seems like forever ago, but I spent a whole day making gingerbread for an activity the following day (Dec. 3rd) . . . I love the smell of gingerbread with all its spices, and I loved that it filled every room in our home!

We don't have a printer (yet) in Italy, so I didn't have a way to print off the gingerbread house templates from the recipe I was using. Thank goodness I have a willing husband who also happens to have some math skills. In order to make it all work, I needed templates that would A) provide 6 complete gingerbread houses per batch of dough, and B) I needed the size of the completed houses to fit into the foil trays that I had bought to use as a base. Enter Scott's brain . . .

I made two batches of dough, but I made just one batch at a time. It seemed to be easier to work with it that way. The dough was thick and difficult to stir in the pot, so I'm glad I didn't combine the two batches together.

I used a pizza cutter to cut the dough alongside the paper templates that Scott made for me. At the end of the day, I had 24 side walls, 24 end walls, and 24 roof pieces. I had some extra dough with each batch, so I made several snowflake cookies with the leftovers. The original recipe suggests making a gingerbread boy and girl with the extra dough (per house set), but I didn't have any of my cookie cutters from Idaho Falls. 

While I was baking up a storm in my kitchen, I kept peeking out the window and stepping out on the balcony to watch the crew of men who were setting up the large Nativity in the field behind our house. They pounded what looked like rebar into the soil, but they also had connecting rods to extend the framework for the larger Nativity cutouts. 

Video as they stood on ladders to carefully put each piece in its place: (11 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2awibqxfdau1L42h7

And later, I noticed one of the men gently washing off each of the animals with a bucket of water and a rag. I immediately thought of our Savior, who as a loving Shepherd would also care for each of His sheep with great care. 

Video of one of the sheepies being cleaned: (7 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KZ8B2MvX5BAnQ7KZ7

By the end of the day, there was a beautiful sunset to frame the new Christmas scene in the field . . .

On Saturday, December 3rd, all of our young friends arrived to have lunch and build gingerbread houses. My friend, Rachel McGovern, provided a pot of taco soup which was brought to the party by her two daughters, Emily and Sarah. I also made a pot of soup, but mine was a chicken and tortellini soup with lots of vegetables. 

From L to R around the table: Elder Walker (from the US), Jace Wood, Shayne Ramon, Emily McGovern, Sarah McGovern, Scott, Elder David (from France), Sister Quilter (from North Wales), Sister Joder (from Switzerland), Federico (from Vicenza), and Scott - a young single soldier.

Some of you may have already seen the video that I created on Instagram and Facebook with the process for baking the gingerbread and all of the finished products. But here is one video clip that shows the cute house that Sister Quilter made: (13 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/BfpGckEaKNqbejeq6

Scott drove the Elders home (the male missionaries) and I drove the Sisters home so that they didn't have to navigate the bus system while trying to keep their gingerbread houses intact. The others had a car to get themselves home. :)

Later that evening, I used some of the leftover icing to decorate all of the gingerbread cookies that I had cut out and baked the day before. It seemed like the perfect thing to bring to our "Linger Longer" after church the following day. You can see them on the round tray at the end of the table below . . .

I received several compliments on the deliciousness of the gingerbread, so I ended up sharing the recipe with quite a few people. It wasn't that I was an amazing baker or anything special, but the recipe itself was the star of the show. 

Here is the recipe that I used, given to me by Kathy Whitworth several years ago (my son-in-law West's mother).

On a warm and sunny afternoon in mid-December (something that is more common in Italy than it is in Idaho), I caught a bus into downtown Vicenza to visit the local Christmas Market. A couple of Christmases ago, I found a super cute handmade gift for my granddaughter, Abby, at the downtown market - and I was hoping to find something special again for my younger granddaughter, Avery.

Lots of Christmasy decorations everywhere . . .

I bought this adorable little cinch sack from a local vendor in the Piazza because it was just too cute to pass up. I can picture Jack (whenever he next comes to visit) loading up his dinosaur backpack with whatever he needs for a day trip and then happily lugging it around everywhere we go . . . The creators upcycled some denim jeans and then added some colorful dinosaur spikes to accessorize it. Very clever.

