THE BEAUTY OF A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS

It is always so much fun to let your house reflect the beauty of Christmas!

We’ve shown several ways that we have accomplished this in the past, but today we want to go WAY back and explore some of the more traditional settings we have enjoyed.

IT IS ALL ABOUT BEAUTY AND ELEGANCE

These beautiful and more traditional design themes are all about a mix of red and green with lots and lots of natural greenery for trimming and REAL Christmas trees with old fashioned ornaments; many of them family heirlooms or collectibles.

Do you have any of these in your family? We have some that have been passed down from generation to generation. When we use them I like to remember who had them long ago and try to picture those individuals hanging them on their Christmas tree back in the days of their youth.

We also have a few that simply reflect the sentimental part of being a member of a large family. These are photo ornaments of the kids as they were in different stages of growing up, along with some crafty things they made during different age-ranges of their lives. They wouldn’t matter much to anyone else; but they are treasures that we adore and love to hang up.

So many of these decorations have family stories attached to them. We remember the years that we first obtained them and who gave them to whom and why.

Our tree has a pretty little ornament of a couple on a merry-go-round with the year that we were first married. Things like that are priceless and so much fun to explain to those who are younger that might have missed them in their glory days.

A few of our greatest treasures have already been passed on to several grown children in the family. One thing in particular is the blue angel tree-topper that belonged to my husband’s mother who has long ago passed away. One daughter who cherished it the most now owns it and shares it with her household each year.

Do you have stories and traditions like this?

These are the things that create our family history and Christmas always seems to bring out the best of our times for sharing them.

Everything may look completely traditional in these photos; but we vary our celebration from the typical religious holiday where the birth of Christ is celebrated. We DO celebrate His birth (mostly in the Fall, and pretty much every day of our lives) but we think that December was the month of His conception and the Annunciation, where Gabriel came to Mary and told her she would soon be the mother of The Savior of The World, the Holy Son of God.

I guess it is unusual to be celebrating the Annunciation and Conception of Christ in December; but if you study the history – it all proves out. My Catholic friends get confused and think that I just don’t understand the true meaning of The Immaculate Conception (the birth of Mary.) That isn’t the case though. I’m talking about the Conception of Christ and the time that Mary carried Him inside her before introducing Him to the world. It was probably the first “glorious impossible.” We celebrate glorious impossibles a lot around here. You are welcomed to come join in with us.

By December we have done all of the manger scene activities already; but we are recognizing the long-range effect of the fact that The Savior born and placed there is Immanuel – God with us, and during this time we rejoice in the fact that He came to save the world.

One way that we reinforce the belief that we are Christians who have been saved by grace and carry God inside us in the form of God’s Holy Spirit is by placing a white dove on our tree as the very first ornament used in our decor.

Nothing else can be put up until my husband first hangs that lovely white dove in the most obvious and strategic spot on the tree.

This is one of our family traditions that I cherish.

We have passed it on to our grandchildren when they have helped us in our decorating of our trees.

Come peek into a few photos of Christmas past with us.

We will have some fun by exploring this theme in about a million different ways:

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE FOOD

Let’s face it.

We say it is not about the food and the gifts, and REALLY it isn’t; it is about the gathering of loving hearts and the worshiping of God…..but that said; the next thing they are going to expect, subconsciously or not, is good food and a festive atmosphere.

The merrier the better!

That is why I love to have special recipes ready to serve in special dishes in a festive dining room.

Let your food be a part of the decorating!

It doesn’t have to be a grand banquet hall. My dining area is actually quite small, I just decorate it as if it WERE a grand dining hall where ever possible.

Dishes are awesome to decorate with.

So are centerpieces and so are napkins and candles.

Think of your own original and unique ideas and pull them out and use them. It can be part of your gift to those that you love. Sometimes the gift of a cozy experience is better than an expensive present under the tree!

Here are some dining room decorations that we have enjoyed in the past, both at our house and at other members of our family’s homes:

MORE OF THE PLACES WE GATHER MOST

Then there is that room where most of the after dinner action takes place, the living room, den or great room, your preference. It is usually flocked with a large tree and all the trimmings. Mantles, foyers and doors joyfully adorned, add to all the Christmas cheer.

Coffee tables with Advent Wreaths are so traditional.

What are your traditions?

Do you like a train around your tree?

Do you hang stockings?

Do you leave cookies for Santa?

What will you do to say “Merry Christmas” this year?