I know we're decorating amateurs (one step up from lamos) but here are some shots of us trying to get in the spirit. Seriously, I do try.
Our nativity set is by Willow Tree. I know lots of other people have it. Someone recently told me, not knowing I own this, they find it creepy the figures are faceless. Doesn't bother me. I love this set; the postures bring me comfort but most of all I love that Mary is
holding baby Jesus - in other sets he is almost always lying in a manger. I also know this set has more pieces but I kind of like this simplicity.
Again, love my photo ropes from Photojojo! Holds all our Christmas cards with magnets, and I hang the ones the kids know lower so they can look at them, which they love to do.
Year by year I am slowly transforming our ornament collection, from odds-and-ends hand-me-downs to ones that we pick out and have meaning for us, plus a few heirloom favorites from growing up. How do you like the triple-scoop ice cream cone ornament in the middle there? Ginger and I picked it out at Kohl's. I also got an awesome globe one at Crate & Barrel. But my favorite? In the Michael's dollar aisle I found initial ornaments for $2 each, and they even had all of our initials! Sorry I didn't take a picture. I'll try to remember to go back and do that.
And per Tona's request on
this VGP post, here's the cupcake Dessert Club ornament my Mom made. By the way, you are following me on
VGP this month, right? I'm doing a post a day. And it's all really yummy stuff. Come visit.
This advent tree is the girls' FAVORITE part of Christmas preparation at our house. Alternating days, one hangs the ornament, the other choose the hook it will hang on. They remember every day. Plus it's great for counting and subtraction practice. THANK YOU to
amazing KAT who MADE this for us!!!
The wall by the front door is adorned with Christmas (and a few Hannukah) crafts that have come home from school. So much cuteness.
The Little People Nativity Set is, can I just say yet again, the best Christmas present we ever got!!! We keep it packed up with the Christmas stuff so it only comes out once a year for about a month and the kids love, love, love to play with it. Truly it is a gift that gives every year. The play has developed over the years, from just holding/hitting/chewing to complex set-up and storytelling, and that is what makes it so wonderful, for all ages. Sometimes we also pull it out in the summer for a short time when we are desperate for something new. One year I will get my act together and buy one of these for the nursery at church.
Our first substantial snow, a few inches at least, came on December 16, Hazel's last day of school. Luckily just a few days earlier I had gotten out the snowboots to see if everyone's still fit. After that, they insisted on wearing them everyday. Which worked out pretty good.
On December 17 we attended a Christmas pageant at Ginger's preschool. I was totally sick so I let Hazel take the pictures. Ginger's class were reindeer and the entire thing was as adorable as you could imagine.
And finally, does anyone else's wrapping station look like this? I'm adding "wrapping room" to my dream house list.
I'm trying to compensate for the craziness of the last few weeks and months by planning the chillest, calmest, low-keyest Christmas ever. My parents will come over for a fairly regular dinner Christmas Eve, followed by some kind of relaxed Family Home Evening. We probably won't even follow our traditional program of readings and songs. Maybe we'll read some of the kids Christmas books or let them choose some songs. There will of course be dessert. Christmas morning will be jammies, some kind of leisurely breakfast buffet, the aforementioned bouncer, and present opening. Something simple for dinner. Maybe a family walk or drive. Maybe a movie night. All I want us to do is CHILL.
I know we're decorating amateurs (one step up from lamos) but here are some shots of us trying to get in the spirit. Seriously, I do try.
Our nativity set is by Willow Tree. I know lots of other people have it. Someone recently told me, not knowing I own this, they find it creepy the figures are faceless. Doesn't bother me. I love this set; the postures bring me comfort but most of all I love that Mary is holding baby Jesus - in other sets he is almost always lying in a manger. I also know this set has more pieces but I kind of like this simplicity.
Again, love my photo ropes from Photojojo! Holds all our Christmas cards with magnets, and I hang the ones the kids know lower so they can look at them, which they love to do.
Year by year I am slowly transforming our ornament collection, from odds-and-ends hand-me-downs to ones that we pick out and have meaning for us, plus a few heirloom favorites from growing up. How do you like the triple-scoop ice cream cone ornament in the middle there? Ginger and I picked it out at Kohl's. I also got an awesome globe one at Crate & Barrel. But my favorite? In the Michael's dollar aisle I found initial ornaments for $2 each, and they even had all of our initials! Sorry I didn't take a picture. I'll try to remember to go back and do that.
And per Tona's request on this VGP post, here's the cupcake Dessert Club ornament my Mom made. By the way, you are following me on VGP this month, right? I'm doing a post a day. And it's all really yummy stuff. Come visit.
This advent tree is the girls' FAVORITE part of Christmas preparation at our house. Alternating days, one hangs the ornament, the other choose the hook it will hang on. They remember every day. Plus it's great for counting and subtraction practice. THANK YOU to amazing KAT who MADE this for us!!!
The wall by the front door is adorned with Christmas (and a few Hannukah) crafts that have come home from school. So much cuteness.
The Little People Nativity Set is, can I just say yet again, the best Christmas present we ever got!!! We keep it packed up with the Christmas stuff so it only comes out once a year for about a month and the kids love, love, love to play with it. Truly it is a gift that gives every year. The play has developed over the years, from just holding/hitting/chewing to complex set-up and storytelling, and that is what makes it so wonderful, for all ages. Sometimes we also pull it out in the summer for a short time when we are desperate for something new. One year I will get my act together and buy one of these for the nursery at church.
Our first substantial snow, a few inches at least, came on December 16, Hazel's last day of school. Luckily just a few days earlier I had gotten out the snowboots to see if everyone's still fit. After that, they insisted on wearing them everyday. Which worked out pretty good.
On December 17 we attended a Christmas pageant at Ginger's preschool. I was totally sick so I let Hazel take the pictures. Ginger's class were reindeer and the entire thing was as adorable as you could imagine.
And finally, does anyone else's wrapping station look like this? I'm adding "wrapping room" to my dream house list. 
I'm trying to compensate for the craziness of the last few weeks and months by planning the chillest, calmest, low-keyest Christmas ever. My parents will come over for a fairly regular dinner Christmas Eve, followed by some kind of relaxed Family Home Evening. We probably won't even follow our traditional program of readings and songs. Maybe we'll read some of the kids Christmas books or let them choose some songs. There will of course be dessert. Christmas morning will be jammies, some kind of leisurely breakfast buffet, the aforementioned bouncer, and present opening. Something simple for dinner. Maybe a family walk or drive. Maybe a movie night. All I want us to do is CHILL.
3 comments:
Re: the LP nativity. Based on your raves I made sure that both our church nurseries had one. Leaders say it's been great.
Your house looks great. At least you're wrapping all along; my stuff is stashed unwrapped and I'd better get on that.
I think your house looks beautifully festive! We love our LP nativity as well. It only comes out at Christmas so the kids appreciate playing with it more.
When we moved here we left all of our Christmas decorations in storage. Then our first Christmas here we bought blue and silver ornaments and blue and white lights, it was so strange to have a tree that had a theme. I had never had that before and Dave really yearned for it. We have let some other ornaments slip in that the kids request or love, but it has been fun to do something totally different for a while.
Other than that, we have a string of lights up the stairs and that is about it. We didn't even hang stockings this year. We are just going to fill them and put them on the couch Christmas morning.
I don't think Christmas is ever totally Chill - but I wish you the best in your attempt.
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