SPOTLIGHT ON ... ARTICLE
November 2008
Holiday hoop earrings by Jean Yates and featured in Australian Beading Magazine.
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The Holiday Season
Written by: Jean Yates
When I think of the holidays, and specifically this time of the year, a feeling of warmth comes over me. This feeling comes every year, despite the fact that where I live, New York, the days start getting very short just now. The wind picks up and can be fierce at times, blowing right through your jacket no matter what you have chosen to put on that day. Then there are those dark evenings which come our way at year's end. It is so cold outside! You race to get indoors and turn on the lights!
This is why I believe in light and in warmth. It's why I particularly love to celebrate this holiday season! Sparkling decorations, lots of candles, fires in fireplaces...Somehow I think we are returning to something elemental and basic as human beings when we arrive at this time of year. It is as if we are gathering around a primal fire and sharing closeness.
For me, it isn't just that we have our families and dear friends around us, and celebrating with us, whatever religion we are. It is that, and more.
It is a marking of a new year about to begin. How appropriate that, from this coldness and darkness, light and love will emanate and utimately fill us all with the wonder and warmth of new beginnings.
When I think of the smells of the holidays, I think of oranges and cloves and potpourri. Cinnamon sticks and hot cider and smoke from fireplaces. Baking cookies and caramel popcorn. I am so lucky that I had such a wonderful childhood. I am glad now that I have these memories, of times long gone.By the way, I was I really good gingerbread house maker. My secret: choose the recipe I thought looked the best on the cover of some magazine at the grocery store, and copy it exactly! One year I made a train, carrying loads of gumdrops, with cookies used for wheels; one year I actually made a huge house of green and red peppermint sticks which weighed around 45 pounds! I would bring these to my parents and force them to admire them and use them as centerpieces for their dining room table! They never had the heart to throw them away, so they would put them in the downstairs freezer and I would see them there, year after year looking a bit more freezer burned after a while. That is a parent, for you. Saving stuff your kid makes, no matter what!
When I think of the sounds of the holidays, I think of laughter first of all. My family gatherings were groups of people who ranged in age from their 70's to tiny infants. Everyone always had something funny to say or to laugh about.
I think of the chiming sleigh bells people would hang on their doors. These heavy yet merry sounding bells, on their red leather straps, would be brought out every year. They would herald the arrival of a guest or family member ...or was it Santa on the roof?
As far as sounds go, I think, as well, of music, of course. We filled the nights with Christmas music, both carols and rock and roll holiday songs. In school we also sang the Dreidel song. My sons sang this song too. There is room for all sorts of music during holiday time!
The tastes of the holidays are countless! From coffee cakes to bundt cakes, from egg nog to a home made bowl of soup, from a giant turkey with stuffing which feeds the whole family to a wild rice stuffed pumpkin for those of us who are vegetarians, the list is endless! People want to nourish other people at this time of year.
Fancy dining table lit with elegant tapers...soup kitchen bustling with the feast of the day...it all boils down to love.
Ultimately, when we give gifts at this time of year, it is about love, as well. Here are some jewelry pieces I have designed for all of you to enjoy. I hope that they inspire you to think of the people you care about and to make things with your own hands to give them gifts. The best gifts of all are ones we have made ourselves.
Silent Snow Necklace
This is for the times you want to give a really special gift to a mother or a relative who means a lot to you: a very fine necklace set is always a good choice. This one uses Venetian glass and white topaz in the sterling clasp.
Teeny Tiny Santas "Toy Shop" Set
The teeny tiny beads are available at Soft Flex Company here and I love them! They are adorable little ceramic beads in a variety of styles! An older girl might enjoy a set like this of course, not for babies.
Kwaanza Holiday
This necklace is in greens and made of African Kazuri beads. This is a great idea for this holiday as one of the colors of Kwaanza is green. Also makes a great gift for any sort of good friend who loves green tones!
Chanukah Chain Maille "Friend" Bracelet
Designed in peacocks and blues, with a great lampwork blue glass and sterling riveted bead by Kim Miles (www.kimmiles.com). A super gift for someone you love, to show how much you care!
Teachers Necklace
I wanted to make the teachers, teachers who help my disabled children every day SO much in so many ways, something special. So I took rubber cord necklaces capped with sterling, and strung them with tiny leaves, to represent little growing children, really fine quality pearls capped with sterling to show that I think the teachers are "pearls" - they are that special! And little tags which say "inspire", because these teachers are inspiring to me, and because they inspire the children every day.
Those are some ideas to help you get started making gifts for the holidays!
To all of you:
Have a Happy, Happy Holiday and Wonderful 2009!
Jean Yates
Jean Yates is a well known jewelry designer who resides in New York with her family. She has written both projects and articles as well as been featured on the cover of many major beading magazines including: Stringing, Beadwork, BeadStyle, Simply Beads, Australian Beading Magazine and others. Jean regularly contributes to the "Our Beading World" column for Australian Beading Magazine which can be found in every issue! Jean was spotlighted as a Soft Flex designer in October 2007. Her charming personality is mirrored in her beautiful beaded wears. She loves designing in her free time!
She has a jewelry design book called Links which is available on Amazon.com and at many other bookstores.
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