A Little Christmas Cheer

I think that I have established the fact that I love Christmas. It's my "all-out" holiday. I love to decorate. .I love to make goodies. .I love the music and stories. .and I love all the many activities associated with it!

The decorating usually takes place the weekend before Thanksgiving. .just because I like to enjoy the festive colors as long as possible. It seems like every year things get placed in different locations because I can't always remember how it worked out the year before. I thought it would be fun to share with you how my house looks. .all dressed up!

The only two rooms that go untouched are the boys' bedrooms. Everything else is given a temporary makeover. This photo was from the top of the desk hutch. It's where my little collection of medical-related antique-y things live.

I also have a love of snowmen. .look at this little glass one with the wire stethescope and doctor bag, given to me as a gift! I like to add little touches of color to things. .like the little round mints I bought on clearance one year after Christmas. I added them to an old glass vitamin jar. The jar is high enough that the little mouths around here can't get to the mints to eat them, and I recycle them from year to year!!

Here's the kerosene lamp on my dresser. All these little snowmen happen to have colors that match the light sage green on our walls.

This is a rather sad picture of the wool Christmas tree that we made a few months ago. It seems to look cuter than that in real life.

This fall I had seen a cute photo of some wispy garland like this hooked on a headboard with tiny mitten attached to it. .I fell in love with that idea. .but opted to put it on our footboard instead and used stockings. You can see our Santa hats on the headboard. .Mine says "Princess" in sparkly letters. .a gag gift from the employees at work one year! I wear it every Christmas!!

I found this Snowman stocking and the long striped one in a local antique store one Christmas while home at my parents house. I just think they are adorable, and they always make me smile!

Cami got a Christmas tree this year too. She loves it! It is a little white tree from Walmart adorned with pink glitz and glam.

I have mostly collected snowmen. .but I have also acquired a small assortment of Santas too.

I made the little santa and his elf cross stitch a million years ago when I worked night shift!

This entertainment center was new to decorate. We picked it up last New Year's eve. My old one was much shorter. .and it was easy to see my nativity set on the top. I think you can see it well on this one too. .and I haven't knocked any of the figurines off yet. I do my Wii Active workout in the living room in the mornings before anyone wakes up. .and I can sure get the artificial flowers to bouncing on top. .I was really worried the first few times I worked out about sending the little people careening to a sure death!

Several of the figurines have been super glued together after a mishap with a 6 inch ball bat and a little plastic ball given to Tristan for his first Christmas. .14 years ago!! Jeremy was sure glad that it was ME that sent the ball through the nativity scene. .decapitating Mary and one of the wise men!

I love this hobby lobby garland woven through the metal candelabra! There are also red lights strung through it that are timed to turn themselves on at night.

I love, LOVE lights too. .the prime reason I LOVED Times Square!! These are on the top of my refrigerator. .also on a timer.

No children have careened through this spot yet, I was a bit concerned when I set it there. It is near the kitchen door. .but it has survived the season well so far!

We have finally made it to the utility room. .which is multifunctional. .a porch, closet, laundry room, and pantry. The Hoosier cabinet is a usual gathering place for all kinds of junk. .and the little display on the counter has helped minimize it in being used as a dumping zone!!

Periodically, my little glitter balls disappear. .I wonder where they go?!?

I know. .by now you are just thinking that I am insane!! I'm up and down. .climbing on counter tops to get the highest places and crawling under furniture to plug in lights. It takes a good several hours. .but the end results are so worth it to me now. .and the kids are always excited to come home and see the progress. .or help if they are here. I foresee that I won't do this always. .

But for now. .everything is fair game. .

. .and my plan is to continue dispersing holiday cheer throughout my house for many years to come!

So. .for now. .

the decorating is done. .

the baking/candy making is 90% done. .

the shopping is done. .

the school and church programs are done. .

And things will be on a downhill slide over the next week to enjoy a peaceful, spirit filled holiday!!

Hope your Christmas season is shaping up to be as peaceful!