Christmas 2011

This year I have found a lot of bloggers that are doing white/neutral colors for their decorating.
It is not that I don't like that style but for me Christmas is all about the color.

I have seen so many different colors used in decorating. From the lime green,pink,orange,burgundy, but for me it is all about traditional colors of red and green.

The front porch has few decorations this year compared to other years.A bit of roping and bows on the rail.
The old school desk has a santa I made years ago,Mr.T's. sled I painted with do you see what I see,and a box with several trees.As you enter the front door the corner cupboard is decorated a bit for the season.

I love using the handmade ornaments I have collected over the years. The nuns at Mercy hospital crocheted a lot of them. The paper and fabric chains were made by our daughters when they were in grade school.

I love the bubble lights.We bought the first ones the same year as the tree topper and have replaced them over the years.

The glass ornaments my Aunt Marion gave me are so special.This year instead of hanging them on the tree I have them in large glass jars sitting in front of the tree.When the real tree comes down the jars can still sit out for us to enjoy.

I decorate for myself now that the kids are grown. So many people I know say they don't bother with decorations now that the kids are gone. Mr. T. is not into decorating but he does like the trees when they are up.And he tolerates me moving things around to fit things in. He jokes about the aluminum tree.

Through the years I have added many other decorations and they come out each year.I have added pencil trees with gold lights.It has all handmade ornaments.There are cloth and dough ,hand dipped candles,hand painted pine cones, and ornaments made from nuts and berries.
 

Small trees and tall trees. One year we counted 50 trees from 3 inches tall to a 7 foot tree. I have 2 small trees in my sewing room.
It is still the fresh tree that makes the house smell like Christmas.

The decorating is not the reason for the season but for me it brings back memories of times when I was a child and when our children were small.
Our first tree in 1964. I remember buying the tree topper. We still use that topper on the real tree. Going to midnight mass finding big soft snow flakes falling as we come out of the church. Humming Silent night as we drove home.
I hope you all have a Happy and Merry Christmas.
j