Last year was quite something for me and mine. Although we all realize we are truly blessed, as we were making our way through an entire year, it did not feel like we were truly moving in the right direction. However as we looked back, we realized how wrong our perception really was. I understand that hindsight is 20/20, but to actually take a true inventory can take one’s perception of life to an entirely new level. Following I will share how me and mine moved through 2014 and into 2015.
I wasn’t really planning to pull out many of the Christmas decorations (love putting them up, hate taking them down). I had my mind made up that it would be just the tree. But I have 2 grandchildren. My granddaughter is a very laid back, soft spoken 15-year old. At this stage, I didn’t think the decorations at MiMi’s house (that’s me) would matter much. But I also have an extremely active, dramatic and dare I say, so much fun, 2-year old grandson and once I thought of him, I pulled out much more than I had planned. But dare I say, his saucer sized eyes and breathless cry of “Awesome” when he saw everything lit up is worth every ornament I will have to rewrap and every tote I will have to repack. It was truly priceless.
Our living room and dining room combo is not very large but I managed to squeeze a Christmas vignette into almost every nook and cranny. The tree kept my 2-year old mesmerized for all of 10 minutes, but he squealed with glee at almost every corner. I kept hearing “what’s this MiMi” or “look MiMi”. It was joyful.
As you can see, I have collected many Christmas stuffed animals and other paraphernalia over the years and my collections have survived through the raising of my one and only daughter, her first child- my 15-year old granddaughter and we are praying my rambunctious grandson. We do have our doubts.
I love a traditional tree with all the red and green colored lights I can squeeze in. Every year I tell myself that I am going with all white lights next year and it hasn’t happened yet. But there is always next year. I absolutely love the way the lights are reflected in the large mirror on the wall. It’s like having lights x 2.
As you see here, the buffet is also a vignette. If we were expecting a crowd, I would need this area for serving; but with it just being my husband and I and the kids this year, I think we are golden. I love the angel all snuggly in her white ensemble. And yes she is animated. The candle lights up, she plays Oh Come All Ye Faithful and she turns her torso from side to side. The packages are real. A bit too large for stockings and small enough to be a part of the vignette.
Pic of the Sidebar
Here on this little table that I repurposed from a plant stand with a tray on top is a simple old world Santa figurine and a flower. The lamp sits there always. Just added a little Christmas to the corner.
Pic of Little Table
These two prints sit on either side of the slider to the Deck. I love the message – It’s the male and female version of stepping out on faith. I couldn’t have one and not the other so I bought both years ago. As you can see, all I did here was to add red bows on the candelabras below each print.
Pic of Little Prints
This little trunk serves as an end table. Usually just the candle sits here. Again it is not very large and although I am not a minimalist by no means; I don’t like cluttered either! So here I casually placed a Christmas bear. Grandson loves him.
Pic of Little Table beside Couch
Ms Claus stands watch here in this corner with Santa looking over her shoulder. Ms Claus’s candle lights up and she moves around too. There is a Ms. Santa votive holder on the other end of the TV stand (My husband doesn’t know it yet, but I am getting rid of this TV stand. That’s another blog) that matches Santa as well.
Pic of Ms Santa and TV Stand
This vessel generally sits on my dining room table, but you’ll see in a second, there isn’t room for it there at the moment. The old Christmas Santa is in the corner because he was not one of my grandson’s favs. I guess he’s a bit too stern for a 2-year old. J
That’s part one of the Christmas house tour. Tomorrow we will take a look at the dining room table, entry way and the stairwell. And if we finish, perhaps the outside as well. I love this time of year and seeing it again through the eyes of a little one makes it even more special. How about you? Have you decked the halls? Share a pic or two with me.
