Last weekend I finally got round to decorating the house for Christmas. We usually get our tree about two weeks before Christmas as it’s a real one so if we get it too early the needles drop off before the big day, and no one wants a bald tree on Christmas Day!
We have a bit of a tradition now of walking up to the local riding school to buy our tree, it used to be quite entertaining when the kids were smaller, three of us carrying it, trying to cross a busy road in formation! This year my OH came instead (he wasn’t going to put a Christmas tree in his new car!!) so he carried it back!
I love Christmas and all the decorations but it isn’t quite the same when you haven’t got little ones around, I did chunter a bit to myself whilst I was arranging everything that I was only going to have to take it down again in three weeks time! Luckily that feeling soon passed and I love all the Christmassy bits again!
I like to have a vaguely themed arrangement to my decorations, thinking about it it’s probably linked to my difficulty with random! Anyway, the lounge is always the Father Christmas room with my felt Santas next to the tree, the mantelpiece is full of santas, reindeer, my lovely gnome from Linda looks great next to the viking santa, a little nordic corner! I have snow globes and russian doll santas on the side tables too.
Of course the tree is the centrepiece, I like it to be reasonably colour co-ordinated, mainly red, green, silver and gold. My daughter and I always have a bit of a laugh at Christmas as when they were little we had a tradition of going down to the local garden centre where they always have a big Christmas display. Each year they could choose one decoration each. One year she picked a bright pink and purple bauble, a big one too! It clashes with everything! Each year she would proudly hang it prominently at the front. It was years before she realised that by the next day it had mysteriously moved to a less noticeable place. She now moves it back to the front and I move it back to the back…this year I have hung it elsewhere in the house so we’ll see how long it takes her to notice 🙂
I’ve got quite a few handmade decorations now, there will be even more after Monday when we take down the WI tree at the Christmas Tree Festival in town. Deborah’s angel does look like she’s dancing across the branches!
This year the dining room has a new theme, Christmas Wreaths, there’s about six in there! Under the Advent wreath I’ve put the stitch ‘n’fold wreath I made last year, it seemed a good place to put the stained glass nativity I made last year as well. ..
The big fabric wreath I made a few years ago is propped up on the piano
Even the hall has a theme with stars going up the stairs, you can just see the stained glass one I made at the top.
The conservatory has a Christmas tree theme, I put a tree in each window, various sizes from 3-4 ” to about 2′ tall. There’s wooden ones, metal ones, fussy ones, minimalistic ones. My favourite is my bare tree. I got the idea from visiting Castle Howard a few years ago. I have a twisted hazel in a pot in the garden, it’s only about 2′ tall. At Christmas I bring it in and decorate it with silver and gold decorations. I found on the main tree that these ones just seemed to disappear, but hung together they look so pretty.
Yesterday a friend came round and we made my version of a door wreath, more of a swag really, it’s really easy and I think quite effective. I collect holly and ivy from the back lane and add laurel, eucalyptus and eunonymous from the garden, tie it all together in a big bunch and of course add a big red ribbon.
It always fascinates me at Christmas to see how different countries decorate their homes so differently at Christmas time so I’m looking forward to seeing everyone else’s Christmas decorations.
thecraftycreek 
What fun! You really go to town, and how lovely it all looks! I must admit that with the rush I’m in just now and the cyclone bearing down on us, I haven’t decorated (yet). I should at least get my fibre-optic tree out and lit, even if I do nothing else.
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I love your decorations, Margaret. And I especially love the story of your daughter’s bauble! Do let us know when she notices. I don’t do much in the way of decorations. At the moment there is a little fake tree with some tinsel wrapped around it, and some crocheted stars with fairy lights. There may be more, but quite probably not! i will just enjoy yours.
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Thanks Anne, this bauble could end up a bit like the naughty elf that all the kids seem to have nowadays, a different hidy place every day!
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Oh my your house looks amazing. I love the story of the bauble and look forward to hearing how long she takes to realise it is missing.
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Thanks Cathy, I think it will be the first thing she looks for…but then she’s got to find it!
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Your home looks so homey and cheerful. I love the idea of stars going up the stairs. The advent wreath with the stained glass nativity is so nice. Your trees are gorgeous. Your exchange with your daughter sounds like fun too. I can’t wait to hear if she realizes the purple bauble is hidden from her. We all change our traditions as we grow older and our families grow up and move out. This year I didn’t get as much out as I usually do. There is still plenty of christmas decor to cheer. A small tree; stockings hung, but not on a mantel.We don’t have a fireplace so our hang on a bookcase shelf. I switch the regular china out of the hutch and display christmas china. We have a small collection of nutcrackers that we display near the tv. I always put out pictures of the children sitting on Santa’s lap. I also have pictures of the dogs on Santas lap or the larger ones sitting beside Santa. So it goes here.
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Every year I think I’m not going to get as much out, and then I start opening the boxes…!
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It looks just like I expected it to look, Margaret, an absolute feast for the eye. I could see you with mince pies and music playing!
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Ooh, just got to make the mince pies 🙂
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Your home looks just beautiful! What a wonderful skill at decorating you have. I’m afraid I’ve decided to give the whole decorating thing a miss this year. I am however adding a few more to my home made collection to add to my lovely gifts from Deborah!
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Your home looks lovely and warm and welcoming.
Are you sure your daughter doesn’t read your blog?
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Thanks Jane, Helen does read my blog intermittently, but she’s been in Cyprus jumping out of planes all week so hopefully will have missed it 🙂
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It’s all really amazing! SO much to look at and enjoy! I love to see the handmade bits . . .
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Simply magically delightful – I love the bare tree too – my favorite!
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It all looks so festive, really lovely. I have often thought about decorating the stairs but never quite gotten around to it!
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Lots of lovely handmade things. Your “themes” for different rooms are inspiring!
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