Christmas Open House

Welcome to our home!

This is our 6th Christmas in this house, and every year we have put our tree in the front window. I got a little crazy this year and put it in the foyer. It threw Jeff off a bit (the man doesn't like change) but I think the whole family has accepted the tree's new resting place.

This is my new favorite creche. My mom and I found it at Bronner's 2 years ago, and since then I've added a piece (or 3) every year. It's called "Pure of Heart" by Demdaco and I love how Joseph is protecting Mary and the baby Jesus. The animals are really cool, too, with the long, skinny legs. This year I added the star/angel at the top and the taller shepherd with the staff.

My other favorite creche. If I had a bigger house, it would be left out all year. Last year, I added the angel on the stand. I still need a few pieces to complete the set (hint, hint).

My spode Christmas plates! Another collection I've been collecting. These are just a few of the pieces. The rest we use everyday from December 1st - January 1st. I started collecting these by accident when I won a 4-piece place setting in a raffle at 3Com's Lagoon Day about 10 years ago. I wasn't too excited at the time - being JULY and all, at a waterpark. I had to hall the big box around the rest of the day in the bottom of the double-stroller, along with Hannah's blankie & Riley's extra "fi's" - but I really have come to love them. It's a good reminder, along with 15 mugs, 32 t-shirts, 14 tote bags, 3 watches, etc., of how good 3Com was to us!

Matching stockings! For years, our stockings were mismatched, adding more as more were added to our family. So, in a sale-to-end-all-sales, I got everyone a new stocking 3 years ago, except for Libby which the kids will NOT forgive me for. Riley has the snowman, Hannah the ballerina, Alec the reindeer, and Ian the train. Anyway, Jeff cannot understand why he was de-masculinized with a gingerbread MAN, mind you. It's not a gingerbread boy, but a MAN I keep telling him. Apparently he thinks he should be Santa and I should be the gingerbread MAN. My thinking on the day of purchase - Who does the Christmas shopping? Who does the wrapping? Who stuffs all those stockings????? Case. Closed.

One of my kids favorite traditions, by far, is our advent calendar. It's not the cutest advent calendar I've seen, but it has a story. Growing up, my family had one that looked just like this. My mom still puts it up every year. She made it at a Homemaking meeting in 1974, can ya tell? Anyway, in 2002, I made 3 of them - one for me, one for Jeff, and one for Scott's family. It was a labor of love, but worth every minute of work that went into it. It hangs by our front door every year.


Little trees! We had to have some sparkle in the family room. This isn't a great picture, but the ornaments on these trees are themed, blue, red, and yellow, and I bought them with different friends over the years - Amy A., Marianne - so these trees remind me of good friends, old & new.

Our little people nativity has seen better days, but it's still a favorite. The angel is missing a wing, thanks to Libby, and a monster truck is standing in for the missing wise man. Hmmm...I wonder who did that??

LOVE my handmade, embroidered pillow...thanks, Marianne :)!!

Ian and I picked this train out just a few days ago. It plays music and the front has a little light on it. He absolutely loves it. Every tree needs a train, but I'm just wondering how the presents are going to fit under there with the train in the way...any ideas?? I'll keep you posted on the solution.

Merry Christmas!