Deck the Halls!

Every year my goal is to have all of my Christmas bought and wrapped before Thanksgiving.  I never quite make it, but I get pretty close.  Then, I set a goal to have my house decorated, inside and out, by the end of the Thanksgiving weekend. Again, I don't always make it, but it's possible that I did this year!  We had  Thanksgiving here, and it was a wonderful day.  My daughter came the day after, and I was well on the way to finishing when she arrived.  I drive myself this way so that I can really enjoy the holidays.  Since I work so many hours, I don't really want to spend my evenings decorating after work..and so I move!

Here are some of the presents that I haven't put under the tree yet..they've been upstairs on this bench for awhile.

Greenery over the kitchen island...

I have a lot of gingerbread men and houses that I like to put in the kitchen.  Here are some of them on my baking center...

What do you do with piles of Christmas potholders?  It seems that most of my decorations are all old, family collected items.  Some of these potholders were made by my friend, Junella.  They are treasures.

Here is the fireplace mantel in my dining room.  I made these stockings years ago from panels they used to sell at fabric shops.

The buffet in my dining room..

The reason for the season...

Here is the mantel in my living room.  I used to dance and teach dance, and for many years collected nutcrackers and ballerina ornaments.  I always put the nutcrackers on my mantle.  My granddchildren call me Honey, and when my oldest granddaughter was about 3, she got confused about what they were called and called them Honeycrackers...that name has stuck!

These are some stockings that I made many years ago from an old quilt.  The book that you see in this picture is Mrs. Sharp's Traditions by Sarah Ban Breathnach.  It is the original book that is out of print.  A new one has been printed, I have it, but I really like the original better. I need to do a post on that wonderful book...all of my blogging friends need a copy!

More pictures of my entryway..

My son made this lampshade with the help of an artist friend of his about five years ago.  It is beautiful!

Here is a sign I like to keep under the tree...and I mean it!

Finally the tree..with and without flash!

May the Lord bless you and all of your family during this wonderful season!!