15 Dec My favorite things…
Everyone has their own style when it comes to Christmas decorations, just like they do with their clothes, and their homes. I just realized that since I tend to wear neutral colors most of the time, my choice in holiday lights and ornaments and wreaths falls along those lines.
So, here’s my tree.
It’s a real one. To me, there’s nothing like that smell. We have ordered from Clements Christmas Trees out of Dickson, Tennessee for probably the last ten years or more. It’s really a great deal to have a live tree delivered and set up in the stand if you don’t have the time or patience to go out and find just the right one, then tie it down on top of your own car! Picture the movie “Christmas Vacation” with Chevy Chase!!!!
I love to use bird ornaments. The owls are new this year.
And then there are the sentimental ones that were gifts.
The angel was given to me when I first moved to Nashville and she is perfect perched near our wooden ceiling.
In years past, I used stalks of cotton I actually picked out of a field in Mississippi in the tree, but they got lost in our move this year.
Whimsical accessories always get my attention too, like the wooden reindeer. And even though the other guy is missing an ear, I still pulled him out of storage ’cause he makes me smile, sitting there with his legs crossed and his stylish scarf tied just so.
On our kitchen table is a lemon balm mini tree that smells so fresh. I like the bright green in one of my favorite containers. And of course I stuck a little blue felt bird in it.
It’s always fun to watch paper whites grow and start to bloom on gray December days.
Since our front door is dark, I chose a flocked wreath. The ribbon is brighter than I usually go for, but I wanted some color out front.
I did a tinsel tree on our dining room table with burlap and another ribbon on top of it. Simple but with the silver pieces, enough sparkles.
But just because I usually go for white lights and more subdued decorations doesn’t mean I don’t love color too.
And a perfect example of a traditional tree is at my sister-in-law’s home.
Paula has always had a colorful Christmas tree. But she uses alot of color throughout her home. So it’s perfect. Her tree is full of ornaments that really mean something to her family. Many are made by two ladies in Franklin, Tennessee. Their business is called The Attic and their designs signify so many events or hobbies in people’s lives.
But here’s what’s so amazing. Paula and Tom’s house burned to the ground in 2005 and all their Christmas ornaments were destroyed so these are all either gifts from friends or ones she’s purchased to replace the old ones since the fire.
They have mailboxes with all of their previous addresses.
Many represent her daughter, Honey’s interests and travels.
And this one of the Bush White House was actually commissioned by Barbara Bush. She gave them to the staff at the White House, but Paula got the last one from her friends at The Attic! Maybe a collector’s item?
And her mantle is always done up to the hilt. The Santas are amazing.
Each one is so different from the next.
Below is a Santa from Germany, a gift from a friend. What a face and what eyebrows!
And this is her very favorite. A MacKenzie-Childs Santa from her husband, Tom.
I couldn’t leave without getting shots of these family photos taken at the old Harvey’s Department store in downtown Nashville. Anyone who grew up in Nashville back in the day would probably remember, or have parents who remember going to see Santa.
Here’s hoping all of you enjoy the wonder of Christmas like Paula and her brothers did back then.
Well, maybe not like Keith (my husband is on the right). He didn’t look too thrilled.
However you trim your tree, whether it’s with color or not, may your holidays be merry and bright and your home filled with the best accent of all, those you love.
Stylish retreats will be back in January since the writer has some shopping to do.
********If you enjoyed this post, I hope you’ll sign up for my weekly articles by clicking on the subscribe button near my picture on the home page. Thanks for reading and sharing.
No Comments