Christmas Decor

My living room looks like Christmas exploded there.  This weekend, Jakes and I worked together (with minimal fighting) to get things festive.  We dug all the boxes out of the shed (outside in the COLD WIND) and put the empty ones back.  It was a good weekend.

I love decorating for Christmas.  Its my chance to see the homemade ornaments from my mom and to tell Jakes all about Grandmom Kathy.  Its a happy time, yet tinged with a little sadness.

Let me share with you...............

Our Tree

This is the first year we've had a train around the tree.  I am not liking it cause it put the tree further out in the room and we need all the room we can get.  Son put the train together and then had trouble getting it to run.  So we called G-Pop to come and check things out for us.  After a little re-wiring, we were back in business.  Way to go G-pop!

Homemade Mrs. Claus

Mom was a crafty person.  She sewed, cross stitched, crocheted and sometimes combined all of them.  She made tons of ornaments for the tree and I took some of them her last Christmas with us. 

Homemade Santa Claus

I was surprised that I didn't have more of her homemade ornaments.  The only thing I can think of is that after 11 years of her being gone, plus however old they were when I got them, they have disintegrated.  Bummer.



Jakes First Christmas



This is another handmade ornament from my aunt.  She painted it for Jakes first Christmas.  Jakes was loved because he has several first Christmas ornaments.

Jakes First Christmas from Grandmom Judy

Grandmom Judy was Mom's BFF since 7th grade.  When Mom was dying, she named Judy as Jakes stand in grandmother.  So she became and still is today, Grandmom Judy.  I know this is from Grandmom Judy because there is a cat on it and she is a cat person.

From Hawaii

I have several of these.  They were added to the tree in 2006, the same year as my divorce.  I was sent to Hawaii less than a month after my divorce by work to attend the International AA convention.  It was GREAT!

Handmade ornament made by Jakes

When you become a parent of a school age kid, these are required to be on the tree.  All the ornaments made in school to impress the parents.  These comprise most of my tree.

Another handmade Jakes ornament

In addition to the tree with the train around it, we have the winter villages that get set up.

Winter Villages

And the manger scene.  I got this from my parents at Mom's last Christmas.

Manger scene

I HATE the moving Santa and Mrs Claus but Jakes insists that we put them out.  I think only because we have ALWAYS put them out.  Oh well.  Maybe next year they can get left in the shed.

Parachuting, singing Santa

This is strung from one end of the hallway to the other.  He usually gets stuck outside my bedroom door.  I have forgotten to move him back before bed and have gotten up in the middle of the night, only to be attacked by Santa.  NOT fun at 4:00 am.  Did I mention that he is sound activated?  So when I curse because I have tangled with him, he starts singing and kicking.  Nice.  Next year, we shorten the string and he ends at JAKES door.  HA!

That's basically our Christmas Decor.  I showed you mine, how bout you show me yours....  it's only fair!