Friday, December 15, 2006

O Come All Ye Faithful...

Welcome to the BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes. I've been excited about this for a month. I've gone a little wild with all the pictures but Christmas is a special time around here. Once you visited here, don't forget to head over to BooMama's. You can spend the weekend touring homes. You didn't anything else to do, right?

Here's the view from the driveway. We haven't decorated outside at this house before but Sweetanlo really wanted to do it this year. Next year we're making her help.


This wreath is the first thing you see when you come into our boot room. It was pretty plain when I pulled it out of a give-away pile someone left us. It dressed up pretty nice, though.


My best friend in the world made me this wreath so many years ago. It's hung on my door every year since. It makes me think of her.


Come in! Take your coat off and stay a while.


"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that..." mom and dad would soon fill them up to bursting. These are special because these are the stockings that the kids got from their Nana. They used to hang on her mantle at Christmas now they hang on ours.


I never imagined having an artificial tree. We've always had a fresh tree until last year. Last year in our Ebay Store we had the good fortune to sell a lot of artificial trees. They were really nice trees. Well, this tree was a left-over display model and turned out to be made up of pieces from several different styles of trees and had no base. We couldn't sell it so we decided to keep it. We bought a base and put it up and decided to call "him" affectionately, "FrankenPine" since he's some of this and some of that and he needs electricity to really shine. He still lists a little since his base isn't really the right one. But he looks really nice and the $50 we save by not buying a tree gives us that much extra Christmas cash.


FrankenPine all aglow. There's just something about the light from a Christmas tree; it's magical.


We've been given several Nativity scenes over the years. A good thing for us as we believe that Jesus really is the reason for the season.

This one always gets displayed the longest because I forget I've put it in the window and so don't put it away with the rest until long into the New Year. Pastormac received as a gift from a co-worker many years ago.


These next two are handmade from The Holy Land (Jerusalem).

This one is a little sandpainting of the Three Kings coming to worship Jesus.


And this one is made of Olivewood.


This one Pastormac received as a child. One year his Sunday school class painted the pieces and he won it by being the student who memorized the most verses.


During the Christmas season we clear off our school table (Yup, my kids are all broken up about that.) We have to make room for these things.

Our Advent Wreath.


Santa's Marching Band. It's a little bell choir that's really cute and it plays all sorts of Christmas Carols. My kids love it.


My Little Native American Nativity Scene. We got our first Christmas from Pastormac's dad. I'm amazed it's still in one piece now 16 years later.


For a person who isn't big on snow, I have a growing collection of snowmen. My favorite kind - the kind that don't require snow.


This Snowman with the North Pole sign has the cutest little reindeer slippers.


I got this little Christmas tree from a long-time friend. She knew that I like to cook and so decorated it with all sorts of tiny kitchen utensils and gadgets.






These three are my favorites. They belonged to my mom.


I have so many other things to show you, but I should stop here. So, that's the tour. Thanks so much for dropping by! I know you have LOTS of other places to visit. But before you go, please come into the kitchen for a mug of cocoa and a slice of the best Pecan Pie evah. And if you're not in a rush, sit down and relax. We're about to pull these out and read out loud a while.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gotta love those snowmen! I enjoyed touring your home. I really like your nativity sets too. Your little kitchen tree is just too cute too. Merry Christmas and thanks for stopping by my corner of the web too.

Anonymous said...

I think your tree is just beautiful!! I love all the nativity sets too- so pretty!
Jennifer R.

on the Rock said...

A lovely tree and a wonderful tour!
Merry Christmas!

Beck said...

Your house is LOVELY! It's so friendly and inviting - just like I'd pictured it! How fun!

Michelle said...

what a great tour! I love the story of how you came to aquire your Christmas tree - it makes it so special and unique! Also loved all the nativity sets displayed!

Anonymous said...

I love your frankenpine and your nativities! And I'm just drooling over your fireplace/stove. It's beautiful with the stockings around it!

Anonymous said...

Very pretty! I love the stockings by the stove and all of the nativities! All of your collections are adorable. Thanks for inviting me on the tour. Merry Christmas:)

Anonymous said...

your frakenpine has a ton of twinkle lights!!! how great!!

i too love SNOWMEN!! :)

blessings.
merry Christmas!

Overwhelmed! said...

I love all your pictures. Your house is decorated beautifully! I think I love FrankenPine best of all. :)

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and see my 2006 Christmas Tour of Homes decorations! I do appreciate it!

Merry Christmas to you!

Anonymous said...

I love all the nativity scenes you have! How wonderful to have such a collection of them! Everything looks so pretty!

Kim

Anonymous said...

You've done a great job- what a sweet holiday home! Merry Christmas!

Anonymous said...

What a lovely advent wreath & the nativity scenes are great. I hope you have a blessed Christmas !

Anonymous said...

Frankenpine! How cute! I love that little corner fireplace! And the marching band sounds so cute. And all those lovely Nativities! What wonderful decorations!

Pamela said...

Your home is lovely and is filled with love! The snowmen are adorable and are definitely my favorite! It is so funny, the little nativity scene that is made out of olive wood from Bethlehem is what we picked out to give both sets of parents this year, that, some praying hands with a beautiful wood cross that spells out Jesus on the piece going across! :)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the tour. I love FrankenPine!
Merry Christmas!

Anonymous said...

All of your treasures are amazing. I especially love the sand painting.

Laura said...

Your tree is amazing with all those lights on it...wow! Such a great story about it that you will talk about each year as you get it out...that is what memories are all about. Thanks for letting me take a peek inside your home. Laura

Big Mama said...

Your tree all lit up is just beautiful. Thanks for the tour!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for inviting me into your home. It is lovely and full of the Christmas spirit!

Merry Christmas!

XO,
Jill

Anonymous said...

Frankenpine? Oh, what a hoot! I love it. But it's so beautiful... just not sure the name fits!

Your home is lovely and I enjoyed my visit!

Have a great Christmas and a blessed new year!

Kelli said...

Ooh..your tree is beautiful all lit up and I love your woodstove! So cozy! Thanks for having us over and Merry Christmas!
Kelli

Anonymous said...

You have so many fun things. I had to go back through a second time it was such fun.

Thanks for having us over.

Merry Christmas!

Mrs. Darling said...

What wonderful ornaments and displays. They are incredibly unique. I have two fake trees and I love them. I got tired of the dirt from real ones. My pics are up. Feel free to come take a peek.