You might think that is a typo, but it’s not… Most people are taking DOWN their trees, but not us! My daughter, Rebecca and her husband, are not going to come until the 3rd or even the 4th week in January, due to car problems… SO… I decided to spend a little more time adding a few extra things to my living room. Thought you might like to see…
BUT, before I show you, I wanted to let you know, my sister, Cindy, and her hubby, told me early this morning, they were leaving soon and coming to visit ME! They made good time from PA and got here around 3:00. We’ve already had a wonderful time, but it’s going to get better… they are whisking me away tomorrow and we are going to go to Springfield, MO, to stay with my sister Deb and her hubby for a few days… I think I’ll be back by Tuesday, but not certain. I’ll try to think of something to write about, but if nothing pops up… I’ll at least leave it open for anyone to chat about whatever you like! See you soon. :o)
Okay, so here is my newly decorated, and a bit whimsical, living room.
First, remember my little bitty Amaryllis a few weeks ago? Well, look at it now? It bloomed out yesterday…
If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time, you know my hubby has a pretty big collection of Nutcrackers… Well, he brought down all the tubs full of them and started setting them out… He has LOTS of different kinds and most of them were bought for him for Christmas presents… Cindy gave him the big one on the bottom, in the black tuxedo, pouring the bubbly… He’s a German one…
See you whenever I get a chance to chime in,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh,what a wonderful treat for you, sister time with Cindy, and then with the three of you together!! I hope you have a marvelous time. (What will George be doing????) Hopefully you’ll get into an antique store or two, maybe a fabric store, or perhaps a second-hand store…some pictures forthcoming?
Your amaryllis is beautiful! Such a gorgeous rich color.
And I love all your decorations–your home looks so festive. I’m sorry that Rebecca and her husband won’t be able to get there for a while; thank goodness for artificial trees, that don’t dry out! You will be so ready for them when they do get there!
In the meantime, we’ll all just chat back and forth, and keep your spot warm on the sofa!
Your living room looks so inviting and warm, AND Christmasy, Jeanne! I am not taking down my Christmas decorations until the weekend of the 10th-11th, since we keep them up until the Epiphany, so you will have company in keeping yours out. I have so (too) much, and I like to enjoy them for a bit. Perhaps some of us could send pictures of our decorations before taking them down to give you something for the blog to share. I know Barbara has a big display of her Dept. 56 buildings, and we would love to see that.
I love all the nutcrackers that George has amassed! I’m sure each one has a story and memory attached, to make them something to cherish. They look so festive standing there all in a row! I trust you don’t light the fireplace with them standing around!!
Your tree looks beautiful and gives a soft light to the living room! Whenever Rebecca and Karn get there, it will once again be just right and eveything will fall into place beautifully!
Sister time! I was going to say have a wonderful time with Cindy and Deb, but why should I say that? You WILL have a wonderful time!
That amaryllis certainly does add to the Christmas touch! What beautiful blooms!
I started my village collection with a few official Dicken’s buildings but they were quite pricey. Then Wal-Mart had a huge collection back in the early 1990s so we bought most of the different buildings. This year I decided I had room for one more building. A school. After much searching and not being able to find exactly what I was looking for I came upon a vintage sale site that had the school that went with the Wal-Mart set. I’m awaiting its arrival and then I will take a picture. Should be early next week. Most of my people and other accent pieces did some from Department 56. If I had room for another village Department 56 has a Dicken’s Village I would love to have.
Your living room looks beautiful, especially with the wonderful collection of Nutcrackers! I will have family visiting other than on Christmas,too, due to bad colds. When I heard them on FaceTime, I thanked them for delaying their visit. I’ll send a few pictures of what I call my “Doll Tree.” Just like Linda, no need to say enjoy your time because we know you will. Thanks for a wonderful year of blogs.
Thankyou for sharing Jeanne, all the decorations are so lovely. And after all, some cultures celebrate Christmas at different times! This/next year you can be part of that😍
Good morning Jeanne,
Your house sure looks very festive. How nice for Rebecca that you’re leaving it all in place until after her visit.
A family visit with the sisters! How wonderful for you. Enjoy your family/sister time, I know you will.
So neat to see how your Amaryllis is doing. It’s a beauty. Last year after seeing yours I picked up a few at Walmart after Christmas for a dollar a piece. They looked pretty sad, and I wasn’t sure if anything would come of them, but they bloomed after Valentine’s Day and were so pretty. I’ll share a photo if you like. I know most ladies here are more interested in dolls and sewing rather than gardening but if you need an Amaryllis photo, I’m your girl! LOL
Karen, I forgot to comment on that adorable photo of your oldest holding your youngest. What a sweet photo and certainly one worthy of a frame.
Linda, your wedding gown is exquisite. I can see why you fell in love with it. The poinsettias look so classic. I love the look. Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed seeing your special day.
Jeanne’s Amaryllis is lovely. I received one for Christmas, so I expect it to be blooming in the next week or so. They are such a fun gift. Ours is plunked on the dining room table, but your styling on top of the books is delightful. 🙂
Sounds like fun is in store with your sisters. I’m sure George will be sorry to miss out, but someone needs to stay home with Reuben and the chicks. 🙂
I’m sure it will be fun to have the decorations around until Rebecca’s arrival. Love those winter lights. When everyone was talking yesterday about Vietnam, it reminded me that when other person was there on a ship, he received mail from his mother. Inside was a piece of their Christmas tree. Rather brown, but still had the scent. Memories. 🙂
Sweet story about the piece of Christmas tree. My cousin wasn’t that lucky. His mother sent him a birthday cake and by the time it caught up with him, well you can imagine. But it was a memory they laughed about for years.
