I must never take the natural beauty of my neck of the woods for granted. It’s simply gorgeous.
Very, very cold here. So cold that we didn’t take our late afternoon walk yesterday. It seems that much of the country is in a deep-freeze. I’m grateful we have a roof over our heads, an oil burner that keeps our house warm, food to eat, a tree to decorate.
I’ll take some photos of the finished tree, of course, and I’ll share the ornaments I love, but I won’t be taking you on a “Christmas Tour.” We decorate very simply here. No themes. No magazine worthy spreads. No extra expense, save for the cost of our tree. Our Christmas is about our traditions; a real tree in the den that is decorated with our favorite vintage ornaments, our bottle brush wreaths, our little white tree in the living room and a wreath on the door.
We live in a small cottage that already has lots of color, where there are many treasures and collections on display. Our living space doesn’t need a lot more visual stimulation so I try to keep things simple. Last year I was alone at Christmas for the first time. Don was working in California. Unsure about how much to decorate, I decided to eliminate the real tree. I used the little white tree, along with a few decorations in the living room. I loved it. With that in mind, the only thing I’m adding to last year’s mix is the tree in the den.
Simplify. That’s my word for this holiday season.
Anyway, we’ll decorate the tree tonight. I’m looking forward to re-discovering our vintage Shiny Brites and all our favorite ornaments. Since I didn’t have the big tree last year, they stayed in the storage bins. I’ve missed them.
I love the scent of a Noble Fir. Heavenly.
Happy Friday.
Love the scenery in your pictures! This year the only tree I have out is a two foot with the miniature shiny brite ornaments. I love it. For the first time in several years we are using our fireplace again. It makes everything so cozy and warm and the smell is wonderful. I saw Don last night on a Law and Order SVU show. He’s wonderful. We are supposed to have rain/freezing rain this morning. Stay warm!
Oh, how I wish we had a fireplace, Claudia! That would make it perfect.
You live in a beautiful area! The photos are gorgeous! I love Christmas and my decorations, but this year for the first time, I’m thinking simplify! Wow! Might be less displayed next year, we will see! I do enjoy my ‘memory’ ornaments as I call them and they are still in storage so won’t be coming out this year. Maybe next year I will do one big tree with all the ornaments and enjoy that more then the little vignettes here and there. Enjoy decorating your tree! Hugs! Linda
We were without our ornaments last year and also when we first moved to NY. We had inadvertently put them in storage. So we had to go with simple colored bulbs from the drug store. It was just fine1
I have become something of a Christmas decorating minimalist myself. Before we moved to our cottage last summer I got rid of many of our Christmas decorations, knowing there would be no place for them in our new home. I love the few things I have put out this season, and better yet, I love thinking how easy the post-Christmas clean-up will be!
Your pictures are lovely. You live in a very beautiful place!
I think less decorations makes them more effective, if you know what I mean.
What great photos Claudia! Ahh yes, the Fir… smells so wonderful! :D
Hugs and Happy Holidays my sweet blogging sister,
Happy Holidays to you, Beth!
Those pictures are gorgeous! We finally got all our lights to work last night…so frustrating! Now our tree is decorated…I have so much fun remembering every ornament…and where it came from…who gave it to us…who made it….so much nostalgia in a simple tree. Have fun with yours! ;)
We will. We’re back after running errands. Getting ready to hunker down – 6 to 12 inches of snow coming tomorrow!
WooHoo!! ;)
Beautiful photos, of a beautiful part of the country!
I am also into simplifying this year. In the past I would go overboard, and have every room decorated. I think I appreciate the simplicity and the selection of the favorites. A few special things, and a fire in the fireplace, along with Christmas music is wonderful.
nancyr
I wholeheartedly agree, Nancy!
You’re ahead of me! Still haven’t decorated for Christmas apart from my table center in the kitchen. Maybe I’ll do it this weekend. I’m sure your home is ” simply” beautiful at Christmas. With a style like Christmas in Connecticut … You’re halfway there already! -Pat
We’ll bite the bullet tonight, Pat. It’s been a long day so it will be nice to take some time for something festive.