A few minutes later I found the same lady's booth where I bought Abby's bunny backpack a couple years ago . . . and I ended up buying this darling birdie bag for Avery. XOXO I was so happy that I found exactly what I went downtown to find!!

From that point on, I just spent a short time exploring the area around the Christmas Market before heading back home. I bought a little German pastry to share with Scott . . .

A slightly warped .5mm view of the Piaza and all the booths in the Christmas Market . . .

This was the booth where I bought Avery's birdie bag . . . (seen hanging on the left) I wish I had enough money to buy several more items from the lady who made all of this. She was super nice, too.

A performance stage was being set up as I passed by in the Piazza, and several Alpini were gathering. Whether they are currently serving or long since retired, they always have the signature dark green felt hats with a raven feather sticking up. The Alpini are an elite mountain infantry unit, famous for their exceptional skills in the harsh mountain terrain of Northern Italy. They have used mules for transport throughout the Alps, they can ski and traverse the rugged peaks, all while climbing and lugging equipment, etc. They are truly remarkable.

Roasted chestnuts are a big thing in Europe during the Christmas season . . .

And wow - I just HAPPENED to discover a Vicenza area marching band on my way back to catch the bus home that day. I saw on their white sashes that they were a mixture of volunteer band members from Vicenza and Dueville, and possibly other nearby communities, too. 

I waited a few extra minutes to see them perform and start marching through the streets of downtown . . .

Video #1 of the marching band: (24 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/rC655vfU3KUT6YZU6

Video #2: (39 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/cDGX4vUoHdR3dwws9

Video #3: (22 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/Zpqbxh58XQUwDFtBA

Video #4 with the baton twirlers: (33 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/rDGhXNz67QJb1Lax9

Video #5 of the band playing "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas": LOL

(1 min, 22 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/crWvKNg4Rb9rJ7nR6

Final Video #6 as they split off from where I was headed: 

(32 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/q76fhyhiKjGyXAMy5

I also passed by an ice skating rink near the train station, and its size surprised me! Not only did they have a decently large covered rink, but then as I continued on I noticed that they had an additional outdoor loop that attaches to the covered area, substantially extending the overall space.

Video of the covered area: (8 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/qUfkuaJXemUT5SmBA

Video of the outdoor loop: (15 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/ACu84h49SoFVjoGr7

When I got home a few minutes later, there was a spectacular sunset to enjoy . . .

It's been seriously foggy on several mornings throughout the month of December, and I find it all so beautiful and mysteriously enchanting . . .

In Italy, there is a big holiday coming up in just a few days (January 6th), and there are a variety of "cute" toys in the stores to remind children of the grand event . . .

 

Our friends in the ward, the Preece Family, unfortunately had their home broken into shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday. While they were out of town, someone climbed over their mechanized gate and literally broke into their home by smashing the glass entryway door. They completely trashed the house, searching for valuables. Clothes were strewn everywhere, contents of drawers and closets were all over the floors, and everything was a complete and utter mess!!

When they got home late at night, around 11 p.m., they could not even get their gate to open because the group of thieves had zip-tied the gate shut!! What made this even more shocking is that the Preeces live up on top of a hill at the end of a dead-end street. They could not live any more remotely and away from town. This is the same family that I stayed with earlier in November while Stacie was gone to Germany for a school-sponsored music conference for a whole week. I would sleep at their house at night and then get everyone off to school early in the mornings. 

Stacie's husband is deployed for several months down in Djibouti (pronounced like ja-BOO-tee), so I can only imagine the horror and fear that swept through their minds with him not there to lend support and strength and protection. We immediately offered our help, and I suggested that they look into getting some video surveillance equipment - similar to what we use for our home in Idaho Falls. With the accompanying app, you can see the status of your home anytime you want from wherever you are, so Cameron would be able to check on his family from afar. Scott even offered to set it up for them, but it turned out that his assistance was not needed.

Cameron was able to get emergency leave from his commanding officer and he quickly made his way home, traveling for about 48 hours with little to no sleep before arriving. They did end up ordering some video surveillance cameras and then Cameron, together with his two teenage boys, got it all set up. Neighbors and friends had already come over to help put their house back together by the time I found out about it 2 days after the break-in, so I wasn't able to help much in that way. 

