Decorating Desicions, what God can do

Christmas Unwrapped and Unraveled

Heather

WordPress is telling me as I type this that there’s now an easier way to create a post and I should switch to the new and improved posting experience… I don’t really know what that entails, but I know I like the old one just fine. I have a soft spot for old after all.

Case in point, the ornaments that inspired my whole Christmas motif this year- Meet Santa with holly:

wm_vintage santa

And the bells… pay no attention to the wire angel photo-bombing in the lower left… camera hog.

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My mom gave them to me last year along with some other sordid festive things (static window cling deer! and trees! and snowmen! I seriously reverted to childhood this year while I was decorating…I’ll show you our back door a lil later…) She thinks these ornaments were her mom’s from way back when. All I know is the sticker on the box of 5 said $1.75 from Nichols in North Carolina but it’s been closed for years and years so you know these little plastic darlings have probably seen a lot in their time…

Let’s just say it was like they were meant to be with my plastic musical garland I drug home last year from the vintage home show. I’m weird I know… I got the raised eyebrow from my girl that day because she couldn’t fathom why I was so attached to it… but I love her despite our decorating differences so go ahead and dish it- I can take it! 🙂

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Saying all that, I guess it’s not too odd that there’s rick-rack on my tree. Lucky for me the hoarding tendencies finally paid off. So in keeping with the whole tree evolution this year’s vibe is definitely vintage and homey. Simple. Collected. With a little bling and a star on top.

As I sat there last Saturday in the afterglow studying on the tree and the lights, I found myself drawing similarities to life. My tree this year doesn’t feel showy or like it would rank a spot on any of those awesome house tours going on. It may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but I think it suits us. Maybe I was just too caught up in the beauty of the twinkle lights but it made me think am I as homey and welcoming to people? It’s easy to write here behind the scenes but in person am I as willing to share stories and point them to the star? Truth be told I think I can be a little prickly sometimes like those branches…

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I found myself really drawn to the red this year… which is a complete 180 for the girl who shunned red in favor of burgundies and blues in years gone by. (remember I never said I was normal…) But this tree just makes me think of Jesus for some reason. Red for the blood he would shed for us. Humble as was his birth. Gold for the gifts brought from a far and a star that would lead them there.

Maybe I’m just hopped up on hot chocolate and multiple viewings of “It’s a Wonderful Life” but it really made me think as we come to the end of this year, is my life for show or am I humbly using it to the full extent in service to others? Am I being real and embracing all my quirkiness and living for that audience of One?

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It also makes me think I have a little split personality going on… can Santas and Jesus really co-exist?

I think if you keep Jesus at the forefront, there’s room to appreciate the spirit of another benevolent man whose joy was in blessing the little ones… so I reckon Santa can stay and have a part in the Christmas fun too.

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How did you guys decorate your trees and homes this year? Do you find your decorations causing you to reflect on your year too? (tell me I’m not the only one..!)

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♥

 

Linking up with Miss Holley at:

14 thoughts on “Christmas Unwrapped and Unraveled”

  1. Loved seeing these! There is something about vintage that takes me back to when things were simpler & therefore, precious to me now. May you & your family have a blessed Christmas!

    PS – Loved seeing the vinyl records! My daughter-in-law bought my son a record player for Christmas & we cannot wait to pull out our old records 🙂

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  2. Hey Heather. My wife and I are both vintage so our Christmas decorations are vintage too, except for the new special one she buys every year. It will soon be vintage. I like old too I suppose. Homey is what I like. Hope you are doing good and FINALLY getting in the Christmas spirit. LOL.

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      1. Lol. Then im still young. I just returned from NY for 10 days. My daughter came up for a 5 day trip and i wore her little feet off. In 4 days we walked 45.4 miles plus used the subway and taxis. We had a great trip though. Be blessed my girl and enjoy the season. 🎄🎁

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  3. Wishing you and your family a very blessed and happy Christmas, Heather. Loved your vintage and eclectic decorations!

    This year nearly all of our decorations are new. We have decided to do this as a way of marking our new beginning. There are a few exceptions, though. Debbie has kept a few of her old tree ornaments and the two mangers are mine from some time ago. I love to arrange (and rearrange) the wood figures and stable (note the cards from loved ones surrounding it) and the stone figures and manger are replicas of an old Celtic scene found in Ireland and given to me years ago by a friend. These things and what they represent we will keep.

    You and yours will be remembered at Mass on Christmas eve.

    Bill

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    1. Thanks so much for your kind sentiments Bill : ) I think starting fresh is lovely- with a few treasured mementos sprinkled in of course! I’m still on the hunt for a manger to add to my scene! My mom has upwards of 20 nativities that she loves to put out except we kept it simple this year since she just had some surgery and only put out 3!
      Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year to you and yours! : )

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  5. You just took me waaaay back! Those little plastic colored ornaments with the little figures inside of them- oh my, haven’t seen those since we used to help decorate my granny’s tree when I was itty bitty! Love those! Merry Christmas!

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