2017 Christmas Tour
It’s fair to say that at Christmas time my home suffers from a bit of a split personality and it’s all because of the brilliant pink camellia that blooms at my front door the month of December.
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This year I added the silver tinsel trees to bling up my front porch…now all I need is a disco ball to complete the feel.
You can see how I made the ornament garland here.
So, remember the split personality reference? Well, here’s where it begins. Once you step through the front porch, my decor becomes a little more traditional, well at least not electric pink.
We are a family who relishes bringing out our family heirlooms and favorite ornaments year after year. I’ll add to it here and there, maybe move stuff around, but we are too attached to our favorite Christmas decorations to ever keep any of them in the attic at Christmas time.
We cherish the traditions of decorating our home with our treasures collected through the generations and through our travels.
So every single Christmas, hanging on the funky little tree in our foyer, you will always find ornaments that hung on my grandparent’s Christmas tree hanging next to ornaments that hung on Terry’s grandparent’s’ Christmas tree.
And on the Christmas tree in our living room, you will always find the little coconut husk angel I made when I was a Brownie living in Lanikai, Hawaii and…
a bottle of hot sauce for my hot sauce loving son and
a half of watermelon for my watermelon loving daughter.
My Santa painting will always be hung somewhere…in this home over the mantle is the logical place. But I will mix up the mantle each year, primarily using our collected treasures to adorn it.
The stocking my mom knit for me when I was a child will always hang on the mantle next to the stocking Terry’s mom made for him when he was a child, while the stockings that my mom needle-pointed for our kiddos hang on the other end of the mantle.
My collection of Santas will come out every year,
including the first Santa that my hubby and the kiddos purchased for me when they were still toddlers.
as well as the one my mom needle-pointed
and the one my parents brought home from Russia for us.
My Santa’s Sweet Shoppe window will typically hang in our breakfast room.
but I do change up how I decorate my breakfast room table…kinda.
I love bringing out this runner that I found in a little brocante in Riquewihr, France so I often decorate around it.
I shopped what I had at home this year and used my rattan chargers, Juliska Berry and Thread plates and Jardins coffee mugs, Red Mercury Glass Candlesticks and a couple of the Santas I have acquired over the years to finish out my table.
And you know you want to try that Fruitcake! Without a doubt, it will convert you a bona fide fruitcake lover. Here’s the recipe for White Fruitcake
The window over my kitchen sink looks different each year, but I just move around our favorite things.
Terry started collecting nutcrackers for me before we were even married, so I have quite a few of them. I decided to focus on my nutcracker collection this Christmas, so my window reflects that.
Even the Mouse King has a place on the windowsill…but he’s been contained.
Oh, while you are in the kitchen, make sure you grab your bag of cookies.
When you turn around, you will take in a little more of my Nutcracker collection.
The Mouse King doesn’t have a chance.
Without a doubt, Christmas in our home is all about the traditions that continue to strengthen over the years, as well as some newer traditions we might add.
Bringing out our many tubs of decorations and ornaments year after year, unwrapping our favorite ornament and finding new ways to use our favorite Santas is one of the reasons this season is so special to our family.
A little behind the scenes of the beginning of our Christmas decorating…it’s a full-blown event. We graze on meat and cheese and cookies all day and slowly plod through the many boxes that seem to ooze out of the attic. It is sheer bliss.
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Until next time…
Hugs,
Unexpected and delightful! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for you kind comments…this is truly a delightful time of the year!
Happy tears was running down my face when I read this! I wish I had my stocking my mom had for me. I had it for a few years after I got married and its has dissappeared after the kids were born. Everything about your lovely home reminds me of my childhood growing up with fruit cake and all. I am so glad you kept the tradition on. I guess I made new traditions with the kids and left mine in the dust, but they came out today. I do need to make my mom fruit cake again. I thought of you when i was at Publix the other day because they had a big sale on fruit cake stuff. Happy Holidays. Maria
Oh Maria, you just tugged on my heart and I so appreciate you ‘feeling’ what I was saying. And new traditions made with our kids are just as important as old ones.
I do hope you make that fruitcake, it is truly wonderful. I enjoyed sneaking a few bites while I was photographing!
Many hugs my friend and wishes for a Merry Christmas.
Lynn
Such a beautiful home tour, and I love what you did outside your front door! All of your collected Christmas treasures you shared are so special, and I loved reading about them all!
Oh thanks sweet friend…they are so special to us…the whole process is so special and I loved sharing them with you. Looking forward to seeing Chez Parrish in a couple of days.
Many hugs…Lynn
Well I have to say, I’ve never heard of White Fruitcake before so now we have to try it. Everything looks so meaningful and special – love each ornament. And Oh My Golly, I am changing my decor next year to pink! Wish I had your green thumb because your entry is simply stunning. Merry Christmas and so glad to be on the tour with you.
