Popping in Before Christmas

I always enjoy decorating for Christmas. Most of the decorations I have, I've had for 30 years or so. And I love pulling them out every year. My cookie cutter nativity is the first thing I put out each year.

Being in a new house this year, I'm having fun finding new places to set things, but it's also a challenge. I don't want to spend any money so I'm trying to use what I have. I have a lot of wood decorations. The old ranch house didn't have any wood so I gravitated towards wood to bring that warmth into our home.

This new home is filled with wood and my decorations don't stand out as well, but I still love them and want to use them. 

                                           

I made this valance over 30 years ago and it's been over every kitchen window for Christmas, in every ranch house we've lived in, since I made it. 

But there is not a window over the sink in this house since the sink is in the island. The window in the kitchen measures 105" and I never had a window that large. I love this print and believe it or not, I still had 2 yards of it in my stash.

 So I dusted off my sewing machine and made a matching valance so that it would span the windows. I love the wood windows in this house and I love that my old Christmas decorations are still a part of our holiday.

                         

DH was away for 4 nights, tending to our cows so I started my Christmas baking. 

I made Whiskey Praline Pecans, Toffee, sugar cookies, Gingerbread Cowboys, Christmas M&M Cookies, Oreo Truffles, and Pretzel Rolo Pecans.  Cranberry Sour Cream Pound Cake and cinnamon rolls will be made tomorrow. Mini pecan muffins will also be on the menu.

                                         

I also made 3 more Whopper reindeer - I've been making these for over 20 years and each year I say that I'm not making them anymore because I've already made them for everyone, but each year, new people come into our lives and they are always so tickled when I gift them one. They're silly, but the seem to bring a little cheer. 

When the kids were growing up, one of our traditions was that I would wrap 12 Christmas books and put them in a basket. Then each night they would take turns unwrapping one and that would be the book we would read that night. I'm hoping the kids will continue that tradition and since they will all be here for Christmas, I thought we'd do it for a few days while they were here

                                    

I've not had a fireplace in over 30 years. The mantel here is pretty substantial and my little decorations look kind of lost, but as I said, I'm just using what I have because I love it. That wreath is the first wreath I bought when we celebrated our first Christmas after we were married - 37 years ago. 

 

.That's the only garland I have in the house because I cobbled every single one I had together for the deck. I've never had a deck and the first time we saw this house, I pictured lights on the deck at Christmas. The steps up will have to wait until next year...it takes a lot of garland.

Everyone uses this door so I used the last of the garland here

The kids are both coming for Christmas so we will have a houseful with 8 for 5 or 6 days and I am SO tickled to have them here! I've been planning menus and prepping what I can ahead of time. I cooked 6# of ground beef, 8# of chicken, and 3 roasts to make Barbacoa.

And now that DH is back, we finally went in search of a tree

And we found the perfect one - a Pinon!

It was fun to cut one on our place to commemorate our first Christmas here.

 I may have gotten a little carried away because it's a challenge to decorate a tree this big when you're 60. Not to mention that it took me ALL day and about 100 trips up and down that ladder. I took Advil to get ahead of my knee. LOL

I probably won't be posting again before Christmas so I want to wish the Merriest Christmas to those of you who celebrate. May this season be filled with all the things that bring you joy!