All the fabulous blogs I read are now showing their beautiful Christmas decorations and displays in their homes.  Most of them are just breathtaking!

Our home is no show home, and that includes at Christmas time.  But our home at Christmas time is all about memories, and stories behind the decorations.  The kids participate in decorating, and as much as I feel a pang of jealousy when I see a fabulously decorated tree, I love how ours tells where we came from, and how we have grown as a family.  So here is my tour for you, especially for my friends who live far and wide, and I won’t be able to see this year   I love you all! 

Our piano area, in the corner of the living room,

The collection of angels were given to me by 3 different “prayer pals” (a secret person who promises to pray for you for the year, gives gifts, etc, from the church) over the years,

Our mantle.  Jordan’s stocking is the Vancouver Canucks one, and he shares his spot with the dog’s stocking.  He couldn’t stand the fact that I wasn’t going to hang the dog’s stocking!

A little gold in the corner of the dining room,

and more branches in the other corner.

The stone vase I inherited from my grandpa.  He passed away when I was 13, and from a little girl on, I loved this vase.  He always had large, tall feathered grass in it.  I was so happy to have this vase passed on to me!

A very bad picture of our kitchen window (I’m still working on the photography skills – I have a long way to go!).  The stars I picked up at Dollarama this year, they are adorable and sparkly.  The candle holders I scored at a gift exchange game party last year.

Our Christmas Tree.  Usually we make a big deal of getting our tree, going to the tree farm, having hot cocoa and the works… this year because of having the baby along, and scheduling, and it being dark out by 4:30, we hit up the Great Canadian Superstore.  15 minutes, and 20 bucks later, and the kids couldn’t have been more excited.  Success!

The star was from our first year of marriage.  Like most couples, we were so poor the first couple years.  I had a good job as a flight attendant, but my husband was still in school.  This star was one of the things we “splurged” on, costing maybe $10.  The rest of the decorations on our tree that year consisted of bells and candy canes.  I remember it being a bit of a head-butting Christmas, as we were both trying to figure out which traditions from our childhood to continue, and which to drop… I love how now, 11 1/2 years later, we totally have our groove down!

We always have at least one bell on our tree, to remind ourselves of our first year, and to celebrate our family now.

My kids have the same love for chandeliers that I do and we have no idea where this ornament came from, but we love it so much!

We always have our favorites of the kids handmade ornaments on the tree.  All the others they come home with are in “special” boxes in their rooms.  And we do sit and look through them each year!

It cracks me up how kids always want to hang their favorites all together…. and I can’t fix it.  I’ve tried.  They always notice.

My mother in law is amazing with themes, and she has been wonderful with giving us an adorable ornament for each stage of our lives, and an ornament for each child.  I love that they will have a beautiful little collection when they grow up and out of the house.

My husband’s side of the family always lighted a candle and did devotions after dinner every night of the 4 weeks of advent.  So when we started having children we decided to carry on this tradition.  It is very hard to find an advent wreath around here, though, and in the past have always made one (but they always fell apart in storage).  Last year hubby’s mom found this for us.  It is beautiful.  Last year by accident we began the tradition of having fudge after devotions (in part as a bribe to make the kids eat their dinner and listen during devotions).  So Hubby with the kids make the fudge each year.  Sooo yummy.

Anna’s advent wreath is getting fuller, and the count down to Christmas chocolate is getting shorter!  … see the “snowglobe” underneath?

Jordan love , and is sad we don’t have any, so he drew one for us.

a few extra photos to practise my photography skills (or lack of),

This nativity scene is one I picked up before we got married.  I was living in a VERY small basement suite, and bought this…..

…and this.  This was my Christmas tree that year.

When I was around 15 years old, I fell passionately in love with this doll.  A friend of mine bought it for me for Christmas that year.  I don’t know why, but I can’t get rid of her, I still love her just as much as I did back then.  Her name is Sandra, after the friend that gave it to me

And my Santa Cookie Jar.  I don’t think anyone in the family has a clue he is a cookie jar.  hehehe… my little secret

And that is it for my tour!  What kind of traditions do you have in your family that are unique?  And are you like me with quirky Christmas things from the past, or do you go new, fresh and stylish each year?

Thanks for reading!

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I’m partying here!