Christmas is showing up!

"It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTmas"

I love bringing Christmas into the house.

It's like the whole house gets

a big cozy hug

when 

Christmas shows up!

Christmas is something you have to make room for.

Heart and Home.

When Christmas comes in,

lots of little things have to move over,

and sometimes OUT.

My whole office had to move so that I could

put a tree ,

a tricycle,

and some vintage cars on display.

I love what that means.

I can work somewhere else.

It's Christmas time.

The tree represents

gathering loved ones,

the joy of gifting

and making others feel cherished,

and the anticipation

of 

blessing.

The tricycle symbolizes the magic of childhood.

Those days when you get on your bike

and feel so much freedom

if just in your back yard.

You were exercising your independence

with wonder and joy

within the safe boundaries

of a home,

neighborhood,

or enormous yard like I had

when I was little.

The same wonder and joy

of Christmas 

resides with the tricycle

so that's why I 

dress it up every

year.

All of these things remind us to embrace

the wonder,

joy,

memories,

generosity of giving,

and I'm thankful for a season that

my work desk

defers 

to 

beauty and Christmas.


I've taken a few pics of some of my favorite things

that come out for Christmas at our house.

Here they are.

This one came from my dad.

It's very precious to me. It's just a simple chachkie cookie jar

without any special story except I loved it.

Now it's mine and I love it even more!

I can't even remember where I got this,

but I'm crazy about it.

I always give it it's own stage.

I usually pick a knob that is eye level and hang him there.

The kids and I have painted water colors of him.

There is no special story

except that I'm crazy

about him.

He's hanging out on my China cabinet pull.

It's like an old fashioned Christmas with these guys under the tree.

What's not to love? The quintessential chachkie!

Bright red glowing balls in the shape of a tree?

Truth is: I love it.

Another thing I loved during Christmas with my dad.

It casts a warm red glow when the lights are 

out. 

One of my FAVORITE things to do during the holidays

is to turn out all the 

lights except the ones

on the Christmas tree,

the red glowing balls,

and the ones trimming the outside of the house.

When the kids were little, we'd have a sleep around the tree

night and just bask in the warm glow.

This one's just weird.

And I love it.

You knew I was going to say that, didn't you?

He is a stocking.

He's Santa but he looks like an elf.

He looks a little surprised by his tiny little loot bag.

I hang him on the door that leads from

the living room to the garage.

That is so that every time we enter or exit

it jingles.

You see, to add to the weirdness,

there is a little jingle ball between the two stars,

and it hangs precariously,

well--

I think I understand why the embarrassed expression is on his face.

Needless to say,

there are jingle bells when we open and close the door.

I bought these two years ago and I'm addicted!

I've decorated the tree with them,

hung them from the chandelier,

used them as place markers for Christmas dinner,

and even for their original purpous-

gift tags.

I will buy these again.

It's a tin can with 36 glittered tags.

I saw them just last night at Pottery Barn.

They are so much fun!

Well,

the chandelier has not been

decked out.

Apparently the ladder that I was using

to decorate it

has been deemed "unsafe".

Since I'm afraid of heights you know

I'm not touching that with a ten foot pole.

So all I could do was take the tiny lamp shades off

for a new look.

It gives off so much more light now.

It was a no brainer that without

SHADES it would be brighter.

So I'm letting the brightness

of it be the new look

for Christmas.

There is one

beautiful 

hand painted 

bulb hanging from the bottom.

The only one I could reach!