Normally I’m never ready with my window lighting for the first Sunday of Advent, but this year I’m – but I must admit that I haven’t cleaned the windows this year. Not in the mood for it at all. Will fix it after New Year or even pay for somebody to do it for me – because I loathe window cleaning.
In this weeks “Weekly Photo Challenge – Let There Be Light!” I entered with a photo one of my neighbors windows from last year. So I will do a little post with my window lights this year.
You that knows me – know that I’m not a believer and neither am I a big fan of Christmas, but I love the light, the decorations and the cards that Christmas gives us. And I love some of the Christmas songs, but I don’t want to listen to them already in the beginning of November.
“Ave Maria” is one of them – even if I listen to this beautiful song during the whole year. I wish that there would be a light in every window all over the world – to welcome us inside and to guide us in the dark. I hope this song will bring light to your just now moment.
“You can’t have a light without a dark to stick it in.”
Arlo Guthrie
myguiltypleasures 
Lovely!! I, too, am not a believer, and I ignore Christmas the best I can, But like you I love the lights and SOME of the music. Enjoy – hugs from Mary in Michigan
Mary from Michigan – thank you so much for your faithful support. I’m like you I try to ignore Christmas too in some ways, but it’s a bit difficult when the shops starts in late september reminding us. A morning hug from me in Landskrona
Simply wonderful, Viveka! And this beautiful music makes it a whole. White is so serene and is made complete by “Ave Maria”. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much, A-C. I love the white lights too – bought red for my door by mistake – have to live with it for this year.
“Ave Maria” is one of my favorite songs and I listen to it often and I love this version, don’t know who sings, but she have a wonderful voice.
Welcome back, Viveka, no worries on catching up on everything.. no one should have to do that:) Or we’d never take a blogging break, lol. I love your photos.. I think candles are really the prettiest decorations that feel most like Christmas to me. And paired with this beautiful music.. it’s heavenly! xx
Thank you so much for the lovely comment … it’s nice to be back! *smile
Yes, it’s really heavenly music – one of my favorite pieces and I listen often to it.
For us, you and I …. the light is the most important thing before we live in winterdark places. We need the light, like fresh air.
Lovely lights, Viveka. No-one will notice if your windows aren’t clean. xx
Beautiful music, and I love the Guthrie quote. 🙂
Sylvia, I don’t really care about my windows now – but it’s mild enough to do them still. Here in Sweden is custom to clean the windows before putting up the advent lights, but who cares if my windows are clean or not.
And now with the lights in the window nobody will see it anyhow. Thanks for your sweet comment.
Beautiful captures Viveka 🙂
Thank you so much, Andy
Very beautiful shots Viveka! I especially love the candles with the 2 windows. You may not be a believer but I’m betting your photos have lots of appeal for those who are!
Tina, thanks a million for you kind comment – I love the same photo – I have cropped it a bit now and it looks much better.
Beautiful photos, Viveka. And I hate doing the windows, too….no worries!!! 🙂
Skye, you are my kind of woman *smile
Your dining room looks beautiful, Vivi! 🙂 You have a beautiful heart too.
Jo, thanks for your lovely comment – it’s my bay window in my living room -don’t have a dinning room. I don’t like to carry food from room to room, I’m too practical or lazy *smile
You are so nice dear Viveka, I am thinking as you and light is great… I want to make my windows too this year. I loved your decorations. Have a wonderful new month and Christmas time, love you,. Thank you, nia
I’m sure you can find quite a few decorations on IKEA.
Mine is all very standard, but not IKEA. We Swedes buy some new decorations to what we have collect through the years. Looking out my window now I can see at least 50 Swedish Welcome Lights in the opposite house’s windows. Just love it.
I like your lights and the choice of the song. But Ave Maria always makes me very sad – the music.
Big hug and have a nice evening 🙂 x
Thanks for your kind words.
Ave Maria, don’t make me sad – it makes me calm, but that could be a sign of sadness. I listen often to it. One of my favorite pieces.
Oh the singing is fabulous! And are all of those lights yours????? When I read this ” I wish that there would be a light in every window all over the world – to welcome us inside and to guide us in the dark” I know the world is truly a better place than what the news wants us to believe. I think there are more welcoming lights than we will ever hear about.
Yes, it’s a fantastic version of a beautiful song – don’t know who the singer is, but she has a voice of and angel. *smile
Yes, it’s all my window ligths that I put up yesterday morning. The only place where I don’t have a candles is in my kitchen window, but from next year I will have one.