Oh Cindy…about the fruitcake…you are welcome! Isn’t that Pink fun! We have our house on the market and I’m struggling with ‘what if I don’t have a pink camellia in front of the front door’ at our next home? Well, I’ll deal with it then.
Many hugs, Lynn
Lynn – this is so beautiful! I love all your glass ornaments! And the colors in your kitchen are so fun with the vintage ornaments! So lovely – glad to be in this blog hop with you! Happiest of holidays!
Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your kind comments. I do love having all those colors and ornaments up for the whole month, but come December 27…I’m ready for them to come down.
Many hugs to you.
Lynn
Delightful, genuine, heartfelt, joyous, memorable, loving….your home is warm and welcoming. Thank you for sharing your treasures with us all. Christmas Blessings to you and your family.
Oh Lesley, you brought tears to my eyes with your oh so kind words. At the end of the day, don’t we all want a warm and welcoming home and it warms my heart that you felt the warmth. Thank you so much for spending a few of your precious moments with me today and blessing to you for a most joyous and love-filled Christmas my friend.
Hugs, Lynn
Beautiful home! Love the way you used colours and incorporated all of the traditional and non-traditional ones! Happy holidays!
Thanks so much Lindi…it truly is a reflection of many of our travels, family collections, hobbies and loves. Thanks for joining our tour!
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas.
Hugs, Lynn
I love your home tour! Genius to play up the pink on the porch. I giggled when I saw your contained mouse king and I can not wait to try that fruitcake – would really like to like fruitcake. 🙂 Beautifully done.
Hi Lynn,
Thank you for sharing your beautiful home all decked out for the holidays. What I love most about your home is that it is filled with cherished holiday treasures. Each item carries a beautiful memory. And your childhood stockings. The fact that both you and Terry have them is amazing! And the camellia by the front door…simply dreamy! I love that you embraced the pink and incorporated that as part of your front door decor. Well done my friend. Happy holidays!
Merry Christmas dear friend. Your outdoor space looks so festive with all that pink as it should be. But what I really love is the inside. I cannot tell you what I love the most, the tree which is oozing warm fuzzy memories or my obsession with your nutcrackers. I had a few but left them back in Greece so now I get to start fresh. I know that you will have the best time in this special home of yours which reflects so much history and love.
Hey there friend, so glad you could stop by. Did you get your bag of cookies? Our tree truly is a memory tree…that’s a great analogy. And won’t you have fun building your nutcracker collection back up? Thanks for stopping by and Merry Christmas in your new home with all your family together.
Hugs, Lynn
Lynn, I so love all your treasured ornaments and traditions. It makes Christmas so special, full of memories and treasured items that are priceless. You’ve done a beautiful job from the front porch (the pink is priceless) and throughout your home. Thank you so much for hosting the Christmas blog hop ~ I am so honored to be a part of it and meet new blogger friends. You’re a special one.
Hey there friend, we were so glad that you could grace us with your lovely home and special touches. It was fun to peak into everyone’s homes, wasn’t it? We hope to do it again next year with great people like you.
Wishing you the merriest of Christmases!
Hugs, Lynn
Lynn, You’re so right about us keeping tradition and heirlooms that have been collected and saved over the years. You have quite an amazing collection of nutcrackers, and I love some of the glass ones by your kitchen window. I’m really loving your Santa from Russia, and as crazy as it sounds, I love your nutcracker clothespins! Oh, and that beautiful blue nutcracker rug…I could go on and on. Lovely tour, my friend! I have a fruitcake recipe I should make and share because it’s unlike most fruitcakes.
Thank you so much for hosting this home tour! I love that your front entry matches the blooming flowers! How clever is that. I cannot wait to some day have ornaments that are heirlooms or memories from my family.
Hey there friend, so glad you could join us! It is so much fun to see what everyone does in their own space, isn’t it? Wishing you a wonderful Christmas! Hugs, Lynn
Good Morning and what a blessed joy it is to be part of this heartfelt and beautiful Christmas Tour. The positivity and warm community of fellow bloggers has been a fabulous dose of Christmas cheer! You know how much I adore the way you have incorporated nostalgia and treasures of the past into your Christmas décor. You home is lovely and the details are charming and uplifting.
Merry Christmas!
Jemma
Oh my sweet friend Jemma, we are so very glad that you were able to join us with your grace, charm and beautiful home. It was such a fun way to spend a week, getting a peek inside all these lovely homes, wasn’t it? Looking forward to hopping with you again in the future.
Merry Christmas dear!
Hugs, Lynn
I knew that your home would be decorated beautifully, and it really is. I love that you use still use pieces that hold special memories and I feel the same way. Your Santas and nutcrackers are so beautiful and unique. The window is decorated so pretty and the contained Mouse King cracked me up. I do not know what I would do without our blogging group to be on this journey with and the friendships that I have gained are worth all the hard work! You have truly been a friend to me!