Holiday Decorating

The breakfast area ready for family.

Although a chore, decorating for Christmas is a big part of the holiday season for me. 
My oldest son arrives on Saturday. He will be here until next Wednesday and has to be back at work on the east coast after that. He was quick to ask, "Will the house be decorated by then?" It just isn't quite as festive at our house unless the decorating is done.

This is my very favorite Christmas decoration. It is "Santa Claus" and was drawn and then painted by my youngest son when he was five. (He's now twenty-nine!) This painting makes me smile. Santa has about fifty teeth all showing in a broad smile. Those huge eyes could scare anyone and the off center beard is a little funky. The red poster paint has faded to a pink, but that's okay with me. I've brought it out every year for the last twenty-four years. Last year I had it professionally framed. I wish I had a painting of Santa by all three of my sons at that age!

I have it hanging in my foyer so that anyone who walks in will see it.

I love children's art work! Especially my own children and grandchildren. When the boys were little, my dining room was a gallery of their art work - all placed in inexpensive frames and hung on the wall along with family portraits. I could gaze at dump trucks and robots, dogs and monsters, and families all holding hands and standing in a row. (I also have a ghost picture with a large label in 4 year old handwriting that says "Don't scare God!"(I wish I knew what prompted that one!) My boys were early readers and writers, so they came up with some really funny captions!

My tree is decorated with ornaments from the 1940's and 1950's along with birds and berries. It is a simple tree this year, but the ornaments are my favorites. Some are from my husband's childhood and some are from an old Victorian house we owned. (They were hanging between the fretwork that separated the front hall from the back hall.) 

Here's a view of the tree in its entirety. 

Until next time, have a great holiday season!