Our Living Room Christmas tree
It’s Christmas Day! This year it came so fast! I love to celebrate it big! For me, it’s arrival is is when the true celebrating begins. I know it’s the trend for many that once a holiday comes they are on to the next one…some have moved on even before the holiday gets here. For me, Christmas once it arrives, should be savored. I so enjoy the next week of festive foods, sitting by a fire and reflecting, cozying up, watching a holiday movie.
Up close photos of ornaments that my Aunt Donna made
We have some catching up to do with our 25 days of Christmas movies! This is quite a long blog post as it covers 11 days instead of just one week, so bear with me …hope you enjoy these little odes to them.
I begin with Day 15: Holiday Inn. There are a few things I don’t really like about it. I wish it wasn’t in black and white for one. I don’t like the romantic conflicts that go on in it. Fred Astaire’s character is a real heel. Also, why can’t the male character ever fall in love with someone his own age …lol. Yet, despite all of this, I have a soft spot for this movie, it’s about a man who opens an inn …The Holiday Inn … only on holidays through the year. He decorates big….which I am a great fan of …and produces a show for it, I relate to this. I love to do all of these things… while I don’t have a big show, I do love to have themed little parties! My husband and I also like to host people … we’ve had many guests at our home over the years. Friends say we have the gift of hospitality. We love making people feel at home when they come and celebrating with them. Also, my husband makes wonderful breakfasts …we have our own bed and breakfast of sorts.
My Aunt Donna made hundreds of these ornaments … all hand jeweled …this is one of my favorites
My Aunt Donna and Uncle Chuck ran a motel in Lake Tahoe for close to 30 years. She loved to make little gift baskets to welcome guests. For ones that came back year after year, she would create hand made ornaments. She designed many of these. Their motel always was so cute at Christmas. They’d decorate the lobby and outside. They both taught me so much about being creative and celebrating. They were always making some project. One year it would be birdhouses that my uncle would build and my aunt would paint…another year macramė Christmas trees with lights strung through them ( I still have ours and the original lights still work!) … little stools with decoupaged scenes… they were like Santa and Mrs. Claus in their workshop! I loved the life they lived. I learned many lessons watching them of what mattered …what made life special …how to care for others. They remind me of this movie, too.
Milk and cookies for Santa Tiered Trays
Day 16: The Year Without A Santa Claus , I represented by this Santa themed tiered tray. Does anyone remember this classic? Santa has a bad cold. He doesn’t feel like anyone cares about Christmas anymore. He decides he’s canceling his trip. Mrs. Claus knows the world needs him and schemes to make him realize this. She’s quite busy through the show. We see her ironing, calling the doctor for Santa, dispatching two elves to find Christmas spirit, and she even meets up with Mother Nature to ask her help. I picture her still having to do her other Christmas duties like baking cookies for Santa and the elves. This is my tribute to her, as she is a central part of this movie.
Official cookie tester… Sources: official cookie tester sign/The Pink Hutch (Etsy); Elf peg doll/Meyer Peg Dolls; Elf crocheted hat/Aleyza Love ( Etsy)
I think elves have wonderful jobs. They make toys! How fun is that? They help Santa bring Christmas magic. I also believe they are Mrs. Claus’ official cookie testers. Not a bad gig , sign me up. This little section of the vignette tells that story. Elves take this job very seriously …lol…even an elf from another movie joins the team … after all sugar is the 4 major food groups.
Mrs. Claus’ Bakery … Sources: Gingerbread crocheted hat/Aleyza Love ( Etsy); Framed 3-d gingerbread house/Tami Jeane Home Decor ( Etsy) ; Gingerbread rolling pin/ Created By Nic ( Etsy); Gingerbread pom pom wreath/Peaberry Studio (Etsy); Gingerbread dish towel & striped bowl /Crate & Barrel; Mrs. Claus’ Bakery sign/Target; Toy solider cookies/Pepperidge Farms; Gingerbread men cookies/Trader Joe’s
On left side of tiered tray the focus is on Mrs. Claus’ Bakery. Cookies spilling out everywhere… a rolling pan standing at the ready … she reminds us of the joy of baking all our favorite holiday treats.
