More Christmas!

Happy Friday! Hope you have a weekend planned with good things! We are going to finish up all the decorating so that we can put our tree up next weekend. We usually buy a frasier fir and have had good luck with those but as you know a real tree can't be brought in too early or it becomes a bald tree :)

I have really loved seeing everyone's decorating on all the blogs. Good thing I keep a notebook to jot down all the good ideas I see cause I would never remember them. I won't even think of sitting at the computer without my notebook and pen. Even if I don't get to try the idea out this year, I have the notes for next!

So I have this love for mittens....I must confess! The idea of cozy mittens on little hands after playing in the snow! Or hanging them to dry while having a nice hot cocoa!  It all started several years ago when I purchased two strands of clothes-lined mittens and hung them in my big dining area window. I have to get a photo of them as you can only see them in the background of this photo below (and more on this candle in a minute!) They just gave the kitchen a cozy feeling!

I then purchased other mittens that had happy words on them like "merry" and "believe" and added them to the big window.

Last Christmas Walmart had these adorable mitten ornaments for only 98 cents each, so I decided to buy them with the thought  I would do a mitten tree.

 Instead I decided to "hang them to dry" in the foyer where I have my mitten stand and "hats and mittens" box by the front door.

                                          I actually hung those mitten ornaments on a mug tree!

Caitlin set up our manger and she also set up the Gurley candle Christmas choir and assorted others I have. We sit this next to the manger so all can rejoice! Even the reindeer!

Lets see... what else....

I picked up two little red wreaths at the dollar store and a pack of these gold reindeer and decided to glue a reindeer in the center of each wreath. It looks so nice! In person, it is very glittery! Cheap but special!

And last but certainly not least, is this special candle. from the photo all the way up top:

This sweet candle represents something so special. You can see it is pretty old; aluminum leaves and all...

My Dad bought this little candle the first year he and Mom were married (1953) and EVERY Christmas Eve when we all sat at the dining room table to have Christmas Eve dinner (and in Italian families that's a pasta and fish dinner) right before the saying of Grace my Dad would light the candle, say the prayer, wish everyone a merry Christmas and blow the candle out. It was wish of good health and love to everyone. My parents were married 51 happy years! When the little red candle would start to melt down, my Dad would melt  another red one on to it so that the original one from 1953 was still a part of it. Now the candle is mine and one of the most special Christmas items I have! I always loved when he lit that candle on Christmas Eve and looked forward to it. It was placed in front of his place setting at the table.  A simple tradition that really filled my heart. 

Have a great weekend!