As a part of the Nester's Tour of Homes for Christmas, here is a sneak peak into our home at Christmastime:
Bear Road:
And for more of our HOME TOUR:
Please join me today for a {slightly huge.} picture listing of some of our most precious Christmas traditions and the inclusion, this year, of some precious family Heirlooms:
Our new Heirlooms:
This Christmas, we added something special to our holiday decorating. I had old and thinning (yet stunning) tablecloths and napkins of my Grandmothers made into a tree skirt and linen Christmas stockings. Oh, how thrilled I am with these special Heirlooms in our Christmas Home:
Our Tradition: Hanging Dried Grapefruits from our Tree:
Each year, while we decorate our tree, we dry a bunch of sliced grapefruits in a low temp oven. Then, they are hung on the tree using a cheap package of ornament hangers. You can't imagine how the fruit looks like beautiful stained glass!
Our Tradition: Brown Paper Packages Tied Up In String:
This is how we wrap all of our gifts for our friends and family. They look beautiful all gathered under the tree!
Our Tradition: Going to a tree farm for a freshly cut tree:
This was our first year, and it is definitely a new tradition for us to go and cut our tree. We had a wonderful time that morning. I will be posting more pics about this day soon! (The second pic is of Matt tagging out the tree we picked)
Our Tradition: The Greatest Gift of All Bow:
Each year, after our evening of decorating, we ceremoniously top the trees with bows, and we ask the kids "What is the Greatest Gift of All for Christmas?" Why, it is Jesus of course!
Our Tradition: PJ's, Hot Cocoa, and Garish Christmas Lights:
Each year, we pack the family into the car, in our Pajamas!! We take cocoa, and head out on a hunt for the ugliest Christmas lights. And we LAUGH and LAUGH!! I just love this night!
Our Tradition: A special Christmas Eve and Santa's Kiss:
On Christmas Eve, we always attend Children's Church service, and then come home for a celebration of family. Our evening includes: making cookies for Santa and leaving out carrots for the reindeer, exchanging one gift, snuggling in the dark looking at the Christmas tree, and reading The Christmas Story out of the Bible.
We also have the special tradition of Santa's kiss. After our little ones go to sleep, "Santa" sneaks in to give them ash covered kisses. Here is Caleb's kiss from last year at our dear friend's home:
Our Tradition: Waiting for the arrival of Baby Jesus:
Oh, how we love to build anticipation with the children as we eagerly await and actively prepare for the Birth of our Savior! Jesus does not arrive on the scene of our nativity until Christmas morn.
Oh, how I love this time of year!!!
17 friends had a thing or two to say...:
Your home is beautiful! Great job decorating, it looks so warm and inviting! Love it! Merry Christmas!
Your home is beautiful. I love your white stockings.
Yall are great parents instilling all of the traditions in your family. Your kids will grow up with wonderful memories. I love your white stockings. So glad to find you!
love this post! what great traditions you have started! Merry Christmas!~
That is THE most beautiful idea--to use your Grandmother's heirlooms to make stockings and a tree skirt! The result is just stunning! I love it!
What a beautiful home you have! I love the idea of using your grandmother's old linens to create a tree skirt, and the dried oranges on the tree is really neat too!
Everything is so beautiful - those white stockings are stunning! Enjoyed stopping by for the tour!
What a beautiful home, and those stockings so beautiful, you have done a superb job of decorating your home thank you for sharing.
Sue
HI, Darlene, thanks for stopping by. What a beautiful family & traditions of Christmas with cutting the tree. Your house looks beautiful for the Holidays. I hope you'll stop by to see me again!
Your house is gorgeous!! I loved everthing - the jingle bell wreath, the stockings, the dried fruit and the brown paper wrapping. Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas.
Darlene, I love your family traditions. So fun and festive and yet meaningful as well. Your house looks wonderful too!
Your home is amazing. Your tree is beautiful! And I'm happy to have discovered such a wonderful blog.
I love it all! Your home and decorations are beautiful. Way cool grapefruit decorations for tree. ANd the heirlooms! OMG what a fabulous idea. Santa's kiss - I wish I would have done something like that when my kids were small. How fun! THanks for sharing.
Your home is lovely and I enjoyed peeking at your trees. I love the dried grapefruits and we've loved the look of brown kraft paper wrap tied with twine forever. Thanks for sharing!
CHRISTmas Blessings!
Gail
I. Seriously. Love. Your. House.
Every detail from the white stockings, the brick, the package wrap so simple...Beautiful!
Gorgeous Home. Gorgeous decor. I love the grapefruit ornaments and plan on making some this weekend. Thanks for sharing your beautiful post and pictures!
I made heirloom stockings from an old quilt my great grandmother had sewed me when I was a child. I wore it out but happened to find enough spots to cut out 4 stockings without holes. I love your decor. It is so beautiful!
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