Mrs. Claus portrait by Megan Ballarini ( Etsy/ also Instagram) …I love Megan’s playful take on Mrs. Claus
You can’t have Mrs. Claus without Santa… look at the details! His peppermint buttons down to his pom on his hat are so cute. I own several pieces from Megan Ballarini and I love them all!
This cute sign is from Tami Jeane Home Decor ( Etsy) …the crocheted chocolate chip cookie from Aleyza Love ( Etsy) …the painted Santa and Mrs. Claus, my mom did from kits
Another close up of tiered trays
Day 17: The Homecoming, A Christmas Story was the basis for The Walton’s. I was so glad to find this again. The story introduces some of the characters we come to love in The Walton’s….The main plot is Pa Walton is away working, there is a storm and a John boy sets out to bring his daddy home. Alls well that ends well, he gets home with Christmas gifts! It’s a heartwarming tale.
This little scene reminds me of The Homecoming movie
I set up my coffee bar with some of my favorite winter dishes. The scenes on them with the sleigh remind me of the movie. I always wanted to live at the Walton’s.
The Homecoming Coffee Bar
Close up … Galvanized Drawers are from Pottery Barn Outlet
Close up of The Homecoming Coffee Shelf … wreath print with bell on top shelf is from House Fenway ( Etsy) it’s her original art
Day 18: The Little Drummer Boy is the tale of a boy and what he can give the Christ child. Based on the song, it’s another claymation classic. The story has many tragic parts, the drummer boy named Aaron loses his parents to thieves …he become bitter…more things happen to increase that bitterness…then he finds himself on a journey with the magi. Two of his joys in life are playing the drums his parents gave him and having his animal friends. One of them a lamb, named Baba, gets hurt. Aaron brings the lamb to the Christ child who heals it.
The little drummer boy
This nativity plaque was painted by my mom from a pattern
The magi …in the story, the little drummer boy joins them
The nativity my mom painted for me
Baba gets healed, but so does Aaron’s heart. For me, that is the true meaning of Christmas, Christ came to transform and save.
Which brings us to day 19: Small One. This little known Disney movie, is a gem. It tells the fictional tale of the donkey who carried Mary to Bethlehem.
Small One …. this is our video copy … it’s much beloved
The boy in Small One, reminds me of Mowgli in The Jungle Book. That aside, this is the story of a has-been donkey, who finds a new, very important purpose. It pulls at your heart strings as the boy has to let go of his beloved donkey. We love this sweet movie and I think you will, too.
Mary and Joseph on their way to Bethlehem …. when I look at this ornament painted by my mom, I think of the story of “Small One” and the beautiful part the animals played in Jesus’ birth
Day 20: Scrooged. I just love Bill Murray. He’s a fav of mine. His portrayal in this as the modern day “Ebeneezer “/Frank Cross gives a new feel to an old classic. Karen Allen as his long suffering ex-girlfriend, Claire. is magical. John Forsythe is perfect as “Marley”/Lew Hayward, he even makes an elegant decaying corpse, lol.
Bill Murray’s Scrooged is a fun romp through an old classic
In the movie, Frank’s girl, Claire, helps the homeless. She is a soul who has her priorities straight. Christmas is a wonderful time to reflect on our priorities. It’s a good time to begin practicing the Christmas spirit in our everyday lives….helping those less fortunate then you, remembering those who might be having a hard Christmas, serving our fellow man or animal …I think if Claire had a dog she’d adopt a rescue,
The movie ends with Frank leading the song, “Put A Little Love In Your Heart” … these are miniature dogs dressed up in Christmas costumes and clothes …I love collecting miniatures
Be like Claire in this world…the “Lady”s of the world will thank you
Day 21: Home Alone … a fun movie! The character of Kevin being left home ( accidentally) alone to fend for himself. He actually wished they’d disappeared and soon regretted it. Absence makes the heart grow fonder…as the old saying goes and don’t we all feel that at Christmas when we are missing loved ones whether faraway geographically or gone on to heaven?
this montage is of my mom’s Christmas decor for her new place.
