Christmas DecorEasy Weight Loss

I have had the best time setting out our Christmas decorations this year!  With the two new shelving units on either side of the fireplace, there is plenty of room for everything, and I don't feel like I'm trying to cram stuff in for a change.  I was also able to store nearly all of my regular decor items in the cabinets below the shelves, which was nice.  In prior years I've had to shove things into the guest room closets and believe me, there wasn't always a lot of room for anything extra back then.  I'm also pleased with myself for remembering to take pictures of how I had everything displayed before I took it down, as that's usually a January challenge for me, trying to put all the stuff back where I had it.

Left side - this is more of my fun, funky, retro decorations:

I love the bright colors here!

Cross-stitch sampler that I over-ambitiously tried to do when I was new to cross-stitching.  I did the blue S, the green E, and maybe started the yellow T before my Grandmother offered to complete it.  Thankfully she did that, because otherwise I bet it still wouldn't be finished to this day.  My mom bought me the hand-painted wooden Santa decades ago when we were at a craft fair together.  The little yellow stars occasionally get knocked off while in storage and I usually hot glue them back on, but apparently I missed it this year.

Photos with Santa!  Kim nicely worked her photoshop magic on the shot with me and I have the new picture printed out, but I need a frame for it.   One year my Grandmother bought everyone a Santa mug; he's always fun to set out each year.

Santa penguins - these go waaaay back, to when Jeff and I were first married.  One was in a wreath that my mom made for us, but over the years it disintegrated, so I rescued the penguin when the wreath was no more.  My mom made the Santa next to them in many different fabrics...I think I have three in my stash.

 I know I posted this picture earlier in the month, but I can't resist highlighting it again.

I really love how I can display these ornaments without worrying that they'll get knocked off the regular Christmas tree.  They are antiques that go back to the early 1960s (ironically, so do I).

Mantle - or rather, fireplace surround:

We haven't quite finished with the fireplace - we want to get new embers and whatnot for the gas logs.  I love how the faux pine looks in the glass jug; I may keep that in there beyond this month.  The cross-stitch on the right was made by my Grandmother, and the vase/greenery next to it is part of the regular decor from the shelves.

 

A mix of old (the elf - predates the elf on a shelf fad; the little ceramic Santa frame holding years of Santa pictures of the now kadults) and new - the red metal MERRY was bought last year when Barbara and I visited the Magnolia Silos.

Right side - full-on traditional:

Santas and Christmas trees!  My mom made just about all of the Santas over the years.

Something new I'm trying this year - pillows on the shelves instead on furniture.  I like it!

I think the Santa in the middle was the first one my mom made.  The two flanking that one are her newest Santas - she's made them doing the felted method.  She mailed both here so that I could have one and Allie could have the other, but right now Allie isn't here so they're both MINE ALL MINE.  Oh, the tiny vehicles are Hallmark mini ornaments, collected for one of the kids years ago.

Tall Santa and cross-stitched pillow made by my mom.  I bought the scary squirrel about 10 years ago to remember my boss at the Arts Council; he loved those slightly creepy figures and collected them.  Tiny train was a ten year investment in remembering to buy the new piece each year from Hallmark - it's adorable but I was relieved when that set was complete as I always worried I'd forget to buy the new one each year.  Collected for one of the kids years ago.

I like how the tiny train set makes Santa look ginormous.

Tree holding more tiny Hallmark ornaments - I was so happy when I discovered these triple-hanger hooks a few years ago as it makes quick work of decorating of this tree.

A Santa trifecta, courtesy of my mom.  

Nordic Santa was from Target, but I had to get him because he's knitted.  OK, I'm sure knitted by a machine somewhere in China, but still.  I finally bought our own RUN ornament after seeing a similar one on the decorated trees along the American Tobacco Trail in North Carolina, where Jeff and I run when we're out there for Christmas.  Another tiny train from Hallmark, collected for one of the kids years ago - maybe one day I'll actually give them to the kids?  Maybe...

Finally, this year's tree:

I set in the basket that I use for our couch blankets to give it some height.  I think a tall, skinny tree would work nicely in this spot, so I'll be on the lookout for one in the post-Christmas mega markdowns.  After getting all of the other decorations arranged, I didn't put a lot of ornaments on the tree...maybe next year I'll start with the tree while I'm full of decorating energy.

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