Friday, December 2, 2011

How We Decorate For Christmas

Each Friday for the next five weeks, I'll be participating in a blog hop with Joy Ever After. There will be a different topic every week to give you a peek into our lives. There will also be a giveaway on most of the Fridays, so make sure to stop in each Friday for the rest of the year!


Christmas is my favorite Holiday and I love to drive around and gaze admiringly at the decorations and lights in, on, and around the homes and yards of those more motivated than I. I really do love to see a place all decked out, but I just don't have the energy and gumption to do much decorating myself. Don't get me wrong, I love to decorate! But I'm just not the type who changes everything for every season and holiday. 


This year, decorating very much at all is a challenge anyway, because we have moved into a tiny little house and literally have no room for many decorations. In fact, we don't even have a good place to put a Christmas tree! I checked into buying a corner tree (didn't think we'd be happy with that at all) or a pencil tree (it'd still be awful crammed in that corner), and I knew that a little table-top was "out" as far as the kids were concerned. Soooo...we're improvising. Majorly. Please don't laugh. 


In the only available corner in our living room, on a table, stand...(drum roll please)...three trees. Yes, three. 


I got a set of three adorable, country-lookin', pre-lit trees, each a different height, and arranged them on that table in the corner. Traditional? No. A satisfactory solution? Yep! They actually look quite pretty! Alas, they aren't decorated yet so I can't share a photo, but they will be by Saturday night if I can help it and I'll take some shots and get them up on here. Most importantly, the kids like the idea. (I don't mean to make them sound like demanding, spoiled little brats at all! They just love a big Christmas tree and really didn't want to settle for a small tabletop. However, if that had been what we chose to do, they would have made the best of it.)


One of my favorite decorations, of course, is the little nativity we bought about seven years ago. Last year we had a nice mantle to put it on. This year... I'm not sure yet where it will be placed, but I'll find a place of honor where, hopefully, it won't be knocked over! (One of our special Christmas traditions is centered around this little set, but I'll post about that at another time.) 


So with the three trees, the nativity set, some greenery over some windows and a few other items placed here and there, our little home will look rather festive, I think. Oh, and the children have small trees in their rooms as well!


Here's what our tree looked like last year. I used a mostly red-and-white candy theme, though it doesn't show up very well here. (Where are my other photos?)
 

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 This shot isn't the greatest, but I still love it. :)

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This is part of our little nativity. 

Now you can go check out how these ladies decorate for Christmas!

Liz @ Inside the Mind of Mama Bear
Joanna @ The LaVans
Jessica @ It's the Little Things




6 comments:

  1. I just LOVE your photos, especially the one of your children under the tree-- just priceless!

    This time of year is so special. I am really trying to put my focus, and that of my children in the right place this year. We are doing a lot of special Advent activities and am praying that we can truly enjoy this season instead of rushing through it.

    Many blessings to you!
    Lisa

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  2. Thank you, Lisa!

    I, too, hope that we can have a more relaxing Christmas. It's so important to take the time to focus on the true meaning of the season. I've never done any Advent activities with my children, but I found some ideas online that I hope to use. We'll be a little late getting started, but that's better than not starting at all, right? :)

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  3. After looking at last year's tree, I'm quite confident that those three that you have chosen for this year will be lovely! I'm sure you've read the story of The Three Trees, and that can be a reminder for the entire season that all three trees were vitally important as they served their purpose on earth, just as each of us is important in God's eyes. Your family is wonderful, and they are truly blessed to have you as their mom! :-)

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  4. Glenda, that's a wonderful idea! I'll be sure to read the story to them!
    Thank you so much for your kind words. You're truly an encouragement.

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  5. I LOVE the picture of your children around the tree--beautiful!
    I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of your your Christmas trees when they are decorated! (And I'm so glad I'm not the only one whose tree is not yet up!)

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  6. This was neat Jessica. I enjoyed it. You are very talented in many ways. Love you guys and wish you lived closer!

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Thank you for taking the time to comment!