Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The Spirit of Christmas ... in Elizabeth Zimmerman's words

Meg Swansen, daughter of Elizabeth Zimmerman and owner of Schoolhouse Press, has allowed me to quote her mother. This the introduction to Elizabeth Zimmerman's December chapter in her book, Knitter's Almanac: Projects for Each Month of the Year.

She writes: "Is an exciting new improved Christmas every year really necessary? Is it in the spirit of the Solstice? The human heart hankers after stability and tradition. The feeling and atmosphere of Christmases past, the anticipation of those to come, and the magic presence of Christmas now should all blend and blur, to give the distraught soul something to hang on to in a year bedeviled by new improved machines, soaps, music, spectator sports and recipes, many of which will prove to be dull, destructive, and sometimes downright damnable. let us try to keep at least Christmas the way it has been for generations, and infiltrate novelty delicately and with caution. As a good start why not try to abide by the comforting tradition of handmade and homemade presents?"

If you do not own at least own of Elizabeth Zimmerman's books, please treat yourself immediately! Go to www.schoolhousepress.com to find them all.
Thank you, Meg, for permission to quote your lovely mother!

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