Your area has already been decorated and imbued with beautiful light by the looks of it. Your word for the season is hanging there enticingly for me and i hope i can find the “how” of it for me and mine. For you,i hope that you are feeling better and that you may enjoy the many simple pleasures you notice so well.
Feeling a bit better today, Grace. Still sinusy but a little less so.
Claudia, You truly do Live in a Beautiful Place! I come from a family of 7 children, 27 years ago my Mom passed away,at a very young age unexpectedly. The October before she passed,she instituted an annual homemade ornament exchange between herself and each of her children,she died before the first one. But we have carried on for 27 years so I have about 27 x 7 a Bizlillion Ornaments, plus all the ones I made when my 8 children were growing up and ones they made me….. You get the Idea of all the lovely memories I discover every Christmas tree time! Of course I can never have a tree large enough now to hold them all, plus my vintage Shiny Brites. It is certainly a bitter sweet time of reminiscing. Thank You for this wonderful post/blog it adds to the quality of my life everyday -Judy A-
What a lovely idea to have a family ornament exchange! Bittersweet and sweet at the same time, Judy.
Such pretty pictures, thank you for sharing them. I donated some of our Christmas decor this past year and am happy with what I chose to keep. Our next door neighbor, a 19 yr. old is working very hard on a Christmas light and music display for his front yard. He learned all about light and audio work at the arts school he graduated from and loves Christmas. When it’s all ready we have invited members of our family and the families of the kids I keep to watch it. I can hardly wait for the 15 month old who loves music to see it. Should be a wonderful memory. Stay warm!
That display sounds like it will be magical, Janie!
Hi Claudia, I too have decided to Simplify this Christmas and I actually think it is refreshing. Easy for me to say as I sit here midway through my chemo infusion. I was diagnosed with lymphoma on Oct 24th so that’s my excuse and I am sticking to it. Not putting up a big tree this year and am happy with 10 littler trees strategically placed throughout the house along with several misc decorations. As soon as I can get out through the snow I will collect plant material and make a couple arrangements, one will be is an old sewing box. Now I want to go home and work on it.
Oh, Kelly! You have every excuse in the world for simplifying this Christmas. Sending you love and prayers for your recovery. I know all will be well, my friend.
Beautiful outdoor shots, Claudia! :)
Thank you, Deb.
Cant wait to see some photos of your tree when its done! I bet it smells amazing too……you cant beat that christmas smell……well, maybe with the smell of mulled wine !!! and I love your dollshouse…..I have a beautiful one that my grandfather made me when I was a little girl, I really mut get it out again- I loved decorating it for Christmas all those years ago xxx
It smells like pine – one of my favorite fragrances ever!
You lucky duck Claudia, what a lovely place to live, just gorgeous. I think being able to see nature every day or have it in close proximity at least, adds such peace to our lives … Los Angeles, not so much, no sirree.
I’ve got the holiday blues over here and am exhausted. I’m really feeling the loss of my crazy family this year – I guess much heightened by the worry of David’s illness and losing our Georgie – I just find myself weeping. (My brother passed away on 12/26/95, so the holidays are always tough.) I’ll probably opt out of decorating except for hanging our cards and getting some amaryllis and paper whites, but who knows?! Perhaps the sparkly spirit will grab hold of me after all.
I am having fun living vicariously through the myriad Christmas home tours on blogs though. So many of them a world apart from what I would choose but such fun to see the joy and creativity that went into them.
Wishing you and Don lots of fun decorating your tree – do you have any doggie ornaments?
