Decking the Halls

I am hosting a Christmas Luncheon for my 2 sisters and friend Shirley tomorrow.  Final tidying and decorating has been occurring over the weekend.  Today will be the finishing touches and a shopping trip to town for the ingredients for home made clam chowder and also for Christmas dinner next week.  I've added Santas and Snowmen to my window sills, and the table top.

Wrapping gifts for friends and family.  Making gifts for them, which I can't show you because they all read my blog.. bless them. :-) 

I found my 2 vintage tins with hand crocheted snowflakes and sparkly plastic ones in my office in this huge old wooden cabinet that I bought from my Mom.  Someday when I organize the office, I will show it to you.  :-D  Today I will add these to the tree, and boy will it look pretty!

I like to get photos of the tree with packages underneath.. it always looks SO naked after they're all opened.  

The coffee table in the living room, it's an old round oak dining table that someone cut down to lower it.  What a sturdy table it is.. the kids have driven cars over it and built Lincoln Log buildings, colored pages, eaten meals... I decided to keep the Family photo album there, as what is Christmas.. but about Family? 

The album has this engraved into the wooden cover.. how true it is.

This Santa is one of my most favorite decorations.  There is a story behind it, of course. When we were first married, one thing hubby brought in the way of decor was this Mayan Calendar that we'd gotten on a trip to Mexico.  It was cast out of turquoise rock chunks molded in plastic.  An acquaintance of mine had a business of making molds of plaster things and asked to borrow our calendar to make a mold.  We said okay.  She sheepishly called to say it had broken into many pieces during the mold making process and asked what I'd like in return.  I said a Santa.  And this is what she made and painted for us.  :-)  Isn't he cute?

Even the Grandfather clock gets a Santa, Snowman and Tree.  

Almost ready.  

I have something to admit.. this is the first year of my adult life that I have not sent Christmas cards.  I'm really bummed about that.  But the kitchen fire and subsequent 2 SOLID WEEKS of people in the house cleaning and painting just blew my usual holiday preparations out of the water.  I promise that next year I'll be back to normal.. I hope. :-)  
❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉
*M*E*R*R*Y* *C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S*!*
❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ 
((hugs)), Teresa :-)