Merry Christmas!

 This will probably be my last chance to post anything until after Christmas and maybe until after the New Year.  So, I wanted to bring a little of our Christmas cheer in the form of our decorating to you all.  I hope that everyone has a blessed Christmas and we all have happier, healthier, less stressful New Year (with lots of stitching!)

This first picture is of our main Christmas tree.  It has ornaments the kids made through the years as well as ornaments we have had since we were married 43 years ago.  One of the unusal decorations on the tree is a garland that my ex SIL made for my brothers and myself out of old cosmetic jewelry that my Mom worn.  She gave it to us the Chrismas after my Mom died.  Maybe if you click on the picture, you might see it as it is the one highest on the tree.

This tree sits in our sitting room next to our bedroom.  When the blinds are up it can be seen from the road.   When we bought this house, the first Christmas we were in it , we decided that we had to have a tree in this room.  We think that it looks very warm and cozy for some reason.

Here is a picture of our mantel.  There are only nine stockings hanging there this year because my DS#1 and his family that live in Maine can't come home for Christmas this year.  We love it when they do, but they came home earlier this year for DS#2's wedding instead.  Before you even ask, no most of those stockings are not hand made by me.  The one facing the opposite way I did for DD 29 years ago.  Didn't even notice that it went the wrong way until that next Christmas.  I told DD that just made her's extra special.  The other basically white stocking was stitched by one of my SILs for DS#2.  The rest are store bought, but sometime I hope to replace them with ones I have stitched.

This is the bookcase next to the fireplace.  The Creche on the middle shelf another of my SIL's hand painted probably  25-26 years ago, and it has a special place every year as I have always loved it.  I don't think that I could have ever painted in that detail on that small a piece.

Lastly is my stitched ornament tree that I put up for the first time last year.  Almost all of these ornaments have been stitched by other wonderful ladies in my PALS group.  When we go to Myrtle Beach in the fall, we have an ornament exchange, and these are some of the ones I received.  There are also ones on this tree that some of the lovely ladies have sent to me just because they are very nice ladies.  I think next year I am going to have to get a bigger tree for Christmas.  I do use this tree all year long for seasonal ornaments that I have stitched which you have seen before if you have visited this site.

So here you have a little impression of what our home is like during the holidays.  I have enjoyed seeing pictures on other blogs of the decorations, and I hope that you enjoyed this view.

Again, have a joyous Holiday Season!