“She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus,
for he will save his people from their sins”
Matthew 1:21
We change things up a bit from year to year with our Christmas decor…we occasionally add a new decoration or a new wrinkle to an old standard when preparing for Christmas. Most of us do change out a few things from time to time. Wear and tear gets it’s way and replacements must be found. But, there are those traditions, objects, displays, and items that we hang onto as long as possible. These “old ways” help keep memories alive! It’s amazing too, how each year bringing out the old also stirs our hearts with new thoughts and a fresh awareness of things to come.
But one of the things we have not changed is our kitchen porch. In fact, we have changed very little in the past ten years, since acquiring the nutcrackers that stand guard! They are beginning to show their age, so we want to use them as long as possible! So, as the saying goes, “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it!”…today, I am sharing last year’s kitchen porch post with you!
Yes, Christmas is a celebration of a “one of a kind” past event, but at the same time it is a declaration of a glorious event yet to come. So, doing it like we’ve done it for years is great for both memories and future hopes. In the words of a George Strait song….”So leave the world behind you, let the spirit find you, and have an old time Christmas for old times sake”
The large nutcrackers have welcomed guests to our kitchen porch for many years!
Believe it or not, we bought these wooden nutcrackers at Wal-Mart
We love their bright and festive colors, and they stand almost five feet tall!
Butch always cuts fresh pine for our door. It smells like Christmas when you walk up the steps!
A simple wreath is all that is needed!
We have to be careful when choosing a door mat, Oreo is very finicky! I think he approves!
Candle lanterns light the steps at night!
It is almost dark and the candles are burning as Christmas music plays outside when guests arrive!
Photo bombed by Oreo!
This is a detached garage which is often confused for a guest house. We have talked about converting it for guests or an office for Butch. But, where would all of his junk be stored if we made that decision?! Butch built this building at least twenty five years ago. For most of those twenty five years, we have decorated its front door and windows for Christmas! Santa was made by my friend, Delilah so very long ago!
On our first trip to Colonial Williamsburg in the late 1970’s, we saw their beautiful fruit fans over the doorways. Southern Living magazine (I am a long-time subscriber), a few years later gave instructions on how to make the fan. And ever since, Butch has made this beautiful apple fan with a pineapple for its center as a symbol of hospitality!
“O Come All Ye Faithful Joyful and triumphant,
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem. Come and behold Him,
Born the King of Angels; O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord”
–O Come All Ye Faithful
Two nuts and a nutcracker!
Linking with Pieced Pastimes, Silver Pennies, Life on Lakeshore Drive, Thoughts From Alice, Coastal Charm, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Dwellings-Heart of Your Home, Savvy Southern Style, Ivy and Elephants, French Country Cottage, From My Front Porch To Yours, Stone Gable, Confessions of a Plate Addict, Worthing Court, Between Naps on the Porch, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, The Charm of Home, Cornerstone Confessions, A Delightsome Life, Imparting Grace, Posed Perfection, Katherines Corner, Rooted In Thyme, Share Your Cup, The Enchanting Rose, 21 Rosemary Lane, Northern Nesting, Cozy Little House, Rattlebridge Farm, Rustic & Refined
Love, love, love both of these doors! The natural use of pine needles is perfect and the fan is beautiful! When I retire!!!
Karen, my husband does a beautiful job decorating the outside spaces every year! The fan is always my favorite! Blessings, Pam
I was excited when I saw the title of this post in my in-box. I love those nutcrackers – and those lanterns on the steps are gorgeous! Does Butch make the fan every year from fresh fruit? It’s beautiful, especially lined with the Magnolia leaves! I would be tempted to make one from fake fruit and use it year after year, but I’m sure it wouldn’t be as pretty as real. Do the birds eat the fruit? I see that as a good thing, if they do – a very special bird feeder. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your outdoor Christmas decor and the two nuts at the end. Is that Katy with you? She’s so pretty!
Kim, thanks for your sweet words! Yes, Butch makes the fan wreath every year with fresh apples, pineapple, and magnolia. He stapled faux greenery as the base several years ago! It has been one of our favorite decorations and really not difficult to assemble! The birds have never eaten it before! Happy Thursday, sweet friend!
Love your decorations. Especially the Williamsburg fan over Butch’s building. I also followed Southern Livings direction and made a fan. It was beautiful and I received many compliments. Have been a lover of all things “Southern Living” ever since they changed their name from Progessive Farmer to Southetn Living. My husband just shakes his head when the annual recipe book arrives as I have most of them that takes up a converted closet, becoming my receive closet! My favorite book is 1982 but love all of them. Do you have a favorite?