Cameron was able to deal with the Caribinieri (the local police), also nicknamed the "Carbs", by filing a police report and getting some inside information on what likely took place. Apparently, there are two gangs in the area who like to break in and steal stuff. One of the groups leaves little evidence of their thievery, aiming for cash and jewelry mostly. The other group completely trashes the place and grabs whatever suits their fancy along the way. So, now we know which group of thugs broken into the Preece home . . .

Their landlord boarded up the entry door until a new door could be installed. The family stayed in a hotel room on the Ederle base while the mess was initially being dealt with. I was asked to help bring a meal to their family 2 nights later, which I happily prepared. I made pulled pork, cornbread, homemade coleslaw (with my mom's yummy recipe), and some chocolate chip cookies. 

However, as things began to fall into place, I didn't need to bring them the dinner at the base hotel after all. Cameron had made it home, they had checked out of the hotel, and so I met Stacie outside the swimming pool at the gym on base to exchange the "goods" instead. Stacie had come to pick up her boys after their swim team practice (something I did as well when I was babysitting in November), and I had a chance to hug her and learn a few more of the details.

A few days later, Scott and I drove to their house to bring some soup and leftovers from the Ward Christmas Party because Stacie's whole family had gotten sick with something and we wanted to do something more to help them out. Cameron was busy installing the new camera equipment at the time, even though he was coughing and not feeling too great. He was only able to slip away for one week to be with his family, and then it was back to his work duties in Djibouti again. 

I just couldn't believe that this even happened in the first place!! In my mind, I'm thinking that someone would have had to be spying on them to know when they might be gone or out of town, and how creepy is that!?? Secondly, there are not typically very many incidents of this nature because everyone has a gated entry, and typically you need a hefty key to enter the adjacent building, and then another hefty key to enter the actual home. There are so many layers of protection that it's virtually impossible to just "stop by" to see or visit a friend. 

I'm also super glad it didn't happen while the family was home . . . or when I was there either. Who knows what might have happened if it did . . .

When I exchanged food with Stacie near the pool that one evening, I loved the huge Christmas light display across the street, so before Scott and I drove home, I dashed over to capture a photo . . . 

Around that same time frame, I baked a couple of pumpkin pies to bring to the Ward Christmas Party.

Along with the *one* pie that I brought with me (keeping the other one at home for US), I also brought a tortellini soup to share. Plus, I bought Scott and me some cute slippers and sweatshirts that we could wear to the party . . .

Meanwhile, in Oregon, my daughter Amber received a little package from me in the mail with a new jacket from the Decathlon store here in Vicenza. I had recently bought one for myself (in a light beige color) and it caught her eye. So I sent her one, too, in an icy blue color. For roughly 30 euros, they are not only stylish, but they are waterproof and lined with enough insulation and fleece to keep you warm down to 5 degrees Celsius (roughly 40 degrees F). It's thin like a rain jacket, but oh-so-much-more. 

I think she likes it . . .

Amber and West recently celebrated their wedding anniversary, too . . . Hubba hubba

Scott was not sure what to get for me as a Christmas gift, and quite frankly, I wasn't sure for a while either. One day, I went for a drive to the mall in Verona by myself with a clothes-finding mission. Even though I've been regularly exercising and eating pretty healthy, I haven't been able to shed the extra weight that I've somehow gained in the past 16 months. It's been terribly frustrating to only have a few outfits that currently fit me. None of them are very dressy, which added to my need for finding something that I felt good in.

There is a store in the Adigeo Mall called Primark. They have the cutest clothes for really cheap and I am always able to find something there anytime I go. This time was no different. I found several tops and sweaters that were so darn cute, plus a pair of comfortable and sleek black boots - all for about 125 euros. 

When Scott got home that afternoon, I cheerfully reported to him that I had found his Christmas gift for me!! We had a good laugh over that, and he was grateful that he didn't need to fret any further over it. :)

The mall was very festive and fancied up with holiday decorations . . .   

