Everyday Living

Christmas Home Tour: All Is Bright

~ Christmas, Decorating, Holidays, Home Tours

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”
Isaiah 9:6

Hello, and welcome to our Everyday Living!  Whether it’s your first time or if you’re a daily visitor, you are always welcome here with us!  You will find a little bit of everything on our blog…travel, recipes, and of course decorating!  I hope you are enjoying the Blog Hop and will visit all of the talented bloggers who are participating…they are all listed at the bottom of the post!  A special thank you to Chloe at Celebrate & Decorate for being an amazing hostess!

You can also see more of my mantel as featured on Wayfair here.

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Christmas is the one season that takes me to a place of nostalgia.  The smells, the sights, and even the sounds of the season take me to a place of joy and happiness!  As I unpack our decorations each year, my mind is flooded with memories that are attached to each one.  I love things that tell a story and evoke a memory…which is why my Christmas style is one of collections and sentiment!  As I unwrap my collection of colorful Radko ornaments, I remember the first two that my Mother gave to me that began my beloved collection many years ago.  And above all, the true meaning for our Christmas season is awakened in me as I carefully place my nativities throughout our home….

In addition to my many collections that fill our home during this time of year, you will notice one more thing…I love color!  In a sea of white (which I love!) I am still a girl who loves living in color!  Years of collections bring years of color…color that reminds me that Christmas is here, and in our home, All Is Bright!

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The Post Of Christmas Past

~ Christmas, Holidays

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:1‬ ‭

It’s been said that today is tomorrow’s yesterday.  Certainly a statement that uniquely reminds me of how fleeting life is and how important every moment of this day should be.  Isn’t every moment part of the making of a memory? I’m always in a hurry and that’s not necessarily a good thing.

Let’s face it, a large part of our conversation as well as our thoughts are about the past.  Memories are so precious and one of our greatest possessions.  Memories can be sad and are often heartbreaking.  And we are all aware of the fact that our ability to remember fades with age and even fails those who are young sometimes.  This is a hard reality that affects many of our families.  I will not overlook this fact, but instead simply choose not to dwell there.

Memories come in all shapes and sizes but the best ones are usually the simple, the small, the personal, and even a silly thing or two (or maybe 200).  An occasion, a holiday, a funny, a friend, a story (possibly embellished over time), food, a photo, a hair-do, a song, a special item or memorabilia, and on and on we could go….! Maybe it was the time someone smiled when you needed a smile or someone called wanting nothing more than to say “I love you”.

We are sharing a few Christmas memories of our family that we cherish with you today.  At the same time I am hoping to be more mindful of the fact that I am making memories as a part of my everyday living.  We cannot control a lot of things, but as much as possible within me may I choose to make fond memories today and every day.  Part of a lyric I remember says “all too soon the future becomes the past”.
-Butch
 
One of our favorite little get-aways was December 2011, when we made last minute plans to visit the Biltmore at Christmas.  We stayed at the beautiful Inn on Biltmore Estate which was perfect.  We booked the candlelight tour of the mansion and it was magical, and of course, we had to get a photo.


Every year as I unpack the ornaments, memories of family, friends, travel, and special times flood my mind.

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An Old Time Christmas

~ Christmas, Decorating, Holidays

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone”
Isaiah 9:2

Letters to Santa.  Candy canes.  Big colored lights.  Popcorn garland.  Assorted hard candy.  Do you ever wish Christmas was simple and magical like it once was?  Through the years, the decorations have multiplied and the time has escaped during the holiday season.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the new and exciting ways of bringing Christmas into our home…the nutcrackers that stand guard at our door, the flocked trees in our bay window, and my collection of Radko ornaments that grace our tree.  But I will admit that it takes a lot of time and energy. As I scurry around to decorate every inch and corner of our home, I think about how Christmas used to be.  So today, I want to take a step back into time.  I think George Strait said it best…”Let’s have an old time Christmas just like the ones from yesterday, an old time Christmas for old time’s sake.”

Be sure to visit my Pinterest Board Joyeux Noel
Click each picture to go to original source


Simmering potpourri…


…brown paper packages…

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