As promised
in my last post, here are some photos of Christmas at our house. Is there anything more magical than the twinkle of lights on a tree? Oh, the glowing white and colored orbs against the dark of night...sigh. I could keep them up forever (:
We use the same decorations year after year. Cherished ornaments that each have a memory attached adorn the tree. The wreaths on the mirrors were purchased from the dollar store many moons ago, but with a simple tweak of berries and ribbon they shine. This year we were very fortunate to receive free poinsettias from our local grocery (
Earthfare) and I love them on the mantel. We have stockings, but didn't use them this season.
Garland and white lights frame the barn window in the dining area with a wreath hanging in front. Please excuse the unpainted column on the bar...I still haven't painted that thing yet. It's just sitting there in a mocking fashion, waiting for a coat of white (: More garland and white lights grace the top of the kitchen cabinets along with a couple of giant Santa coffee cups, but things were not yet all in place when I took this photo. I've decided to keep lights up there from now on because the glow is wonderful and helps to keep the cave-like kitchen illuminated (:
Apartment living makes it a little more challenging to go crazy with the lights and decor, but our little snowmen love to sit outside and greet passers by with a Happy Noel (:
Each year we purchase rosemary trees to place in the baskets, but this year I wanted to use a no-cost alternative. I gathered evergreen cuttings and pine cones from outside and then mixed in decorative berries and red Christmas ball ornaments to make it festive. Simple, free and cute!
Now, what would Christmas be without an inflatable outdoor decoration??!! When did these become so popular? I purchased Santa a few years ago on sale for $10 and he's been a hit with the kids ever since (: Garland with white lights frame the door and the wreath is the same
berry wreath I used for the fall. I just removed the grasses and goldenrod and substituted evergreens.
This is a view of the tree in my bedroom. Please forgive the fuzzy, dark photo (: My father gave me a couple of slim Christmas trees many years ago when I lived in a much smaller apartment. They're called pencil trees and are perfect for cramped spaces. Now that we have a large tree taking center stage in the living room, the pencil trees offer a touch of Christmas cheer in each bedroom.
This year decorating was much more fun thanks to my niece and nephews. My niece assisted with the lights and garland and then each child carefully placed special ornaments of their choosing (: Afterwards we had cocoa, lit the candles in the fireplace and watched a Veggie Tales Christmas movie. We finished off the night with a drive through
Christmas Town to see even more lights and Santa as he made his nightly walk through the village. Such great memories that will last a lifetime (:
This holiday season has been a
different one for us. Simplicity has been at the core and it has made the celebrating so much sweeter. When we tear away the busyness and commercial emphasis, we begin to really appreciate the great gift that was given many years ago...love. I do believe we have started a new tradition and one that we will continue for years to come. May you have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
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