Christmas Decorations 2019

Bye, bye, Christmas! I really hate to see you go...

Yep, I'm just getting around to taking down my Christmas decorations, but I'm not ashamed! I'd leave them up a lot longer if I could. It takes me a while to get everything up and even longer to take it down. How is that?!

Our schedule doesn't really begin to slow down until January, so I've really enjoyed reading by the fire at night and still being able to enjoy my decorations. I love to decorate for each season, but there is just something about Christmas...it's just so cozy!

I thought I'd give you a little tour - at least of our living areas - before I packed everything away. Here we go! 

I've tried to transition to more "wintery" decorations than those that are explicitly Christmas. These little red tartan deer are a great example.

I don't have a mantel, so I like to take advantage of my hearth as a focal point.

I learned a long time ago that displaying similar items together gives you more bang for your buck. These cone trees were collected from Walmart and Caffco over a couple of years. The angels came from Caffco, too. They're definitely appropriate for Christmas, but they don't scream "Santa". 

The tartan wrapped gifts came from Hobby lobby this year. The sleigh is from there, too, but is several years older. The little Christmas moose is Jewell's, but I don't remember where it came from. Cracker Barrel, maybe? The antique pickle jar was my great-grandmother's. It stays put year round, but gets different treatments depending on the season. The twigs you see came from Hobby Lobby several years ago. They were black, but a couple of years ago, I painted them white. Not solid - you can see a little of the wood underneath. It reminds of snowy woods. I've always heard that a cardinal in your yard meant company was coming. We love to entertain, so this little fellow (and a couple of his friends) are stationed around the room to keep watch for guests! They are beautiful and so realistic. They came from Bless Your Heart in Eclectic. (If you haven't ever shopped there, you must. At least come for inspiration. Their IG posts this week showcasing their new Spring merchandise are really what convinced me to take all this down.) The antiqued lantern came from Michael's. I use a battery-powered tealight in it for safety.

This little twig deer head actually came from Bless Your Heart. I won it at their open house a couple of years ago. I added the holly berries to his rack.

I love to display coffee table books. I change them out seasonally, so of course I pulled out some of my favorite Christmas cookbooks, as well as our copy of "Twas The Night Before Christmas". I added the red and green runner for Christmas. It came from Walmart - clearance right after we married - when I still had the energy (and desire) to do the big day after sales.

I've been collecting my Christmas pillows for several years - always on sale after the holidays! The red buffalo check throw came from one of my favorite thrift shops. It was $2! And it's wool...not fleece. Score! 

I have four afghans spread through the living room. Everyone loves to snuggle up during the holidays! This is actually a floor pillow, but it helps to soften this bench and make it more comfortable. (The bench was also a thrift store find that I chalk painted. I think I paid $15!)

Here's a bigger view. Excuse the harsh lamplight. Our home is really pretty dark. We're in the woods with deep porches, so we don't get a lot of direct sunlight. I keep lamps on all the time. Plus, I just like the ambiance! They're not that hot in real life. They just shine so bright because everything else is so dark. 

This is Jewell's china cabinet. It's in the living room behind my sofa. I scoot it over a few inches when I put up our tree.

I turned the lamps off so you could see it a little better. I have been collecting china for her for years. This is where it all goes! We used some flocked birdhouses on top. A couple of snow owls are roosting in among the china! And then I tucked in a lot of holly berries and other greenery just to add a pop of color.

I'll have to do a post on her china soon, but this pattern is 100 years old. It's by Spode. It's called "Copeland's Jewel". Jewell is named after her great grandmother, Jewell Ruth Dowling Copeland. Isn't that crazy? I'm still working on expanding her collection. I found the pretty pink glasses at a yard sale hosted by the women's auxiliary at Faulkner.   

If you look really closely - you'll see someone in the top tower window. Jewell printed out pictures of all her favorite Lord of the Rings characters one night (while we were all asleep!) and used them to replace all of our photos around the house. Yep. All of 'em. I eventually took them all down, but I missed this one, so I leave it there as tribute. 

My living room Christmas tree is full of clear glass, gold ornaments, bottle brush animals, and other natural elements. I also have my collectible Fitz and Floyd ornaments on it. It is so pretty!

My china cabinet actually sits in my foyer. I love to fill the top with beautiful things. The Fitz and Floyd deer are prized possessions and look gorgeous with my F&F platter and candlesticks.

Here's a closer look. The large deer are actually candlestick holders, but I think they're beautiful the way they are. The bedding deer is a lidded candy dish. I have collected Fitz and Floyd for years and always add to my collection when I can find it deeply discounted after the holidays.

My fine Christmas china is "Winter Holiday" by Fitz and Floyd. The dinner plates can be seen on the top shelf. I have about six different coordinating salad plates. The Santa on the bottom shelf is a teapot from the same collection.

The antique mirror belonged to my grandmother. My mother can't remember a time when it wasn't hanging in her childhood home. I added a pinecone and burlap garland.

We explained to the kids a long time ago that since we don't have a chimney (gas fireplace), Santa can just let himself in. Somewhere I have a key that we used to hang on the front door on Christmas Eve. Anyway, we also don't have a mantelpiece, so I hang the stockings on the chairs in my dining room. I really like the way they look. A Fitz and Floyd footed bowl and candlesticks from Caffco are simple but elegant on my dining room table. (They're also easily removed when we need the table.) 

I stumbled on the Willow Tree nativity set at Cracker Barrel a year or two after we married. It had been on display, and I got it for 75% off! 

The woven table runner almost looks like sand underneath. I leave the lamp in place. It kind of serves as a spotlight.

I put this centerpiece together this season. I pulled out the mug and saucer we use to leave cookies for Santa, and paired it with a letters to Santa mailbox I found on clearance a couple of years ago. I tossed in some silk greenery (Hobby Lobby) and some twine balls (Dollar Tree). As we received Christmas cards from friends, I tucked them inside.

I liked the way the stockings in the dining room looked so much that I bought some white knitted ones (Hobby Lobby) for the kitchen chairs.

I even tuck a few things in around my kitchen.

These snowmen came from Hallmark when it was closing in our local mall eons ago. They're so cheerful! I hope you've enjoyed this tour of our home. We have Christmas trees and other goodies throughout the house, but they're already down. I'll showcase them next year!

I'm so glad you stopped by my neck of the woods!

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