Welcome! I’m so happy you stopped on by. Come on in and relax for a while in my Christmas home. My dining room buffet is outfitted with the Christmas tree I picked up at the thrift store which I am so pleased with. Atop the buffet are photos of my children visiting Santa each year. I started this tradition when Hayden was not even a year old and we haven’t missed a photo with Santa in all these years. I love displaying them at Christmas in chronological order so we can see how the boys have grown and changed over the years.
I really love this first photo of Hayden with Santa because he cried. They tried and tried to get him to not cry, but over the years I have embraced it because now he thinks it was crazy that he cried.
On the second shelf of the buffet I have set up my village. I would love to say this is all Department 56, but it’s not. Much of it is odds and ends I have picked up over the years from Michael’s and garage sales. The boys both love to sit on the floor in front of it and look at the village. I have had to pick up all the little people and carriages because Luke likes to drive his HotWheels cars through the village and they are a little too breakable for that kind of play. It is fun to see Corvettes and drag racers making their way through the snow of the village though. They must have some good snow tires on those Hot Wheels cars 🙂
Up next is Billy and Bobby Button. They’re brothers. My husband’s 94 year old grandmother gave these to me out of her collection of Christmas decorations a few years back. Even though snow never graces our ground here in Florida, Billy and Bobby put me in the Christmas spirit. This year they are residing on the top of my secretary desk so I can look up at them when I am working on the computer.
The media console is dressed up for Christmas with a reindeer I picked up at Target years ago, a beautiful Santa, and a framed print that really reminds us of the whole reason for the season. I thought it was fitting that Luke was watching Frozen while I was snapping these photos and didn’t mind that the T.V. was in the shot.
Here is an up close of the print. The print was a free download from Emily at Jones Design Company. I looked for it in her archives of free downloads but didn’t see it. If you really, really wanted it I am sure you could contact her.
I’ve tried to keep things simple in the kitchen. After all, this kitchen is used all day long. I have a service for 12 of the Christmas Traditions pattern from Target. The dinner plates are all the same but the salad plates all have a different design on them. I have an affinity for dishes that have a different picture on each one. The Santa came from Russia and is a gift from my husband’s parents upon their return from a trip there years ago.
I love to burn candles in the evening. Since our tree is faux we don’t have that nice Christmas smell in the house unless I burn candles. I also love the rosemary sent of this little bush as I do dishes for what seems like hours around the holidays.
We received these gorgeous flowers for our anniversary this past week and I love that they are the star of the show on my kitchen table. Nothing beats beautiful fresh flowers.
Also in the eating nook is the French buffet I painted recently. You can read about that HERE. She houses our manger scene, my collection of milk glass, and some other festive decorations.
I love this little elf. We don’t do the Elf on the Shelf in our house. We have a special Jim Shore Santa which I will show you.
We received this Jim Shore Santa years ago from my brother-in-law and he has really come in handy. On one side is a lovely Santa with a bag of presents and the word “Nice” on the bottom. On the other side is a Santa carrying coal with the word “Naughty” carved into the bottom. 
All we have ever had to say to the boys when they don’t want to go to bed etc…is “Do you want me to turn the Santa to naughty?” Right to bed they would go.
We prefer to keep it on “Nice” but every once in a while Luke likes to look at the “Naughty” side just to test it out.
I made a paper wreath for my front door and salvaged a few Christmas trees that were left behind by renters to flank my front door. Another Santa greets guests as they arrive.
I use my old iron gate as another decorating spot since my front door is a little recessed. I love this Santa head and think he looks so sharp in this spot.
Finally, I took a picture of the house at dusk just to give you a peek at the front of the house decor. This is really my husband’s domain though. I do have to hold him back by repeating the phrase, “Less is more” over and over again. He’s a Clark Griswald in the making.
Well, thanks for stopping by to see my Christmas home tour. I hope you have a very merry Christmas season and that God is blessing you abundantly during this special time of year.
Nancy
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Merry Christmas! : )
Thanks! Merry Christmas to you too Ronnie!