Countdown to Christmas: Day 6 - Open House

I wanted to share some of my favorite Christmas decorations, so come on inside!

Let me start with our nativity. 

It's the Demdaco nativity that has been around for a while now, and I absolutely love it.  When we first got married, Mark started my nativity collection as a Christmas gift.  Every year he bought me another piece until my collection was complete.  I look forward to having it on display every year.  (please ignore the ugly vent cover behind it ... it is being set up on the only shelf in our house that is (a) deep enough for the creche and (b) out of reach of the kids ... which also happens to be right under the register).

Another favorite collection is my Christopher Radko ornaments.  Again, when we were first married Mark began the tradition of giving me an ornament every year for Christmas.  They usually represent a significant memory of the past year ...

 Year 2000 - the new millennium

 a remembrance of the 3 years we spent living in the cheese capital of America

a bride and groom from the year we got married

Next on my list of holiday treasures is a framed foursome of tiny paintings that Mark's dad painted for us one Christmas.  It's such a keepsake, and I'm so happy that we have something that he painted to hang in our home and pass on to our own kids.

And last but not least is a double-whammy:  My collection of Christmas books, and my animated Santa.  The book collection I've been working on for quite some time now.  My goal was to have a different Christmas bedtime story for each night in the month of December, and I think we've met our goal ... and then some!  Right beside him is an animated Santa Claus that I got back in 1997 when I bought my first fake Christmas tree for my first real apartment.  He was "free with purchase of tree", and I've always just kinda liked the creepy little sucker.  The tree is long gone now, but Santa still remains with us.

Oh wait!  One more thing ... I also adore the glow of the Christmas lights inside of our house.  Here's a peek at the warm, cozy glow in our guest bathroom.  The two miniature trees lit up on the sink just make me happy.

It would make me even happier if they were lit up on a new bathroom sink on top of a new bathroom vanity in front of a new bathroom mirror ... but that's another story for another day : )