Little Christmas Scenes (part one)

Instead of posting one big long blog post of our home all dressed up for Christmas I thought I'd put little scenes here and there as I begin to take pictures.  Decorating our home for Christmas is one of my very favorite things to do. I love to change things around and I love the tradition of using what we love so much year after year. I always seem to find a new way I want to do things but use the things we love the best. So make yourself a cup of something warm and wonderful and join me on part one: 

~ I adore this peg shelf. It's the perfect spot to display tea towels and my Emma Bridgewater Christmas in the Country mug collection 

~ On top I have a silver tray I chalk painted white to give it a cheery look. I have two china Christmas cups, marshmallows for hot chocolate and little individual jars of honey 

~ On the other side of our kitchen is open shelving and this is one little peek into that

~ Susan Branch china mugs for Christmas and winter are on display

~ Ironstone pitchers are decorated too and look lovely in all seasons 

~ I took these pictures on a dark and cloudy day but I still love it

~ Scott and I added this brass curtain rod which really warms up the windows

~ I hung 'curtains' from napkins I found in a beautiful little shop on main street, Fairfield Connecticut 

~ In the middle of the windowsill is a Lore Pemberton print that is so cozy I want to live in it! 

~ I usually display my Christmas creamers collection across the windowsill but they look darling in their own little basket 

~ Easy to grab for warming syrup or adding cream to tea 

~ I collect these 'made in England' mugs and I love displaying the green and red ones during the holiday season 

~ The teapot shelf is all dressed up for Christmastime 

~ An antique hanging basket holds a beloved book given to me by a student back in 1997 with an adorable tea towel and lights to add in that sparkle 

~ Our mud room / laundry room just as cozy as can be with a candle always glowing inside 

~ Santa's sleigh bells are hanging and remind us of the magic of the season 

~ This little vignette makes me oh so happy - another little scene I want to live it 

~ On top of our washer and dryer is a mixture of supplies and a Christmas store filled with hot cinnamon buns, a real vintage child's play cash register, and homemade gingerbread men 

~ A peek from the living room into the family room 

~ This year, I kept it a country cozy look with quilts (not red and green) and lots of pillows (I'll have to take more pictures of this area soon) 

~ I always decorate with vintage books and my Christmas collection is my favorite 

~ So much more coming soon! 

Oh Christmas Tree

This is one of our very favorite Christmas traditions ~ getting our Christmas tree. There was a stress this year when we were driving home with it on the roof of the car because it wasn't tied on well but we got it home thank goodness! 

We always start with Christmas cookies in the car and a short drive to the sweetest garden shop with the best Christmas trees! 

This is our 30th married Christmas and our 30th Christmas tree! 

Such an adorable shop to peek around. The girls always choose a little felt ornament for their bedroom trees. 

Here are some other posts you might like: 

2024

2023

The meaning behind our Christmas tree

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

Thanksgiving 2025

With all of the dishes done, the table clean and cleared, and lots of pictures to sort through, I feel deep deep gratitude for this Thanksgiving. 

🧡 for my girls home

🧡 for my parents over

🧡 for my brothers

🧡 for the smell of turkey baking all afternoon 

🧡 for pies, and warmth, for the fireplace, and cozy pillows on the couch

🧡 for everything 

Here a few pictures of leading up to Thanksgiving and our day yesterday. 

Butter cookies with orange zest and cranberries

Creamy sweet potatoes 

Abigail came home from college 💕

Gingerbread cookies 

pies cooling 

icing cookies 

And the most fun of all... playing house 💕 I love setting the table and go slowly. I worked on it on and off all of November. 

pecan pie...yummmmm 

I bake homemade cinnamon rolls every Thanksgiving morning for us - it's such a fun tradition. I use the same dough I use for homemade rolls to keep it simple. 

Homemade buttery rolls cooling, coffee brewing for a pumpkin spice latte that warms in the crockpot all day long until dessert time. 

Mixing up the filling for apple pie

I made scrambled eggs to go with our cinnamon rolls. 

Icing them is the most fun of all! 

We ate breakfast in the family room with the Macy's parade on 

Apple pie out of the oven 

More pictures of our table setting 

oranges, gold spray painted pine cones, gold stars, and flowers... 

This picture makes me so happy! 

We had so many people that I set our kitchen table too. We had golds, oranges, and deep rich colors in our dining room, but reds and greens in our kitchen. 

All of the fun, silly family photos right before guests arrived. These make me smile. 

After dinner everyone headed down to our 'playroom' for some relax time and playing ping pong. 

Dessert time! 

Mom and Anna talking and watching Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas

One last picture of my brothers and I 

Last night we stayed up late: Anna, Abigail, Scott and I washed every single dish, pan, napkin. I scrubbed the counters, washed the floors, turned off the lights, and then we all went up to bed, so so tired. I passed by the dining room on the way upstairs and felt a mixture of gratitude and sadness that it was over. 

Praise God from whom all blessing flow...