Christmas Decor Part 4 - Final

Months before we were married, at one of my bridal showers, my amazing fourth grade team from LMES gave me a Willow Tree Nativity Set. Be still my heart. It is one of my most favorite Christmas pieces ever. 

Each year I get so excited to open the boxes and take out each piece. I adore them.

This year MK has spent a lot of time rearranging the animals. I don't mind her moving them at all. I am glad she is interacting with the nativity set and that she's asking questions and we're having conversations, BUT I have reminded her that these pieces are very special to me. I told her that some of my most favorite people in the world gave them to me and they are near and dear to my heart. And, if she were to drop and break one I would be very sad. Apparently that has worked so far because they are all in one piece. 

I have them displayed on a buffet in our kitchen. I placed Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus on a piece of wood that Travis cut about two years ago. I placed "real live greenery" behind the nativity and wrapped that with lights and stuck in a few fake berries - just to give it a more natural feel. I also included this little chalkboard - a Pinterest idea. 

The tiny tile with the wreath is a gift MK made at preschool. The wreath is made of her fingerprints. Love!

The plate below is a gift that MK made at Roddey's. It's a wreath made out of her handprints. How precious is that?!? I adore it and MK was so excited to give it to Travis and I. I just love, love, love all of her handmade gifts!! 

Each year I look for a new place to put all of our Christmas cards. This year they either ended up on the shutter (above) or this "Merry Mail" hanger that I made this year. I just took a metal sign that I bought at AC Moore for like $4 and painted it with chalkboard paint. Then I hot glued two pieces of red ribbon  and presto - our Merry Mail hanger.

These are just a few of the other decorations around our house.

My Mammie always has a strand of bells beside her back door each Christmas. When we were younger my Poppadaddy would ring them and tell us stories of how Santa was stranded with a flat tire or sick reindeer. I love those bells so much. They remind me of Christmas. They remind me of my grandaddy. They remind me of all the Christmas Eve dinner at their house with lots and lots of family. This year Travis brought home a strand of bells for our house. I think he loves the ones at my grandparent's house just as much as I do. 

Our Christmas tree is one also one of my favorite things. I guess really anything that represents Christmas is my favorite. Ha! Growing up my parent's always had and still do have a tree decorated with an assortment of ornaments. Some are tiny little frames with cross-stitched names that my aunt and grandmother made, maybe even one my mom made. There are a multitude of ornaments that the three of us made as children. One of my most favorites was this lifesaver snowman made from an actual roll of lifesavers. Unfortunately, he "melted" (literally)  away a few years ago. I've always adored my parent's tree. I loved the stories that were told as each ornament was placed on the tree. When I got my first car, my parents hid the key behind a mason jar lid ornament that had a baby picture of me in it. 

I always knew I wanted a tree just like that. One that symbolized family and memories and good times. I've collected ornaments since I was in high school. As a teacher I get many as gifts. The past few Christmases Travis has given me a special ornament. And now our baby girl makes special ones for our tree. 

The long white strand in the center is toilet paper. Our silly elf, Banana, decided to TP our tree one night. Silly elf!