On the Sunday before Christmas, we enjoyed a very musical and Christ-centered Sacrament meeting. We met together with the Italian Ward, with one speaker from each Ward (each speaking in their native language, whether it was English or Italian). Our primary children and youth sang a handful of songs in English, and the primary children of the Italian Ward sang a couple of songs, too. They also had an Italian choir number which was very pretty. The hymns we sang were in Italian, too, which was fun. 

See if you can recognize what these two hymns are, based on the music notes and melody . . .

One of the musical numbers was performed by my good friend, Emily McGovern, along with Nicole and her brother, Stephen Southworth. The two girls played violin while Stephen played his viola. 

I recorded a portion of their song: (2 minutes, 16 seconds) 

*Stephen is on the left, Nicole is in the middle, and Emily is on the right.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DVNFqNsqn9REbnAu5

I also recently found a small supply of Olympics "merch" for when Benson and I go see an Olympic event next month here in Northern Italy. I bought a ballcap and some thick, warm socks for us to fight over. 

Lastly, I'll share a few photos from a fun activity we took part in a couple days before Christmas. The military relations missionaries, Elder and Sister Sim, invited some people from both the Italian Ward and our Vicenza Military Ward to do some Christmas caroling in the downtown area. Scott and I hopped on the bus to go into town, and then walked about 15 minutes from the train station to get to the main Piazza where we met up with everyone else.

A historical movie of sorts - with music and light displays - was being projected onto the Basilica and surrounding buildings in the Piazza dei Signori. It was really cool to watch while we waited for everyone to show up. We had no idea what the narrator was saying, but it didn't really matter because it was just so magical. :)

Video #1: (11 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/D7ptD9nayNYPBMt26

Video #2: (9 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/1Fy6F2N314V6FQR46

Video #3: (29 seconds) https://photos.app.goo.gl/X6qB3kEmQtrCMo5W8

The sister missionaries, Sisters Joder and Quilter, had put together little gift bags of cookies - each with a note that had a scripture verse about Jesus from the Bible, along with the words from a Christmas carol chorus. They would occasionally step aside from our small group to offer one of their gifts to someone, as seen in the photo below. Sometimes people would gratefully accept their small gift, but sometimes they were rejected. Thankfully, this lady cheerfully accepted Sister Quilter's gift. 

There was a lot going on in the Piazza, and it would have been difficult to compete with everything in order to sing our Christmas carols to the general public. I suggested we head over to one of the side streets that I was familiar with, one that also happened to be very popular with shoppers and sightseers. It worked out great. We were the only "musicians" in that area.

We spent roughly 30-40 minutes singing our hearts out while people passed by. Some stopped to listen and watch us sing. Many smiled and showed their gratitude in small, subtle gestures. Stephen Southworth brought his viola, bravely countering the cold with his piercing melodies. He would play an intro to the song, and then we would sing usually the first and last verse of each carol. 

We also tried our hand in singing a couple of songs in Italian! Thank goodness our church's Gospel Library app has a way to convert the songs into several different languages. I was also grateful that Sister Quilter was standing next to me because I needed her assistance with pronunciation a few times.

Video as we prepped for and sang our very first song, Joy to the World: (56 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/3etHRfjxb3WCCHZB6

Our little group - minus a few that had to leave: (L to R) Sister Joder, Sister Quilter, ___ from the Italian Ward, Me, Sister Sim, Sister Southworth, Stephen Southworth, and Scott. Elder Sim took the photo for me. 

After our throats were good and hoarse, we split up into smaller numbers and wandered around the downtown area for a little while longer. 

I saw these cute carolers in a window display that same evening . . .

Christmas Day was peaceful and quiet . . . maybe a little TOO quiet, without any grandchildren to speak of. We did get to visit with them on a video call later that day, though, which helped to dispel a bit of the gloom from being so far away from them. 

The month of December has come and gone as of this writing. It was truly one of the best Decembers I've had in a really long time. With all the Nativities to see, with service opportunities, and with a true spirit of Christmas in the air, my heart was filled with joy and gladness. 

Merry Belated Christmas from my home to yours. :)