Home for Christmas

Decorating our home for the holidays - we decided that even if we were the only ones to enjoy the decorations we needed to "haul out the holly"!  Last year we spent our first Christmas away from home on a wonderful Viking Ocean cruise, so we did very minimal decorating and no tree.  There was discussion of not putting out all the Christmas paraphernalia and even getting a small, table top tree. But in the end we got in the Christmas spirit and now we enjoy the decorations every day.

Note:  Please excuse some of the photos.  My camera decided to break down and I have not yet replaced it.  Took all these photos on my phone...some are wonderful, some not so much.  

The wreath on our door is made of Cat's Meow houses that were a gift from our dear friends.  Remember when these houses were a huge thing ?  We had many all over the house and a bunch on the top of the breakfast nook window in a previous home.  We'd switch them out with these for Christmas.  These are the It's A Wonderful Life series.  That movie is our favorite...for so many reasons.  It is a wonderful story on it's own...but so many things reflect our life.  My dear husband worked in a small bank, I was a librarian, and we just embraced the movie.  So much so that I hired actors to come to the bank on my husband's 50th birthday on Christmas Eve and act out the movie...hah!  A "bank examiner' showed up first and told him $8,000. was missing!  It was amazing.  Then on his 60th we spent the weekend in Seneca Falls, NY - the town turns into Bedford Falls for a weekend and does all things ITAW!  Fabulous time...and we even got to meet Zuzu!

So, these little homes were the perfect gift for us.  But, then we moved to a home with no breakfast nook window.  I attached wire to the back of the homes and put them on a live wreath in our dining room - perfect.  I did not want the wreath out in the weather so the houses would not get damaged.  Then we moved to an apartment...and since our front door is no longer outside this has become our Christmas wreath.

On all of the pieces there is a little black cat...thus the "Cat's Meow" houses.  I had so many pieces...including trees for each of the seasons - but they were sold at our moving sale and I hope they are being loved in someone else's home.

The Building and Loan...

Gower's Drug Store..."HOT DOG"!

Martini's...and in Seneca Falls the Italian Restaurant changes there name for the IAWL weekend...

Erinie's Taxi Cab is here, too...

 

And, of course...320 Sycamore!  I added some silk rose petals for Zuzu's petals.  And a bell  - that rings everytime we open the door...and everytime a bell rings an angel gets his wings!  Very few people realize the meaning of the houses on our wreath, but that is ok...we love it!

St. Nicholas wears his mask....

And our version of Elf on a Shelf welcomes everyone to Our New Vista!

Our entry is ready to welcome guests...wish we could have guests this year...

When we spent the weekend in "Bedford Falls" they rang all the bells and if you donated to charity your could have the bells ring in honor of someone.   The bells rang for my wonderful husband!

I like to pull out our photos with Santa from our childhood..and our visit to Macy's many years ago...

These little elves were purchase from Hallmark the first year we were married - 1977 - and we have used them to hold our stockings and to decorate each year since then...

A little decoration for the wine rack...

And in the kitchen...that Santa wine bottle makes a great lamp.  I bought that wine as a gift for neighbors years ago..and cannot find it any longer!

The little mouse with the cookie cutter was a tree ornament, but I think he looks perfect in the kitchen...

We always put my dear Uncle Joe's cane near the fireplace after we watch Miracle on 34th Street...

This wreath hangs on the door to the patio...

A simple cookie cutter wreath on the coffee table...

A N.C. Wyeth Santa Claus...love this print...

All our Christmas cards go in this basket...we like to save them and look at them through the year to remember the people in prayer...

A little bit of snow and red for the mantel...

An elf watching over the kitchen, perched on my grandmother's bread making bowl...

A little cheer for the stove...and burning Yankee Candle Mistletoe...it smells WONDERFUL!

My mother in law's beautiful Nativity set...

Cheer at the sink...

Simple centerpiece...

I did pull out my holiday dishes, but did not fill the hutch with all the pieces this year..

Our tree...with my Aunt Mamie's antique doll ( that she got for Christmas in 1908 or so..) under the tree...

And this cozy spot, on a snowy day...perfect for a good book, a cup of hot chocolate, and time to dream and watch the snow fall.

Today is another snowy day and this week we are supposed to have a really BIG snowstorm...I love it!   We no longer have to drive in it or shovel it...just watch it fall!  I will be making some cookie dough today to get the cookie making started...and then I intend to read a good book ( In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren) and enjoy our holiday home!

Thanks for stopping by Our New Vista today.  Are you decorating for the holidays ?  Doing it all - or going low key?   Would love for you to leave a comment below .  Have a wonderful holiday season...better days ahead for us all!