Christmas at The Carters...part 2

Hey there!  I am linking up with a fun blogger, Andrea, & sharing my Christmas decorations!  I love looking at other house decor - and ESPECIALLY during Christmas!  Enjoy!

I used to love anything and everything Christmas - and my house was a modge podge of Christmas decor.  Over the years I *think* I have toned it down a little (although the hubs would say 3 Christmas trees is not toning it down - ha!)  We have a huge tree in our front room that is my "Mommy tree" now.  All red, white & silver ornaments.  With corresponding wrapped presents. #recoveringperfectionist  It makes me happy.

Through the hallway is where I put our Christmas cards.  I hot glue ribbon to the top of the door (don't be afraid to hot glue stuff to walls or doors...it peels right off!) & then I glue on the cards when we get them.  I love having them all displayed where we can see them versus in a basket or bin like I used to do.  By the end of the month I usually fill up two doors worth & it makes me happy seeing all of the smiling friends & family in our lives.

(from a few years ago)

Dane's playroom tree was sort of a new addition this year.  I had it in our sunroom & it was another girly tree - pink and silver with a tiara on top - ha!  But we put colored lights on it this year, and covered it with sentimental ornaments from when Devin & I were kids + some fun ones we have collected since we have been married.  I have a few new ones that Dane and I have made together and I think this tree will soon be a quick favorite!

my little "Danedeer" ;)

Our living room tree is brown and gold to match our decor & is a real one!  We have gone to a tree farm the last few years to pick it out, and that was always a fun tradition that Devin & I both did with our families growing up.  And that fresh balsam smell?  Oh my.  Forget the Yankee candles this year & just get a real Christmas tree!

Our nativity scenes are fun to put up every year and we now have four!  We have a nice Willow Tree set (off limits to toddler hands), a magnetic one for the fridge, the Little People set that Dane LOVES & this set from when I was a little girl.  The pieces are "stuffed-animal like" and I remember playing with it every Christmas.  We were never allowed to put baby Jesus out until Christmas morning either - His birthday, of course!  Dane loves playing with this one too, so I have it set up in his playroom.  He seems to catch on to things so quickly and loves pointing out the different people.  The funniest thing happened last week when he pointed to a picture of my baby nephew and shouted"Jesus!"  Precious.

I have a few things in the kitchen that I like to put out every year.  I know a lot of people like to put Santa pictures up for Christmas, and I want to continue doing that also!  I have Dane's last two years on the big guy's lap and am looking forward to getting his picture taken this year!  I also put out a Devin/Abigail fave...when we went ice skating at Rockefeller in NYC!  It was snowing and SO pretty and just a fun picture to display for the holidays.

And that is just about it for Carter Christmas decor.  What are your favorite Christmas decorations?  Please share!

Merry, Merry.

Christmas at the Carters

I heart Christmas.

Growing up, we had a lot of fun Christmas traditions.  We did the classic ones - Christmas light drive, visits to Santa, cookie baking, etc.  But we did some different things also.  On Christmas Eve my brother and I would make pallets on the floor at the foot of our parents bed & sleep in their room.  I don't know how they managed to sneak out for their "Santa duties," but they did.  My brother and I always had a pact to take shifts and stay awake to try & listen for Santa's reindeer.  Of course, one of us always fell asleep during our shift & was to blame when we both awoke Christmas morning and we hadn't heard those famous bells!  Oh, the magic of childhood Christmases.  

We also learned at a young age how important it was to serve others, rather than being served.  We were fortunate to grow up and not really want for anything, but I knew there were many people that were not as fortunate.  My mom always took us and a few friends down to a homeless mission between Thanksgiving and Christmas to serve lunch one day.  A few of us would help in the back with the food preparation, and the rest of us would serve.  It was definitely an eye-opening experience.  I would love to continue this tradition, or something similar, with my little family as it grows.  Right now we participate in our church's Angel Tree ministry, which is a well-known Christmas ministry.  Our church puts up various trees in different locations that have paper angels written with a child's name and one or two gifts.  These children have one, or both parents in prison...which just breaks my heart.  You choose your angel, purchase the gifts listed and turn the wrapped gift in to be delivered.  It is a wonderful program and I am excited for Dane to choose his own angels as he grows.  

Another fun (& unique!) tradition we had was started by my Dad - and is so easy!  He would "disguise" our gifts so we never knew which ones were ours.  For example, one year all of the tags that said "Abigail" were actually my brother's and vice versa.  Another year all of mine had the bow in the right corner, his in the left.  So we always had to try and find out the puzzle of whose gifts belonged to who.  So fun!  

Below is the Carter Christmas list of 2015.  Fun family activities I would love to do this holiday season.

What are your favorite family traditions for the holidays?  I am always looking for new ideas to add to the list!

Merry, Merry to you!

Merry.

Once upon a time (back in 2011) there was a boy. A very thoughtful, yet practical boy. He got his girl photography classes for Christmas so she could learn how to use their fancy new camera. The classes expired on December 15, 2012. Plenty of time. But, the girl became consumed with watching reality tv, taking daily trips to Kroger & avoiding cleaning at all costs, so she forgot all about the classes (although she still dearly loved her camera). Finally, the boy signed her up & she went one week before the expiration date.
The end.

Enjoy the merry happenings in the Carter house.
Sparkle close-ups courtesy of my new photography skillllz.

I hope your home is filled with merry things, too.
With the most important thing centered around this.