Thrify Frosty,New Tree & Homelessness

This is Frosty-of course. :) I found Frosty at the Dollar Store. Doesn't looking at him just make you smile?

We gave away our 20 year old 7 Ft Christmas tree for this little scrappy Charlie brown type tree already lighted. We have such limited space in our itty bitty tree house cabin and this is definitely a space saver.

Did you know: That in the 1840s, Christmas trees were considered a "pagan mockery" of the sacred day, and you could be fined for so much as singing a Christmas carol or hanging an evergreen bough, let alone decorating an entire tree.

Christmas trees as we know them today actually originated in Germany in the 16th century and were brought to the United States by the German settlers of Pennsylvania during the 1800s. It wasn't until the 1890s that Christmas trees -- and Christmas tree ornaments -- became a part of the traditional American Christmas.

The first Christmas tree lights were mass produced in 1890. German-American immigrants used to decorate their trees with apples, nuts and marzipan cookies.

When I was at the homeless shelter this week a woman came in. I asked her if I could help her assuming she was there to volunteer or donate. She was a classy looking woman probably in her early 50's and my initial judgment on her would be that she was there to donate or want to help, not homeless. But, she was there seeking shelter.

Sadly, there was no room at the Inn. None. She looked so hopeless when I told her but she tried to keep a smile on her face, she tried to be positive and cheerful only her eyes read sorrow and tired. She proceeded to tell me she was staying in a cheap motel with lots of noise and she had been up all night unable to sleep. Her funds were running out and she was going to be left to face the streets. I continued to tell her to please keep checking back as people leave daily and its first come first serve,she wearily told me she would keep checking.

As she was leaving she turned to me and said, "I used to do what your doing. I used to volunteer in a homeless shelter when I was younger. I used to be you."

That tugged at my heart....probably caused an involuntary twitch..... what kind of series of events could lead any of us to homelessness?

Off to do my day..... I am wanting to make a big platter of frosted sugar cookies. I have to make a test batch to consume before I make any to give, its the right thing to do. :)