Alice, Butch has made the fan for over 25 years and it has become one of our favorites! I have all my Mother’s annual recipe books and I enjoy them every year! I don’t have a favorite but I have the ’82 edition! My mother was such an awesome cook and she wrote all over her books, which provides so many sweet memories! Blessings, Pam
Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Jenny! Merry Christmas to you and yours!?
Pam, I love both of your entries! That Williamsburg fruit fan is stunning, as are those impressively tall Nutcrackers. I love tucking the pineapple sign of hospitality (I have a small door hanger, a pillow and fingertip towel) and a Nutcracker homage within my traditional decor, too. Some things are so classic they need never change! I hope you’re enjoying the holidays. I sure am loving your posts of the season!
Rita
Rita, your sweet words warm my heart! I am so glad my husband loves to do all the outdoor decorating, it takes all the pressure off me! Happy Thursday and wishing you and yours a blessed Christmas season!
Your nutcrackers are awesome…and the detached garage, so pretty!
My husband loves to take charge of the outdoor decorating and I am thrilled for him to do it! Happy Thursday!
Living close to Williamsburg, it never ceases to delight me everytime I see all their natural decorating for the holidays. Your doors are nothing short of gorgeous!!!
Lynn, it has been a long time since I have been to Williamsburg! I can’t imagine living close and seeing the beauty of the seasons displayed! Merry Christmas!
Beautiful I love your Kitchen porch and that pine is wonderful! Sheila
Thanks, Sheila! My sweet hubby gets all the credit for the outdoor decor! Happy Saturday!
Love every bit of it!
Thanks so much, Susan! My sweet hubby gets credit for the outside decorations! Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Both of your entrances look absolutely GORGEOUS!!!
Martina, thanks so much! My sweet hubby does all the outside decorating! Wishing you a lovely weekend!
OMGoodness, this is gorgeous!!! I came over from Met. Mon. and am SO glad I did! That is amazing that you got the nutcrackers at WALMART!!!! I am there at least once a week, maybe some year they will have them again. Where did you get the lanterns, they are so fabulous!!! I am a floral designer and used to make the door fans (with faux apples etc). Made MANY of them over the years:) Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!!!!
The Nutcrackers are just amazing:-) I can’t believe you bought them at Wal-Mart! I have a friend who collects their little versions and she would drop dead if she saw your huge Nutcrackers! Love them!
Thanks so much, Anita! I don’t think Wal-Mart has had them since! We have enjoyed them for years! Have a wonderful week!
Hi, Pam! I’m linking your garage arrangement in my post today. Thank you! 🙂
Oh Pam, I have always drooled over those pineapple apple hospitality decorations! It is stunning! How lucky you are to have a hubs that likes to create and decorate! Question, how long will the fruit last, especially in this warm Alabama weather? Love the nutcrackers too, such a fabulous welcome. Oreo is adorable!
Jenna
Jenna, obviously the warmer weather can make the fruit deteriorate, but we have never had one not survive until Christmas! If the weather is really cold and the fruit freezes and thaws, that seems to be the worst scenario! My husband takes great care with his yearly masterpiece! He dips the apples and magnolia leaves in liquid floor wax which helps to preserve! The nutcrackers were a great find years ago, hope they will make it for a few more Christmas seasons! They are beginning to show some age like me! (Ha)!!
Ha, ha, love the two nuts and a nutcracker! Pam, your porch is just perfect! Can NOT believe you found those at Walmart. They look perfect by your door. I also love the lanterns and that fan is gorgeous! I love Williamsburg and would like to go again. Thanks for sharing with Creating Christmas.
hugs,
Jann
Thanks so much, Jann! Merry Christmas!
WOW! I am in LOVE with the pine garland, so thick and lush. Do you build it yourself? Congrats at the feature at SYS party.
Hi Ron, my hubs built a form that goes around the door and sprayed it green! He cuts pine and staples it to the wooden form. Thanks and I always enjoy partying with you and the other hosts at SYC !
Everything is so wonderful!! Your porch is just so fabulous, and the nutcrackers are just perfect.
The fruit fan is amazing!! It’s so welcoming!
Kathy, thanks for your sweet comments! We have enjoyed the nutcrackers for many years! My husband takes great pride in making the fruit fan wreath! Merry Christmas!
Wow! Very impressive ! Love the nutcrackers and the fan of fruit! Looks magnificent! Great job!
Thanks so much, Cindy! The nutcrackers have some age on them, hoping they make it a few more seasons! Merry Christmas!