I didn't get very far on posting these before getting carried away with the holidays. As I wrap these up, here on Jan. 5, I find it most appropriate to do so as I listen to Christmas music with a tiny year-round Carolina tree all lit up. So far in the mix of 25, I've mentioned these:
1. Decorate Me
2. BIG Happ
3. Cocoa Loco
4. Gingerbuild
5. Craft
6. Apron Up
7. The Griswolds
8. Santa for Dogs
9. Cozy Home
10. Bestie Style
11. The Carolina Inn
Here are the remaining 14:
12. Get Carded. The below is my favorite Christmas card we've done yet. Can you believe we were one photo and done? Bentley's mentality must have been let's get this over with. Are any of you out there Christmas card tapers, where you tape cards you receive to the wall? I'll be going back to that display style as I missed it this year (I went with putting them up with clothespins on an old shutter - more on that in an upcoming Home Happenings).
13. Feast. We get together with friends Nick and Jen for a Christmas feast each year. It's always a fun time before we are off on our separate ways for the holidays.
In honor of Jen being pregnant (so happy!), instead of crafting a cocktail, I set up a craft station, and we made Santa door hangers complete with puffy beards and lots of glitter.
14. The Path. Kathleen and I were childhood neighbors, and we had an awesome path between our houses that we would travel on a million times a day. Each Christmas after the presents were opened, we would have all of our goodies on display. Then we would go over to each other's houses to check out what Santa brought. It was always so much fun. Christmas can't go by without a visit to see Kathleen. We grabbed a bite at my favorite, What-A-Burger, before heading to her house this year. Friends are the best presents.
15, 16, 17, 18. Merry Media. Along with a Christmas Vacation being on the must-watch list each year, I can't let the 25 days of Christmas go by without also seeing Elf, Home Alone and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (original, only). Each Christmas Eve I subject my family to a reading of The Night Before Christmas (complete with theatrics).
1. Decorate Me
2. BIG Happ
3. Cocoa Loco
4. Gingerbuild
5. Craft
6. Apron Up
7. The Griswolds
8. Santa for Dogs
9. Cozy Home
10. Bestie Style
11. The Carolina Inn
Here are the remaining 14:
12. Get Carded. The below is my favorite Christmas card we've done yet. Can you believe we were one photo and done? Bentley's mentality must have been let's get this over with. Are any of you out there Christmas card tapers, where you tape cards you receive to the wall? I'll be going back to that display style as I missed it this year (I went with putting them up with clothespins on an old shutter - more on that in an upcoming Home Happenings).
13. Feast. We get together with friends Nick and Jen for a Christmas feast each year. It's always a fun time before we are off on our separate ways for the holidays.
In honor of Jen being pregnant (so happy!), instead of crafting a cocktail, I set up a craft station, and we made Santa door hangers complete with puffy beards and lots of glitter.
14. The Path. Kathleen and I were childhood neighbors, and we had an awesome path between our houses that we would travel on a million times a day. Each Christmas after the presents were opened, we would have all of our goodies on display. Then we would go over to each other's houses to check out what Santa brought. It was always so much fun. Christmas can't go by without a visit to see Kathleen. We grabbed a bite at my favorite, What-A-Burger, before heading to her house this year. Friends are the best presents.
15, 16, 17, 18. Merry Media. Along with a Christmas Vacation being on the must-watch list each year, I can't let the 25 days of Christmas go by without also seeing Elf, Home Alone and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (original, only). Each Christmas Eve I subject my family to a reading of The Night Before Christmas (complete with theatrics).
19. Bright Lights. I love cruising together with family to see Christmas lights. This year I didn't have to go too far as my dad said he had a surprise for me, and when we pulled up, we were greeted with an inflatable arch. What more could I ask for!?
20. Candlelight. Here we are ready to head to candlelight service. I got the churches mixed up, and we pulled into an empty parking lot at 5:25 p.m. Luckily every street corner has a church in the small town nearest the lake, so we scooted on over to another church that was just getting started at 5:30 p.m. The congregation of 27 was welcoming, the message nice, and we walked out singing Joy to the World. I would't have had it any other way.
21. Red & Green. Once we got back it was time for a delicious Christmas Eve dinner followed by gingerbread building and spirited JELL-O shots. I saw these on Insty last year and thought it was too fun not to pass up.
22. POP. These were followed by homemade party poppers. I must have been living in a hole, because I had no idea these were a huge tradition amongst many families. I saved a few empty toilet paper rolls (classy, I know). Then I cut them in half and taped the center back together (this way they would actually pop in the middle when it was go time). I then stuffed them with confetti, a scratch-off ticket, Blistex and candy. Then rolled them in tissue paper, tied the ends, and made sure there were enough for each person. They were certainly a hit, and the lotto winnings were $15.
23. Be Kind. Amongst all the celebrations and fun, I love to work in random acts of kindness. From tipping a sweet waitress extra, extra to telling an adorable craft vendor to keep the change, I love how I feel when it happens to me, and I love passing that feeling forward.
24. Jam. While we missed the tradition this year, I love new Christmas jammies on the Eve.
We've made it… 25. Sale. I ooh and aah over the cutest Christmas decorations all season, so I am super excited when they hit that 75 percent off mark after Christmas. This year I added Santa to our collection, so there we are, full circle ready to start again with Decorate Me.
I hope your holidays were sugar, spice and filled with all things nice, like traditions.