Jeanne your living room looks so festive and cozy. At least you have an excuse for leaving your tree and other decorations up, but you don’t really need one according to me. I never take my decorations down till after Epiphany and to be honest the indoor ones stay up longer. I have my tree in the corner windows of my dining room with the blinds pulled up. After Epiphany I close them and just enjoy the tree and my village privately. I’ve always been so busy during the preparation season that taking things down right after Christmas would mean I didn’t get to enjoy them much. Since I don’t get company at Christmas someone once asked me why I bothered decorating at all. I said I do it for me. Now I realize I do it for hubby too since I often see him standing by the village checking things out and each morning when he gets up he turns the lights on for the village and the tree.
Enjoy your wonderful time with your sisters. At least you do manage to get together. With me in Texas, one sister in West Virginia and the other living in Florida for half the year, getting together is difficult, especially since I don’t fly. Hopefully you will have lots of fun pictures to share when you return.
That’s the attitude, Barbara. I would decorate for Christmas if it were only me as well. I like to bring out certain things for other holidays as well as it changes things and makes the house pretty.
Dear Barbara, I just realized I didn’t wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY. 😁🌺🌹🌾🎂🍰🍫🍬🍭I hope your special day was great. My Aunt Ceal’s (Cecilia) had December 26th as her birthday as well.
Thanks for the birthday wish. I went for my annual dinner at Cheesecake Factory. We didn’t get to go last year because David had just had knee surgery. I go there because the area is so fabulously decorated it makes me happy just looking at it. When I was taking voice lessons they were just down the street from there so every week during December I got to partake of the beautiful decorations. After I stopped lessons I looked for a way to go there but since it is in Houston and a bit far from me I settled on my birthday dinner at the Cheesecake Factory as a reason to see them.
It sounds like you are having a wonderful, multi-day Christmas now — how nice to start the year with Christmas and all your favorite people. And you are sharing with us. How much better can things get?
Well, in the Victorian era Christmastide didn’t officially end until Candlemas (February 2nd)-Feast of the Presentation of Jesus Christ and all decoration were left up until then. We always take ours down on the 7th of January, leaving them up through Epiphany.
Your Amaryllis is beautiful. We’ve had them in the past even though they are toxic to both cats and dogs. When we had dogs, I just put it high up where they couldn’t reach. With kitties that isn’t quite as easy and the stress of worrying about it isn’t worth it.
Your living room is very festive, and the Nutcrackers are neat. Remind me a little of my two smokemen that come out at Christmas. Have a wonderful time with your sisters.
Believe me I’ve been considering Candlemas as a reason to keep the decorations up as long as possible
Many thoughts as I’ve read the last two days comments…..
First time in 50 plus years that I’ve been in a group that knows first hand what it was like to wait for your new husband to return (hopefully) from Viet Nam. Congrats to all of us celebrating our 50+ Anniversaries.
I take great joy in watching my two daughters enjoy “sister time” together…. although it tends toward stadium concerts, football and now Formula One racing! I certainly don’t feel like I’m missing out!
As a child, the Christmas tree went up on Dec. 22 or 23… and stayed up until my aunt’s birthday on Jan. 20th. My mom remembered the Swedish tradition of “dancing out the tree” as the siblings went around taking off an ornament with each circle. You can do that this year, Jeanne. It was so fun to see your decorations….nutcrackers and tree. I noticed an angel shaped like a seashell. I have one also made by a gal in California.
Enjoyed all the dolly fashions for 2022 also and look forward to your creations in the new year.
Thankful for all the “Sofa Sisters” in my life.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year’s Everyone! Jeanne I love how your husband George put up all the Nutcrackers on your fireplace. I bought my sister her first Nutcracker when I was in the USAF in the 1980’s stationed in West Germany. I lived there for 5 years in Active Duty and loved it very much. She has 100’s of them now. I never knew that I started her hobby of collecting Nutcrackers. My niece her daughter was in her Nutcracker Ballet Production when she was a little girl as Clara. I especially love your Little Reuben Schnauzer Nutcracker on your tree. SO cute. I have several Westie ornaments when I put my tree up. We didn’t put a tree up this year due to our grandson’s double playpen taking up all the room, so next year we will be doing that. Our Christmas was cancelled this year because my husband’s sister’s husband got Covid and he is still sick with it. Poor guy! When he feels better it will happen. No rush. Don’t want him to feel bad that he is so sick. My husband and I don’t wish to get near any of them from that house for fear of getting it. Happy Birthday Barbara. My birthday was this month as well on the 14th. I turned 63 years old. My Westie puppy Ellie turned 5mos old on Christmas Eve. She is getting so big Jeanne. We have to schedule her for an appt. next month to get spayed. I hope she will be okay? I worry about her she is so little. Your house is lovely Jeanne and George. Have fun with your family. When I have my tree and decor for Christmas up I usually leave it there till 2 Feb as well. The Presentation in the Temple seems to be a good date to take it down afterwards. We all have the same idea when we should take down our trees. God Bless You all. I love Linda’s Velvet Wedding Dress. Very unique. Was it a December wedding? What was the date? Very Nice!
Elaine, I just saw your comment, and wanted to tell you that my wedding was December 26, 1966, 56 years ago!
Happy belated birthday, Elaine. I just love Westies. We used to go to a lot of Scottish festivals and there were always tons of Scotties and Westies there. So adorable.
I know Sister time is the best. Your sisters always make the visits fun! My one and only sister came on the 14 th and leaving on the 4th if SW has it all together by then😳if not then she can stay longer😉
I’m a nut about ornaments so showing some sounds like fun to me. Our main big tree is the everything tree. My 1950 pink tile bathroom has a pink tree with Margaret Furlong ornaments and the tree in our family room has the White House ornaments and dolls and angels on it.