Thursday, December 19, 2013

A Christmas Tour

The Nativity I bought in Nogales, Mexico in 1987.

These past few years have been filled with so much drama and tension, I just didn't have the energy to drag out the old Christmas decorations. Now, though, there is once again peace at home, and I've truly enjoyed making the house feel festive again.


First I gathered my chosen decorations on the coffee table and decided where and how to arrange them.


The Nativities, of course, are the most important, to remind us of the reason for the season. I love the south-of-the-border flavor of my Mexican Nativity (top photo) with the distinctive blue-and-white bird motif hand-painted on each piece. 

I also love the soft colors and simplicity of the "Christmas in a Nutshell" Nativity above, featuring a walnut-shell manger and peanut people, handmade by my sister-in-law Dana. She also crocheted the dress and halo for the little clothespin angel, which I always group with this manger scene. The "Joy" piece is fairly new, but I think it sums up the entire scene nicely.


Jacob just gave me this sweet Holy Family Nativity for my birthday in September. I've been looking forward to displaying it. The metal box with the snowman scene was something I got last Christmas. There was a gift in it, but I can't even remember what it was or who it was from. I just know I loved the box and saved it to show at Christmas. The lid has a clear plastic window, and the snowman scene is painted on the inside bottom of the box. Pretty cool!


Over the years I have received a variety of little Christmas trees as gifts. I've also collected several small Christmas ring-boxes. This year, for the first time, it occurred to me that this grouping was a match made in heaven!


The lighthouse is on the shelf year-round, but I always like to give it a homey Christmas feel by adding the little snowman. I believe he was also created by my sister-in-law Dana.


Alongside the little Christmas scenes on the shelves, I also hung a few items on the walls. The little stockings were decorated by Jacob and Dylan when they were in kindergarten. Adorable!


Lastly, I do love my display of characters from the old TV special "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" and the Island of Misfit Toys. It makes me feel like a kid again. 

Back in the dark ages when our town had only 3 TV stations (47, 33, and 24) and there was no such thing as a VCR or DVD, we looked forward to the single annual showing of this program at Christmas. It was a big family event, usually with popcorn and all 5 of us kids gathered on the floor in front of the TV. Seeing these characters always takes me back to the wonder I felt as a child at Christmas time. 

I wish that same wonder for you and those you love!

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