Christmas Favorites

I want to squeeze in one last post about Christmas before I take down the old calendar and put up the new! If I had to list my favorite Christmas related things, these would be my top five:

ornaments

Christmas trees
Santa

snowmen

nativities

My last post feature the stitched ornaments on my tree, but I love all kinds of ornaments! I especially love Shiny Brite ornaments. Several years ago I began seeing them at flea markets and fell in love with them. I display the ones I bought in a beautiful bowl that belonged to my grandmother. Max Eckardt created Shiny Brite ornaments in 1937. He worked with Corning Glass, a company that made light bulbs, to adapt their process to make clear glass ornaments. They were then shipped to Eckardt factories to be decorated by hand. 

I'm not the only one in the family that loved Shiny Brite ornaments. My grandmother had them on her tree. Her ornaments would have dated in the 1940's to 1950's. After her death, my mother displayed those ornaments in her house. Now that my mother has gone, I am honored to display some of those treasured ornaments in my home. 

Of course if you have ornaments you must have Christmas trees. Oh, I love Christmas trees from large to the very small! This year I have 24 Christmas trees scattered around. Along with my large Christmas tree I have bottle brush trees, wood trees, ceramic trees,  and  metal trees.

The only thing I know that could make a Christmas tree better, is for my grandsons to be gathered in front of it!

It's always an experience to get the Christmas pajama photo each year!

Of course Christmas trees must have some Santas on it!
This star-shaped Santa is one of my favorites. 

Although I have pleanty of Santas, I really like snowmen better. Sorry Santa! I have a small four foot tree that is loaded with only snowmen ornaments.

I saved the very best for last. I can't imagine having Christmas without focusing on the birth of the Christ Child.

"For unto you is born this day
in the city of David
a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

~ Luke 2:11

I've enjoyed one last look at Christmas, but now it's time for me to begin putting it all away!

Wishing you a Happy New Year!

Mansion Elegance

Christmas decorations can be simple like those in my last post or they can be glitzy and glamorous. From the moment you walk up to the front door of the Arkansas Governor's Mansion, sparkling beauty greets you everywhere.

The formal living room feels cozy with pretty stockings hanging from the fireplace mantle. I love the colors that are used to decorated the mansion. They're chosen to blend well with existing drapes and furniture.

The formal dining room fireplace is draped with a gorgeous garland that sparkles in the light of crystal candelabras and chandeliers.

We are very blessed in Arkansas to have a Governor and First Lady that know the real meaning of Christmas. I wish I had counted how many nativity sets were among the decorations ranging in size from tiny to one set with figures about four feet tall. There is also a life size nativity on the front lawn.

Not all the decorations are elegant, the glass atrium is a wonderland for children. I saw of a lot of happy smiles from the little ones as they watched trains travel around two separate villages. One of the trains was modern and one was vintage.

In addition to the trains, the decorations in the atrium were colorful and whimsical.

If you look up high on the second floor balcony you can catch a glimpse of Santa and one of his reindeer.

 

And, if you head to the grand hall you might just run into the real Santa! I assured him I'd been pretty good this year!

 

If you'd like to see more of the

Mansion's Christmas open house,

there's a nice video here.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from Arkansas!