I know it’s more and more common with lights in windows … but there should be more.
Colleen, you’re so right that the world is a better place – but still for far too many of us, not good enough.
I know it’s not good enough Viveka. But there’s more good in it than what the world reports. I wish there was more reporting of it. Like at the Kindness Blog.
I couldn’t agree more with you – I think that the hopelessness that many of us are feeling is caused by all the negative news we are feed with daily. There is never any great news anywhere. But still is there more people that don’t have a home, food, medical help and water – then who has.
Love your lights. I love too that they are plain which makes the whole decor so classy. The music goes with it – one of my favorites.
Bebs, I love the white clear lights too – bought red by mistake for the my entrance door – but have to live with that until next year.
Ave Maria, is one of my oldest memories of classical music – sticked with me for nearly 55 years. Just love it.
An amazing photo collection you did! Love the photo challenge! I should really sign up for one..
Pink, thank you so much – nice to have your visiting.
Of course you should join the challenge, it’s fun to take part and loads of new people will cross your path too.
I should! That’s a great idea! I have started to retire from volunteer photography (too much work) and want to find wonder and wander in it again..
Pink, every Friday there is a new theme for this challenge, but there is so many here with WP. Just use old photos or go out and get some fresh one. You’re a talent young woman. Also it will get you more viewers and followers.
Thank you for the tips! 😀 I will definitely keep this in mind. 😀
I hope you join the challenge now tomorrow.
A beautiful post in every way – the photos are incredible and the music divine (the peacocks have all come to my door in response to it!)
I love the photos you have shared… and I am a believer, yet abhor the commercialization of the Christmas period.. the lights and decorations that we used to see as yongstwers just had so much more of a Christmas feel to me than what it is meant to represent today… with decorations music and all in shops pumping it out to get sales from October on… the kids in the family are the only ones that now receive gifts and this to me is how it should be… not the rip roaring party, get drunk attitude of some these days… I love the homely lights and decorations as well as the music, but at the right time… your sound cloud would not load by me today and I have to assume it was Ave Maria which I love… maybe next time… Good to have you back by the way…
thanks for the comment …. nice to be back! On my way to the hospital …. sorry about the music cloud, because it’s a fantastic recording. I’m listening to it now … great way to start a sunny crisp day. *smile
Don’t understand why it doesn’t play for you.
Will come back with replay on the rest of your comment !
I’m back – Rob, I totally agree with you about Christmas – and that is the main reason that I don’t like it anymore – because people are so stressed out over it – all the musts they think they have to do – people buy gifts that they have to pay off up to next Christmas. It has lost is meaning completly. Also Christmas is for the children in my book, but does it has to be so mental everything.
And everybody that is lonely will feel even more lonely on Christmas. It has totally gone out of hands and that is the reason why I don’t like Christmas anymore.
I remember our Christmases as a child… my parents were not rich, actually poor, but Christmas was an early awaking to a sock full of cheap toys that delighted my sister and i no end… a good sit down dinner with all the traditional puddings and the day was spent in family activities… now that is what I call a Christmas… keep the expensive toys and gifts to each other and rather enjoy the day as a family day as it should be… I did love the Christmas Pudding and do insist every year on having one… the rest you can keep… in any case I hate getting gifts even on my birthday.. a true gift for me is companionship and that is all i ask at any time…
What a lovely comment – I couldn’t agree more …. I don’t share your passion for the Christmas Cake, but I will let you keep on insisting on it. *laughter
On Christmas many of us force ourselves to spend time with family members that we don’t see during the rest of the year or not even like – and that’s is why conflicts starts and also because everybody are so stressed out to get everything done in time – and all for 3 days of the a full year.
Rob, I’m very cynical about the whole thing, but I still love the lights, decoration and the cards.
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Thanks for the plingback! Very kind of you.
A beautiful wish, my dear Viveka… I wish you light too! 🙂 xx
Marina, thank you so much *smile
Thanks for the beautiful song, I love that song. Yes I too find the cards, lights and music so entrancing for the season, 🙂
Thank you for the visit – yes, it’s a wonderful song – that I first heard when I was in school and have stayed with me ever since and I listen often to it. This recording is so beautiful too, she has a voice of an angel.
Truly! 🙂
My windows need cleaning too – but your lovely pictures have taken my mind off them! 😉
I have now contaced a company to do my windows 4 times per year. I’m so bad. Don’t worry about your windows, life goes on without clean windows. *smile