Kevin, at first, relishes his freedom to be home alone. He soon tires of it and misses his family. I remember wanting to grow up and be on my own. While I enjoy many parts to being an adult ( and some not so much) This movie reminds me of my childhood and the security and love of family. My mom and I packed up a life time of that home this summer when she moved to a smaller place. Since dad’s passing, it was lonely for her there. We sure miss him and all the times of home. Mom is pretty happy in her new place with new friends and I’m so glad.
Day 22: The Muppets Christmas Carol
Anything with the muppets is a favorite. I’ve adored the muppets, Jim Henson and Sesame Street since childhood.
Mickey was our first dog …how we loved him and still do. One of his nicknames was Muppet.
A testimony to my love of muppets is that was one of my nicknames of my doggie Mickey. We had the joy of having him 15 wonderful years. He had the sweet spirit of Kermit, the playfulness of Fozzie bear and thankfully, was nothing like Miss Piggy.
Day 23: The Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade
My favorite parade of the year at Disneyland is their Christmas one. I love the vintage vibe of the snowmen, gingerbread men and reindeer …I hope they never ever change it! Somethings you can’t improve on no matter what progress takes place and this one is definitely one of them. Such nostalgia and joy it brings my heart.
Each year, they broadcast from Disney Parks Christmas Day featuring this parade!
Magical!
Day 24: The Ultimate Gift. This is another one of those movies many haven’t seen. My brother introduced it to us this year! I’m so glad he did. First off it has James Garner AND Brian Dennehy… two incredible actors. I won’t spoil it here, except to say it’s a story of a grandpa teaching his grandson what matters in life.
Sources: letterboards/Felt Good Vibes; gifts & snow banner/A Peace of Creativity (Etsy); wood Disney castle with snow/ The Blessed Heart; The gingerbread houses & snowflakes/Words With Means ( Etsy); Small World gingerbread/The Painted Mouse (Etsy); Snowflake sign/Farmmouse Signs (Etsy); Dreaming castle pillow/Iamginarella(Etsy); Crocheted Snow Mickey & Minnie/ Two Girls Handmade ( Etsy)
In the movie, it talks about what are life’s gifts. Home is certainly a great one to me. The physical being is a shelter and a refuge. The people make it a home. I have the gift of a 2nd home in Disneyland, too! My husband and I have been annual passholders for 27 years. This letterboard display is a nod to the movie and to my love of home. Being home for the holidays is a great gift.
Imaginarella makes the most beautiful Disney pillows. The fabric is high quality ..the script is so pretty, too. One of my favorite finds of 2019
We’ve come to Day 25 (finally! Lol): The Santa Clause … so many things to love about this movie …beginning with Tim Allen as Santa. His restored relationship with his son is so touching. Who can’t relate to putting on weight over the holidays, too, as we all enjoy the Santa diet for a season. My nod to it is these two letterboard quotes done on flat lay.
The Santa Clause …Sources: Letterboards/Felt Good Vibes; Mickey Cocoa & Snow globe icons/The Blessed Heart; Pointsettias/A Peace of Creativity ( Etsy); Mickey snowman, stocking and hidden Mickey snowflake icons/ Believe, Dream, Imagine; Snowflakes/Words With Means ( Etsy); Mickey Christmas Mug/Shop Disney (several years ago); Gingerbread bow/ All About Bows (Etsy); little white dishes/Crate & Barrel; peppermint marshmallows & meringues/Trader Joe’s
Now that Christmas is here, I hope you can savor it! In this rush to the next thing world may we celebrate its arrival. Have a cup of cocoa, watch a Christmas movie and spend time with loved ones. Thank you for reading a long and being a part of my blogging journey! I wish you the Merriest of Christmases!
This beautiful canvas is by the wonderful Etsy shop House Fenway …this is her original art work!
