A Little Christmas Tour

Wow...my 3rd year in a row joining in the Christmas Tour of Homes hosted by Boomama!

It seems to me that either last year or the year before, I was busy inviting you all in by way of taking pictures while a windstorm raged outside.

This year, again, a storm hit our area...but this time along with the wind, a ton of snow and frigid weather have joined forces.
A snowstorm was predicted and by Saturday we knew there would be a good chance that the last day of the big performance might be canceled. Still we were hoping...but sure enough, this morning it came. And yes, the last of the performances were indeed canceled!

And here in our area, we're use to a little dusting or some wet snow that melts the next day...but this time the tempatures are dipping into the teens with a wind chill making it hover near 0! Yikes....

So, um...do come in out of that blizzard!

Yes, if you look behind you, that is indeed my husband and girls...taking a very brief zip down the road with the sled...but they will come in after just a moment, since it's way too cold out there!

As you come in, you'll notice our very tiny little entryway spruced up for Christmas and having a fresh coat of paint on the wall...


And just next to it is our end table. Towards the back is my crystal Nativity candle set that I've had from before I was married.

Before we see the rest of the Christmas decor, would you like some egg nog? I know...you either love it or detest it, so if you'd prefer, I have lots of flavored teas...Our family just drinks 'nog' from the moment it hits the shelf in October until that last one is sold in January...

Anyway...
Across the room is our fireplace mantle. We're not crazy about the brick, but at Christmastime we don't even notice that we don't like it!

Here it is with the garland lights on...so cozy...


Next to our mantle is my "It's a Wonderful Life Village". My mom and I began collecting these pieces before I was married...and now my own family loves it, too!

In fact, one year my husband bought me the "It's a Wonderful Life" train. It doesn't currently work but we like to set it up by the village, of course...

And then there's our Old World Santa...

We had gone to an office party three years ago and everyone bought a white elephant gift...where people can "steal" someone's gift if they don't want to pick a new one out of the box. The people at my table were laughing as I kept nudging Santa farther and farther under my chair...oh, how I wanted to take this guy home and not end up with some obnoxious gag gift!

And last but not least, is our one and only tree...the tree I spotted right away this time and guarded as fiercely as the old world Santa...
I've never had a "themed" tree because ever since I was a child- and now as a parent- my Christmas tree has always had childhood ornaments both bought and homemade, as well as ornaments people have given me over the years.


I have a couple ornaments from our first married Christmas (one when my husband was on deployment and one when he was home the following year)... and of course my girls' first Christmases...and even three very simple cardboard bells made by cousins and mom on my own first Christmas...I'll show these on one of my next posts!

But just like with some of you, so many ornaments represent something significant in our life...bring back special memories...remind us of our own childhood Christmases.

I have yet to put our the special Navitiy set, but hope to do that tomorrow...every year it goes atop our piano in our little family room\office. Perhaps I'll show it to you later...but I know you have to run now before this storm gets any worse! It's really blowing out there...
Bundle up, now! And thank you for stopping by again at my little Christmas Tour!