a few of my favorite things....

I love Christmas!  It's such a wonderful time.  And, I love all the decorations too.  I thought I would share a few of my favorite Christmas items with you. 

This is something new that I added this year.  I love having a table runner and I found this PERFECT one at a thrift store for just a couple bucks!  The best part is the bullion fringe...which of course you can't see because it's hanging down.....but "I" know it's there!

I have lots and lots of favorite things here...including my Christmas dishes, of course!

This beautiful Waterford crystal bowl was a gift from a company that worked for many years ago.  They sometimes gave some 'lame' gifts and sometimes they gave fabulous ones...this one is one of my favorites!

These candlesticks are my Mother in Laws.  She gave them to me to put out for Christmas dinner a few years ago and we have used them every year since.  

I don't know what it is about this box.  I loved it the minute I saw it in an art gallery.  Hubby went back and got it for me and it's been one of my treasures ever since.  And, I can change it to match any decor by putting something else inside it.

This little birdie is new.  A gift from a friend.  This is something that I would not have bought for myself.  It's a little teapot and she knows that I like teapots.   Even though it doesn't look like something I would pick out....I have really fallen in love with it.  It just goes with EVERYTHING.  Thanks to my dear friend. 

Tom & Jerry.  This was just like one my Grandma had.  Every Christmas they served Tom & Jerry drinks in cups like these.  I loved that drink!  When I went to visit as an adult and they gave me my drink...something was horribly wrong with it!!  I never knew that it was a booze drink!!  As a kid, we had just the sweet mix.  The booze ruined it....ha ha.  I had my Grandma's Egg Nog bowl and cups, but the bowl somehow got broken.  I still have the cups and I'm always looking for the exact bowl to match.  

My baby....he's 23 now...made these in kindergarten.  I don't save all my kids art projects, but I always liked these lights.  So, they go up in the same place every year.  

This ornament in the middle was a gift from a friend.  It's so pretty that it has to be one of my favorites!

Of course the fireplace is one of my favorites all year!

I always put out these 3 nutcrakers in the same place every year.  Way back when my kids were little, we decided that tv was a bad influence and when the lightning took out our antenna that was at the top of a tall pine tree (that is how we did it way out here in the country!!  before satellite!)...we just didn't have tv at all.  So, they missed out on all the latest shows and....the commercials.  When I asked my little boy what he wanted for Christmas, he would only say a "nutcracker".  No toys, nothing.  I used to have to show him a Sears catalog so he would see what was out there!  Of course, we got him Nutcracracker, it's the one in the middle.  The arm is broken and it's been played with a lot!  The other two were the next couple of years until he grew out of it.  Seeing these always takes me back to those innocent days. 

When I started switching out all my decor for Christmas, I found I was missing all my family pictures.  So, last year I found all of our Christmas card pictures.  We used to take one every year with our kids. I framed them and you can see them all grow up in an instant right here.

This little violin was something we added when our son brought his family home for Christmas after missing it for a few years.  I remember our granddaughters just loving it!!  When you tap the strings with the bow, it plays a Christmas song.  They were so excited to find out that they could play the violin!! He he.

These towels are a gift from my BFF.  Whenever we visit each other, we bring a gift.  All of the gifts that she has given me are my favorite things!!  I just love these towels!  They really perk up this corner of my kitchen!  And, she chose them just for this spot!

Whew.  Time to rest!  This is really Pookie's spot.  Sparky just took over and they are both willing to put up with each other for a place on Dad's lap. 

Are you ready for Christmas?

Thanksgiving...then Christmas

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  My Dear Daughter prepared the turkey and pretty much most of the meal at her house.  It smelled WONDERUL in there!!  

I did my part.  I made yummy sweet potato casserole.  I'm not the best cook.  I would rather set the table!

And when it was all over, it was time for the transition to Christmas!!  One year as I was putting away my Christmas decorations, it just seemed so bare.  All I did when I decorated for Christmas was to add a few little knick knacks here and there and when I put them away, it just seemed so blah.  Sooooo.....

I had the idea of packing away all my normal decorations and only put out Christmas ones.  It's a chore, but it's worth it to me.  And, hubby.  One year, I told him I wasn't going to go "all out" with the Christmas decorations and he got all "sad" on me.  So, now I know who I'm decorating for!

And, he helps!  We keep all this stuff in the attic.  I unpack Christmas and pack the everyday stuff in those same boxes.

And there are a LOT of them!

I figured out that I should always save the boxes that things come in for packing and storing.

 I always wanted Christmas dishes.  I got these a few years ago from Kmart.  They were super affordable and I just love them.  After Christmas that year I went back and bought more at a huge discount.  So, now I have extra in the cupboard and at Christmas dinner I don't have to take these down to eat on!

And of course the fireplace.  All ready for Santa!

That's it for now....more to come!!  Are you all ready for Christmas?