Christmas Home Tour

Well, I've been thoroughly enjoying taking 'tours' of several Christmasy homes through some of the blogs that I read, and have been wanting to link up to them for days, but just haven't had the time to get to it! It's one of those things that is on the 'want' to-do list, not the 'MUST-get-done-before-Christmas' list. So, now that I think the latter is mostly under control, and we are still fairly snowed in (hubby is snowblowing the driveway as I type) I now have a few moments to sit down and post some pics of what my home is looking like this season. Here's the blogs I'm linking to if you want to check out some other Christmas Homes.
And, since I can't seem to keep my house totally cleaned up for more than 5 minutes at a time, you'll have to excuse any laundry, dishes in the sink, or piles of bags (presents waiting to be wrapped) that you might catch glimpses of in the background of any of these shots! Oh, well, I was trying to "keep it real" this year anyway, right? If you're here for the first time from a Christmas Tour link then welcome! And if you're an old friend here, then welcome to you too! I'd love to be able to have each of you over for real, for some tea and cookies, but since I can't, I hope you enjoy the 'virtual hospitality'!

I'll try to give you an 'overview' shot of each room, then focus on some of my favorite details. First the living room...our pretty but super-picky tree. Maybe our last year for a real one, depending on Seth's allergies. They only seemed to be a problem for a few days, and now he's been totally fine. Someone told Todd that when you first bring the tree in it releases all it's pollen, so what they do for their allergy-kids is bring it in to the basement for a few days, then up to the living room. Anyone else know anything about that? I'll have to do some research...but we may be hitting some 'after-Christmas-sales' to purchase a nice fake for next year. This is also the first year I've done white lights and a pretty 'uniform' tree (color coordinated, balls, etc.) Usually it's filled with homemade and random kid-oriented ornaments, and lots of colorful lights. This year we did 2 trees...this more 'formal' one, and the homemade looking one down in the family room.


My latest 'bargain' adorning the top of the TV armoir...my little red tin basket, another Goodwill find. And my candle filled in with cranberries and, you guessed it, epsom salts.


The shelf I just re-did and hubby hung, and also the nativity that Luke has been greatly enjoying identifying all the people and explaining its significance to me.


The dining room. My corner cabinet holds my special Christmas plate that my mom gave me one of the first years I was married. It's words tell of the meaningful parts of the holidays for me. (It doesn't specifically mention Jesus, which is of course, the most significant!) The countdown plate is this year's new 'crafty' addition, and the garland is something I purchased a couple years ago at Ten Thousand Villages. Besides it's beauty, it always reminds me to think of others across the world from me, who might be experiencing a Christmas quite different from my own. The other seemingly insignificant thing here actually holds quite a lot of significance for me. Those little Christmas tree mints...they remind me of my Grandma, who I've been missing a lot this year for some reason.




My cute little carolers, made by my special friends, Patti and Deb. They are actually holding some real sheet music...it's 'Joy to the World'. And my new yummy Yankee candle...Red Berry & Cedar. Very Christmasy.



Just 2 steps away is my cozy little kitchen. The fridge is messy with all sorts of papers, but they simply must be there so I see them every day and remember things...like party dates and school lunches, etc.! But atop the fridge you will see my collection of tins, which also remind me of Grandma. A few because they were hers, and a few because they depict Norman Rockwell covers of the Saturday Evening Post, a magazine I used to sit and peruse for comics and other funny things while I was visiting my grandparents house.


The tea kettle isn't particularly Christmasy, but it's at the ready for some tea or hot chocolate, complete with candy canes nearby to use as minty stirrers. And the little counter that has become our own personal 'coffee bar' - with the pretty red mugs and Christmas creamer and sugar just waiting to be used! The Christmas tree spoon rests - yet another thrift store fine for $.25 each.


The window sill with Mrs. Frosty and some Ball jars transformed into wintry candle holders with a few cranberries and epsom salts.


The toasty warm family room where our coal stove is all fired up. The tree looking a little sad, not yet full decorated, and just home from Goodwill. It was a bargain, and thus, the first time we've been able to have 2 trees. It's worth it, so we can make do.

And Maggie, the Christmas Dog. :o)

Even the bedrooms got a touch of Christmas.

A little spray paint, some ribbon, lights, Christmas balls and a few old silk pointsettias can actually result in something quite pretty. I'm loving laying in bed and gazing at this twinkling beauty at night before I drift off....it's very relaxing.

Bryce's room...with his beloved electronics all decked out in lights, and the little tree we found and transformed into his own funky style. (It started out all a hideous gold).

Kate's tree and the younger boys' tree. Rooms too messy at time of photos to show any more of those rooms!! :o)


And even the bathroom got just a touch of holiday cheer. (By the way, it's not Christmasy, but the wall art there was a thrift store frame that I made into 'art' with just some ribbon and scrapbook paper!)


Well, that's about it. There's so much more I'd love to do, so many ideas I've gotten from so many other blogs, but these things take time. Someday I WILL have a lovely red door, and it will be lavishly decorated in greens, and I'll have the time and energy to add lots of bows and ribbons and wreaths all around. However, for now, I'm just choosing to be content with what I have to work with. So, I hope that you enjoyed the little tour. (I tried to do it as a video blog, but that didn't work out so well. And I decided I don't like seeing myself talk. Pictures and words are much more my style.) :o) If you're a guest over here from a home tour, please leave a comment, I'd love to visit your blog. With the thousands of links that have been posted, chance are good I haven't made it there yet, but I'd really love to!

Merry Christmas!