I am so behind on all of my decorating and preparations this year.... but was determined to join in on this fun. It is now 10:40 p.m. on the 15th... and I am just posting. It is amazing how much of the clutter/mess you can NOT SHOW in these pictures... I'm just saying.
So here we go.
First the front door...
Please do come in..
I have this table in the foyer with a small tree that I just added this year. It is my "Nativity Tree." I have only put angels, crosses, and Nativity ornaments. (and silver/white/gold misc. decorations)
The Nativity on this table is the one that I have told the precious grandbaby and her friends that come over here... "this one we do not touch." Hal brought this one home to me when he was preaching a revival in North Georgia many years ago. It is one of my favorites and it is breakable. They have been so precious in "not touching". But you will see why in just a few minutes, as I show you the ones that they can touch and play with.
For years I collected nativity scenes. Until I gathered so many that I really do not have enough room to get them all out.
Look at this picture that my Mom gave me. If you can look close enough - you will see that it is the passage from Luke chapter two. Amazing, huh? It hangs on the wall over this table. I plan to get a new frame for it... mayby by next year.
Here are the stairs...And next we come to the dining room. I do not have the table all decorated as it will be for Christmas morning... but wanted you to see what I have. I decided to go with silver and gold in here this year.
This was my grandmother's dining room suite... I have a lot of wonderful memories around this table. This candle is on the piano... and I have displayed a small Nativity in the globe. This one came from Rome. Precious friends brought it back to me. I actually leave this up all year. I love it displayed this way.
Now we move to the kitchen table. This is where we eat all the time. I love these dishes...
Now, as you come into the family room, I have a little wagon - and this Nativity is from Guatemala. You can see the Indian culture in the long design of the faces. It is carved from wood. The little ones can and do play with it.And for some reason, when Aubrey is through playing... she lays them all down. Always. So, each night I set it up again for it to be ready for her to play with again the next day. And when she leaves to go home... they are once again laying down. I guess they are sleeping...
And here is the tree...I am having trouble with my lights... the lower half is out. I just do not want to take the decorations off to fix them...
And now, here is the mantle. You might have seen some of this for my post when we had Christmas in May for our Jonathan who was home from war. I got some of it out then. And here are my Carolers - that I painted - Yes in the 80's. But I still like them. So, they go on one of the end tables. They are just so cute ... don't you think so too?
Look at those faces... They are singing "JOY TO THE WORLD".
On the lowest shelf of the entertainment center is where you will find this Nativity. It is the one that my mother had when I was a little girl. Yes, I know... it is OLD. I love it. And it is unbreakable...so, it is another one that I told the little ones that they COULD TOUCH. Handle it, play with it. And they do.
And just like the one in the wagon...when Aubrey is through playing...she puts it away like this. She will tell me, "Let me put them back in the cage." LOL I call it a stable. She calls it a cage. And she always lays them in here like this. Precious. Precious. Precious. I love it.
And last, but certainly not least are our stockings. We have Christmas breakfast at our house. Everybody has a stocking. Makes me excited just thinking about it. We have a ball. This year, Jonathan is home from war and will be back with us. Julia and Ronnie will not be able to come until the day after Christmas. We will have another celebration on Saturday with them. Maybe next year we will ALL be able to be back together again.Well, that is more than enough for this tour. I look forward to browsing through some of your homes. too.
You can see more at Boo Mama's Tour of Homes 2008.
And at We are That Family - It's Time to Share Your Tree
And at Hooked on Holiday House Tours And at Kimba's Holiday Open House
And at Rhoda's Deck the Halls
This has been fun... but I am TIRED.
Merry Christmas to you all! and Blessings... Sweet Blessings...