CHRISTMAS DECORATING 2021

 A few weeks back we mentioned that we were finally decorating more for Christmas than we have in recent years.  I had promised some pictures and wanted to post them closer to Christmas.

So for today, here are some of the things we've done:

Outdoor Christmas wreath

The outside of the front door.  This great wreath made by one of my coworkers and given to us as a Christmas gift a couple of years back.

Indoor Christmas wreath

Here is another wreath on the inside of the door.  I mean, when you only have a wreath on the outside, you want to enjoy something pretty from the inside, right?

Christmas tins

On our coffee/tea/water cabinet, we put these tins and each has coffee and tea in it and the bear on top has sugars and sweeteners inside of that.  It's fun to do this for the holidays and enjoy the splash of color.

Christmas boxes

This is the top of the water dispenser and these boxes have some wrapped cookies, candy and other snacks and treats.  It's a great spot since it's next to the coffee/tea and the kitchen.

Poinsettia

We have always LOVED poinsettias, but of course having cats in the household all these years meant we couldn't have the real thing, so we opt for artificial.  This is a nice size bouquet that we put in a wooden vase and it sits on top of the wine fridge.

Large artificial poinsettias

These two are amazing.  They are HUGE and in metal planters.  They have nice weight felt/velvet type flower petals.  These were actually "Trash to Treasure" finds a few years back.  Crazy that someone disposed of them but hey, they look awesome to us so we'll take them and enjoy them every holiday season from now on.

Needlepoint stockings

Our stockings are hung on the china hutch with care...ha!  Without a fireplace it was the next best place.  These are really pretty needlepoint stockings that we bought years ago.  The stocking hangers on top are fun because they are chunky, heavy, folk art style renderings of Santa and a snowman.

We use these stockings for small gifts...

Fuzzy stockings

...and these "Santa style" stockings are for any edible gifts like chocolate and chocolate.  And maybe some chocolate, ha!

Shiny ornaments in jars

These glass vases on our table normally hold other things on occasion but at Christmas, even at the house, we've always filled them with these shiny ornaments.  They sparkle and shine and add such vibrant color.

Rudolph coffee cup

We filled our apothecary jars with bows and candy canes.  The ceramic mug above has a fun backstory.  I got it as part of an "ugly coffee cup exchange" at work a few years back.  While there were some ugly cups (including a ceramic toilet, ha), I got this one and I don't think it's ugly at all.  It's got character and to us, it looks sort of retro.  I think I got lucky.

Don't mess with Rudolph!

Vintage Christmas card holder

Speaking of retro/vintage, this is our card holder for cards that we receive.  It was something my Mom found at a thrift store years ago.  It looks handmade, out of old Christmas cards pieced together and stitched with yarn.  It's just a fun piece.

And lastly for today's photo journey is this...

Vintage Rushton Coca Cola Santa 

This Santa I LOVE.

My grandparents had this under their tree for as long as I can remember.  There are pictures of me laying under the tree hugging this Santa.  He and I had all sorts of Christmas adventures, ha.  He's an antique, from the late 50's, Rushton Co, Coca Cola Santa.  He's still holding the original coke bottle in his hand and you can bend his arm up and put the bottle in his mouth.  His shoes are black patent leather and stitched around the edges.  It's quite the beautiful piece and it's a treasure to us that's probably about 60 years old.  Next to him is a vintage Rudolph stuffed figure, not complete (missing a harness we think) that was acquired a few years after the Santa.  They just seemed to belong together.

Thanks for coming along on the tour, tomorrow a detailed look at our tree...