Christmastime Is Here

The decorations in our home only change once a year, and that's for Christmas.  Most of our Christmas decorations are things Mark and I have picked out since we've been married.  Each year I add a little more.  There's no theme in my Christmas decorations.  I like the traditional colors for Christmas--red and green.  Sometimes it's red and silver or green and gold.  

I'm sure I break all sorts of decorating rules, but really does it matter?  I don't think so.  As long as I love my home and feel happy in it, then that's all that really matters.  At least that's what I tell myself.  I always feel silly sharing photos of my home because it's not pin-worthy, but I share them anyway because I know that people love to see inside other people's homes.  We're all a little nosy like that.  It's ok, that's why I started reading blogs.  I loved seeing how others lived and getting ideas and inspiration. 

So, welcome to our home!

Come on in!

The first area I'll show you is our kitchen.  Strangely, it's the room that I like the most.  I feel like I spend hours washing dishes so I decided to put a little tree behind the kitchen sink.  It has salt dough ornaments made by Will and Ben.  

Also behind the kitchen sink is this stack of cream colored bowls.  They belonged to my great aunt.  The tiny ornaments inside are sweet and festive.

On the windowsill sits this vintage Santa decoration that belonged to my grandma.  It reminds me of Christmas at her house. It used to sit on the mantle at her house during Christmas.

Here's my kitchen tree decorated with cinnamon salt dough ornaments.

I've managed to find two snowflake platters over the years.  I like the bright pop of red in my mostly white kitchen.  The cute kitchen towel is from Crate and Barrel.  

They are pretty and useful.  Perfect for taking cookies to holiday parties.

My first attempt at growing paperwhites.  One side seems to doing better than the other. 

This mirror hangs in our entry. Joy--one of my favorite Christmas words and "Joy to the World" is one of my favorite hymns.

This is on the bookshelf in our entry.  The framed Isaiah 9:6 print was free from Jones Design Company several years ago.  

The console table in our entry/living room displays photos of the boys at Christmas.  Seeing these photos each year when I take them out of the box is one of the best things about decorating for Christmas.  I'm sentimental, if you couldn't tell.  The Robert Sabuda popup books in the background are amazing.  Each one is like a work of art.  Now that Will is 7, he's finally mature enough to look at them without destroying them.

The fabric Christmas tree was handmade by a family friend.  It's one of Will and Ben's favorite Christmas decorations.

Our tree!

The photo ornaments are so special.

Really all of the ornaments have some special significance.

We don't have a fireplace in our living room, but we do have a built-in entertainment center so why not make it as Christmassy as possible.  The stockings were hung by the flat screen with care, ha!

This is my second favorite area in the house.  My great-grandmother's sewing machine usually displays family photos on top of it, but at Christmas it's full of all sorts of Christmas trees. (I confess that I lit the candles for the photo and then blew them out immediately.  All of those fake tress are flammable!)

Here's a better view of this corner. 

Last but not least is the play room.  This is the tree with all of the handmade ornaments that Will and Ben have made at school.  It also has all of the silly ornaments that the boys love.  For example, a Wheel of Fortune ornament.  What can I say, we really like game shows!  The tree skirt was made by my grandmother, and I love getting to use it in this room.  Underneath the tree are wrapped Christmas books. Last year we started a new tradition, starting December 1st we unwrap a book each night until Christmas.  It took a few years to collect enough Christmas (or winter) books, but I always look for them after Christmas when they are 1/2 off.  Some are classics like The Polar Express and others are not so classic like Disney Cars Mater's Christmas.  I put the books away after Christmas and each year take them down.  It's like getting a new library of books during the holidays.

One more view.  The fabric on the chest is Charlie Brown Christmas.  We love Peanuts, too!

Merry Christmas!

Linking up to The Nester.