Christmas 2024

 It's hard to believe the holidays are over and everyone has gone back to work and school. We *might* get a little snow here in the deep south so I have left my outside decorations up past Epiphany "just in case!" A Christmas decor + snow photo op is rare. I don't want to miss it. 

I decided to post a few images of the 2024 holiday season just to have it documented on the blog. There are lots of pictures and reels over on my Instagram if you wish to see more. 

Happy December!

 Happy December!

This year we are decorating for "just us" and we are enjoying the process of slowly adding Christmas touches to our home. Mollie and I usually host a "Get Merry with Mimosas" ladies brunch on the first Saturday of December. We have so much fun, we get the house completely decorated and mostly clean ;) for that and then sit back and enjoy the month. 

This year (we see you 2020) will be different; the need to be finished decorating quickly is removed and so we are going to embrace that. 

So, I will be slowly sharing little spots of holiday cheer as they happen.

Are you finished decorating for Christmas or are you easing in to it?

I Started A New (to Us) Christmas Tradition...

Lat year I came across the tradition called Jolabokaflod, from Iceland. 

It is the tradition of giving books and chocolate on Christmas Eve.

As soon as I read about it I knew it was for us!!

Christmas in the Library - you can see why getting and giving books is for us!

It is a fabulous tradition to start anytime but since Mollie is an adult

 and we don't have small children around

 some of our past traditions that focus on Santa and reindeer have fallen away. 
There's some spare time now after Christmas Eve service!

Books and chocolate!? Yes!

 New tradition for us!

Here are some of my favorite titles from previous gift giving.  Mr. Monkey holds a few chocolate treats!

Even if you have some family members who aren't "big readers" like we are there are plenty of books you can still give. I would count comics. Or photo books you create online of trips you have taken, all the grandkids through the year, or the year in review. And coffee table books exist in almost every genre and most people love to learn the history behind what they collect or their hobby. (Tennis player who doesn't read much? - find a picture heavy book about Wimbledon. Start a collection of a series for younger children - you might just create a reader! And you know what to give them for the next holiday- the next book in the series.)

You can get very personal and creative with your book shopping. 

All of our books for Christmas Eve giving are wrapped and ready.

The tradition began in Iceland during WWII.
 Paper was readily available when almost everything else was scarce. 
Icelanders gave each other books as gifts and to this day they are a country of readers!

Jolabokaflod roughly translates to "flood of books" which I love.

Blue and white chinioserie teapots for serving hot chocolate.

So start looking for that perfect book for everyone to open on Christmas Eve, find a fabulous hot chocolate recipe (or keep it simple and buy a gallon of chocolate milk from the grocery  and put it in the crock pot!)

Then every one can cozy up with a mug of cocoa or a gourmet chocolate bar (if you prefer) and their fabulous new book.

PS. Don't leave yourself out - I order myself a fabulous design book so that I can cozy up with a book and cocoa too!

Christmas Tour 2019 - Part 1. Outside, the Entry and the Library.

Our sweet Greeter Guy (as I call him) greets everyone with a shy smile

 and a big shell full of chippy Christmas ornaments in every color. 

Rain or shine he's cozy in his plaid scarf.

In December there's a second greeter at our house.

 The big gold Santa (Mollie's fave) is on the front porch. He was a Goodwill find

 (in the middle of the Summer) and people looked at me like I was crazy for hauling a 5 foot tall, pretty ugly Santa out of the store in 90 degree heat!!

See his before here.

Our garland is a faux base with lots of fresh greenery wired in! 

You can barely see the "faux" underneath.

It's such an easy way to create full, manageable garlands.

We are using this gorgeous, blue plaid ribbon again this year.

We love it so much.

No filter needed - those are the true colors!

The swag on the back gate got the same gorgeous ribbon. 

In the entryway we have a small champagne colored tinsel tree

 with some little Chinoiserie ornaments I made last year.

 All the details and how-to's are here.

I just noticed one of the green Chinoiserie lamps got turned around while we were dusting -oops!

 I added in a little Audubon.
 I think Chinoiserie and Audubon birds are perfect companions!

Just a little touch of palms and palmetto fronds (lowcountry gal here)

 complete the decorations in the foyer.

I have had the nativity on the bamboo table for about 30 years.

 It goes in our entryway every year. 

Our cozy Library (or Snug as the British say) is home to the blue and white Chinoiserie Tree.

(This is also where several porch plants are spending the Winter)

There are a few more touches - magnolia, palmetto fronds and ornaments 

tucked in here and there.

This is one of my favorite spots during the holidays!

Hopefully I will have a few more cheery spots to share before the big day is here!!

UPDATE: Christmas Tour Part 2 did not happen due to a family medical emergency.
 I didn't even take any pictures to show later :( 

Here's to 2020 and blogging more regularly!