I Love Christmas

This year I decided to switch things up a little with my decorating.  I promised DH that I wouldn't put out all of my nutcrackers this year, I only put out about a 1/3 of them.  I also made a new garland to go over the mantle with some antique ornaments that I found at an antique store a few weeks ago.  I think it turned out ok, I'm not usually crafty when it comes to things like this.

I found this little silver/gold tree at the same antique store along with the crochet doily that I am using for a tree skirt.  The silver/gold nutcracker was a gift from my mom last year for a Pre-christmas present.  The little Santa and sleigh belonged to my older brother when he was little, I decided that I needed it.  My mom always made a winter scene in the large picture window in our living room and the little sleigh was always a part of it.  She also used ornaments, pine cones, and candles, This was one of the first things my mom would do to decorate for Christmas, we always had a real tree and it didn't go up until about  a week before Christmas.  We never purchased a tree, we always went out into the woods to cut one, my dad usually had one already picked out about a month before Christmas.  That is one of my favorite memories of Christmas, going out with my brother and dad to cut our tree.  I miss my dad everyday, but more so at the holidays.  Enough reminiscing, out tree is up a couple of years ago I bought an artificial tree to help out with my DH's allergies.  It isn't a bad tree, just not a real one.

I spent half of my day looking for this Santa and our stockings, I was starting to panic I thought that possibly they had been thrown away after last Christmas.  Of course I found them in the last place I looked today, the basement.  

Hope everyone's decorating is going well!!!

Christmas Tradition

Love Mother Earth draped in blue and white lights

 A few years ago the Atlanta Botanical Gardens started a new Christmas tradition with their Garden of Lights.  DH and I have been every year for the last four years.  This year we were accompanied by my brother and his new wife.  They have lived in the area for several years and we have never been able to get them to go with us, they barely made it since they are moving at the end of this month.

One of my favorites, even though there are no lights

Poinsettia tree, absolutely beautiful

Pegasus no idea who the person in the corner is.

Large tree in the courtyard.

If you are in the area and get a chance to go it is open until  January.

This is why I am tired!!

 Every year I do something special in the media center, usually the Polar Express.  This year I decided to branch out and I am turning the media center into Whoville.  I have the Grinch and Max outside the  media center.

Group of trees inside the door

 I absolutely love this idea that I found on Pintrest.  A tree made from streamers hanging from the ceiling and we have tall ceilings in the media center. This is just the beginning.  More to come next week.