I was inspired to take some pictures of my Christmas decorated home and post them after going to the blogging 2013 Christmas Tour of Homes and while visiting my friend, Barbie's blog, My Freshly Brewed Life.  What I discovered as I took the pictures is that I need a "real" camera!  Lol!  I know the lighting is all wrong in these photos, but hopefully, you'll get a bit of an idea of what it looks like around here at this time of year!  I love Christmas decorations and how warm and cozy our home feels when they are put up.  This year is going to be a little different for us as we are empty-nesters and my hubby will be recovering on the couch following knee surgery, but all these decorations are still putting us in the Christmas spirit! What a great way to celebrate our Lord's birthday!  I hope you enjoy the tour!

Here goes...


This is our living room at night.  We don't have a real tree this year, 
however, this cute one on a table is perfect for us.


I made that Santa about 20 years ago in my "creative" years!  He's simply cut out of wood, 
painted and then his hair and beard are glued on from craft store "spiderwebs"!

These two trees are made out of rusted steel and were a gift from my husband.  I love them...and him!

Here's a close-up of the garland.  It came with just lights, but then I added pine cones that 
I collected and "berries" from the craft store!

Who doesn't love gingerbread men?  I think this is a Dollar Tree find!

Ok...this is a favorite Santa of mine.  My son made him when he was in grammar school...out of a toilet paper roll!  
He's sitting in our guest room (the Santa, not our son!  lol)

And, yes, I am a bit nuts.  I've decorated the bath room for Christmas!  
I figured it's nice to look at pretty things in there, too!!

You may have noticed by now that I have quite a few Santas in our home!  I don't know how that happened...but I do have a nice collection of them.  Three of these in this picture are candles, but I'll never burn them!

Love how the flash in my camera showed the crack in my black board!  Lol!  But, the sentiment is what is important here...

My baker's rack in the dining room.  Do you see the two little Christmas trees?  
I made them out of corks...another thing I collect!

Where the feast will be next week!

My nativity scene.  I do have the wisemen, but they were still on their way to find the Lord 
on Christmas night, soooo, I didn't include them here.

Two copies of A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.  The one on top was my grandfather's in 1921 
and then was given to my dad in 1926.  I received the one underneath when I was a teen.  

Don't you just LOVE these guys?  So plump and cute!

More Santas!  Maybe I need an intervention!

This is our family room.  I like to call these trees my "woodland forest".  
I have decorated them with twine "ribbons", wooden ornaments and a few little birds.

The fireplace is gas and burns really low, so, we light these candles in the evening instead.  They give a nice cozy feel.

The view of the stockings hung by the chimney with care!  The JOY holders are made of rusted steel, too.

I think these little winter birds are whispering about what might be under the tree for them!

And yet...another Santa!  This one is actually St. Nicholas.  He's on top of a lamp in my family room.

Here's a view of what's underneath that lamp topping St. Nicholas. This book is full of Norman Rockwell's paintings.  
But, the nutcracker on the table is kind of scary looking.  I think I may pack him up!

This sweet holy family always makes me giggle.  I mean, really...Blond and red hair?  But I love them!  
(I don't think Jesus minds this depiction either!)

Oh!  How did this get here?  Ah well.  Another shot of our woodland forest!

Well, that's it!  I hope you enjoyed the tour!  Blessings to each of you this Christmas season and may you experience all the joy and peace and hope that Christ brings!

Celebrating Him,


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7 Comments

  1. Thanks, Debbie! I find myself looking forward to the sun starting to set to the lights on the trees start to show! I do enjoy the cozy feel...


    Blessings, Joan

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  2. Thanks, Ann! Yes, each year when I unpack the decorations, I get a huge smile when I see our son's toilet paper tube Santa! Some kids crafts are just too cute!! Well, we wish he had some cartilage in his knee to tear! Ugh...he has zero. They are going in to drill holes in the bones to stimulate his body to grow more cartilage! It is amazing what can be done these days! Thanks for the prayers! (I'll sneak a few pictures on to FB! LOL)

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  3. Thanks, Barbie! One of the best things about it is that it comes with lights already on it! Yea! I'm glad you enjoyed my "tour"! You inspired me when you shared your home and it put me in a real Christmassy mood! Thank you!!


    Blessings, Joan

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  4. I so loved the tour of your home. I love these peaks inside our homes. It is a nice way to get to know each other better. I LOVED that Santa you made and the one made by your son. So cute. And your comments with the pictures just made me smile and I'm in need of things to make me smile today. You are a delight, Joan. Wishing your husband a speedy recovery and the two of you a beautiful Christmas. Much love.

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  5. Thanks, Beth! Yes, smiling is a good thing...that is one of the reasons I posted pictures of our home. It made me happy thinking I was inviting friends over for a virtual visit! Thanks for your sweet comments! :-) I pray that God lifts you up this Christmas and you enjoy a wonderful day with your kids!


    Love, Joan

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  6. Beautiful! You have so many surfaces and corners to decorate. I love the holiday house transformations and the holiday cheer that it brings. I can't wait to decorate when Thanksgiving is over! Today's agenda is getting the ornaments on the tree...yes, we are alittle behind this year. Blessings to you and Merry Christmas! Love, Rachael @ Inking the Heart

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  7. Merry Christmas to you, too, Rachael!! I look forward to "right after Thanksgiving" so I can bring out our Christmas decorations, too! Later on, after they all get put back in their boxes, everything looks so empty! So, I'm enjoying it now! Have fun decorating your tree today!

    Blessings, Joan

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