Oh, how I love Christmas! I’m excited to share with you my home decor, entertaining ideas, tablescapes, and so much more. I always tease my brother that he is Clark Griswold because of his love of over the top Christmas light displays (cue the drumroll,) but I think we both channel Clark in the inside decor. Or perhaps it’s our Aunt Donna we channel. She LOVED Christmas. Her joy for the holiday was contagious. She was like a child when it came to it and we loved her for it. She made our holidays growing up so special. She loved them all, but Christmas was definitely her favorite. She and my mom would bake a dozen different kinds of cookies and give them in big platters to the neighbors. She always had a Christmas craft she was making. Her gifts were just the best. She gave us villages, carolers, music boxes and figurines. Every year, for many years, she would make each of us a beautiful ornament with jewels she hand glued on. When we were children and Santa had come, we would take all the toys and arrange them on the fireplace hearth. We each had our own spot. We knew our aunt would be up later to check all the toys out. She didn’t just look at what Santa brought, she got down on the floor and played with us. I can’t even begin to express all the ways she made Christmas magical for us, when I think of Christmas, I always think of her.
She left us two years ago. I miss her everyday, especially at Christmas. Yet I also feel her with me as I celebrate. The last 20 years of her life, she kept her house decked out in Christmas all year. Her house was a wonderful holiday home. I imagine her heavenly mansion is the most decorated one in heaven, and it makes me smile to think of it. She knew how to keep Christmas well and I hope I make her proud in how I carry that legacy on. Because she left a profound legacy of celebrating holidays and even a profounder one of kindness, giving, and loving.
Today, on the blog, I’d like to show you my living/dining room decorated for Christmas. I like to do my rooms in themes. This room’s themes are nativity and snow, You can see this room tour here: Living Room Tour
Also this week, I show you a wreath I made for my parents last year. It was the first wreath I ever made. It was my daddy’s idea to share about it here. The photo above has him in the shadows while I take a photo of the wreath. He wanted to help me with blog content. It was so sweet and I couldn’t disappoint him. I obediently took the photo that day and share with you more about this story and how I made the wreath step by step here: Christmas Wreath
Everyone loves to have their favorite foods for the holidays. We pull out those recipes we love year after year. I found myself always digging through recipe books to find these beloved holiday ones til I came up with a solution I share here: Holiday Recipe Book
I share some of my favorite food finds for the season. Items I love to use for entertaining or gifts. Some of these I will feature later this week in a themed Christmas movie night I’m hosting. Click here to check out this list: Christmas Festive Food Finds
“Is your house on fire, Clark? ….No, Bethany, those are the Christmas lights!” – Clark Griswold from the movie, Christmas Vacation.
This quote is so appropriate for my home. I’m with Clark. Go big or go home! I love to celebrate with all my being this season when love came in the form of a baby. I hope my joy in Christmas inspires you to celebrate in your own unique ways.
Coming up later this week, more rooms decorated for Christmas. I will share our Disneyland family room that has a Mickey Gingerbread theme, the office that is all things Santa and our bedroom that is in a White Christmas motif. I will also share a Christmas movie night complete with snacks and drinks that pay tribute to beloved characters like Rudolph and Buddy the elf. Disneyland at the holidays is another part of my holiday fun. I will take you along through photos and show my favorite things to do and eat there for Christmas time.
Til then, to quote my favorite Christmas movie, “White Christmas:”
“May your days be merry and bright!”
