Happy Monday! π Today, Boo Mama is hosting a Christmas Tour of Homes on her blog – where we each post pictures of some of our Christmas decor on our blogs, and link them to her blog. The neat thing about that is that when you click on the picture above, or the link at the bottom of this post, it will take you to Boo Mama’s blog where hundreds of links to decorated homes await you. Literally!
I’m posting some pictures of my tree and some favorite ornaments. This year I didn’t decorate all around my house – just my tree, mantle, porch and dining room. However, “Frappuccino Fun with Amy” has so beautifully decked-out her entire home for Christmas that I had to post some of her pictures, too.
We were also asked to serve “refreshments” (a recipe) at our tour of homes, so may I offer you some hot spiced cider? It’s easy, warm, delicious, and makes the house smell just like “Christmas”!
Easy Hot Spiced Cider
1 half gallon of Apple Cider or Natural Apple Juice
1 bag of Red Hots (the size that is sold at the grocery with the candy that hangs up)
OR 1/2 bag of cinnamon discs
This can be made in a percolator, on the stove, or in a crock pot. If you have a percolator, put the candy in the top, and the juice in the bottom and let it percolate. If not, melt the candy and juice together on the stove and keep warm in a crock pot, or toss it all in the crock pot and let it warm for several hours – until the candy melts. Sometimes I add cinnamon sticks and cloves. Mmmm… It’s the best!
Now, on to the pictures. π
This is our Christmas Tree (with an angel on top – who actually does have a head. I haven’t wrapped presents yet, so they’re sitting under the tree unwrapped. Family: don’t look too closely!)
Here are a few of my favorite ornaments. I somewhat collect “Gone with the Wind” memorabilia and a portion of our tree is full of Scarletts.
Years ago, when my children outgrew their baby shoes, I didn’t know what to do with them, so instead of packing them away in a box in the attic, I decided to hang them on the Christmas tree. A pair of each of their shoes hangs toward the top, along with the pink/white ones you see here – which were my baby shoes. Their “passies” are also on the tree. I always enjoy some sweet memories when I hang these special ornaments on the tree.
Every year James gives me an angel and I give him a Santa. I try to find one that signifies something he’s done in that year. Some of our favorite Santas are a Football Coach Santa, a Plumbing Santa, a Santa on a treadmill, and one in a swim float.
This is one of my very favorites – It is exactly how our family of four “sized up” in 2006. Those days are long gone – since Nathan is now a little taller than me. π
And this is my absolute favorite of all… Santa kneeling at the manger. We enjoy Santa in our family, but he has his place, and he is not what Christmas is really about. This ornament is a great reminder that it is Jesus that we all bow to – not to Santa Claus!
Here is Amy’s beautifully decorated home:
Amy hosts a Cookie Swap each year – and this is a tree in her kitchen full of cookie-themed ornaments.
She has another tree in her kitchen with cooking-themed ornaments on it.
This is a full shot of her kitchen.
Her mantle
The Great Room tree – with Salvation-themed ornaments
The entry way of her home – with a white Santa Claus tree (and a statue of Santa kneeling at a manger.)
And a snowman tree upstairs (even though she has a few others I didn’t take pictures of):
There you have it… Thanks so much for stopping by. To visit Boo Mama’s Tour of Homes, click here. If you’ve posted a tour of your home on your blog, please leave me a comment so I can come visit you. π
PS: Tomorrow I’ll post a few more easy recipes for gifts and family meals… see you then, if not before… Have a great day!
S'more of my Thoughts says
What beautiful decor! Love it all!!!
Stopping by from Boomama’s site