May your holidays be merry and bright,
Sally xo
You’ve had a tough year, Sally, and you should do only that which you want to do. Take it easy. Rest. Restore. My love to you and your husband. Prayers continue to be sent your way. xoxo
Thank you so much for that Claudia and understanding, means the world to me! It’s not very often that I feel “heard” these days and there couldn’t be a greater gift …
Happy weekend xo
We have cut back somewhat on the Christmas decor this year and I would have been happy to cut back much more, but my sister just kept going. Now that it is up, though, I am really enjoying it. Your outdoor photos are so lovely. What little bit of snowwe had soon melted and tomorrow the rain is back. Have fun with your tree. xo Laura
Thanks, Laura!
The single best reason for keeping on with a live tree – THAT SMELL! Nothing like it! Takes me back on a laser beam to childhood. I can remember so clearly when my dad brought our tree in from the screened-in porch – the scent of the balsam fir came in before the tree did! Have fun trimming your tree!
Thanks, Janet – you’re right – the smell is incredible.
Know the cottage will look perfect Claudia – can’t wait to see the tree, if nothing else. Happy evening decorating.
The photos of the scenic beauty near your home are lovely…….we have chilly weather but not a snowflake drifting down yet/
Happy weekend, Mary
Don’t take those beautiful views for granted. I love a little elevation. Where I live everything is perfectly flat. About 55 more miles inland and the hills begin. I can’t remember where you live. Is it Virginia? Maryland? I can’t keep people straight. :) I grew up in NJ and we called them streams or brooks. In Texas they call them creeks. I could see rocks. That’s how it was in NJ. Here there are no rocks (unless they’re imported). I thought I saw rocks in your first picture.
I’ve cut back on Christmas decorations this year. My back is bothering me and we have to bring boxes over from the storage place we rent. My son went and got just what we needed to decorate the tree plus a few extra things. I love my tree. It’s full of memories. Things my kids made in school and I even have things that I made in pre-school and I’m almost 68. My mother had saved them. So, my tree is beautiful if you like faded construction paper. It’s a fake tree. I’ve tried live trees many times over the years, but they always die so quickly. I think it might be because they often sit out on lots in the hot sun for weeks before Christmas. They just dry up so fast. You’re right though…nothing beats the smell of a live tree.
I honestly don’t understand decorating every square inch of a house for Christmas… its overkill to me. I am NOT criticizing anyone who enjoys that. Can’t wait to see your tree decorated. Have been enjoying the dollhouse posts very much. It is its own little world and I love it.
How is your finger?
SueZK
Beautiful pictures, Claudia! You DO live in a lovely area. I like your idea of simplicity at this time of the year, that’s the direction I’m heading this year. What fun you will have rediscovering your ornaments. Enjoy! Ann
You do live in a beautiful part of the world, such gorgeous scenery.
I’m with you about the simplicity of Christmas…it’s a good lesson to remember.
Jen
Beautiful indeed Claudia..we have a lot of natural beauty he in Pa also..all one has to do is take the time to stop and look around at it all..like you do when you take your pictures..I love fir trees..when my son was younger we always had a family outing to the tree farm to pick out and cut down our Christmas tree..He was so proud when he got big enough to do the cutting..I surely do miss those days..Since I am so late commenting today I’m sure you and Don have finished decorating the tree so I will look forward to seeing it..I will be doing mine this weekend and also look forward to enjoying the Shiny Brites again..We are expecting the big snowstorm tomorrow also so the three of you be safe and stay warm..Hugs
Your photos are beautiful. No big tree for us anymore. Perhaps someday when (and if) we have grandchildren. Can’t even have a real tree though, as I’m very allergic to pine.
Beautiful photos, Claudia. I so enjoyed them.
I downsized Christmas decorating by more than half this year, and I am enjoying what I have put out so much more….
Simple and less is more has been my new motto about a lot of things in my life these days. It’s working for me! :)
Stay warm in the snowstorm. Currently, here in Missouri, we have icy rain and snow possibly by tomorrow…
claudia i too love this time of year… and it is gorgeous to see the sky as evening is approaching… and i loved the last pic.. the trees look so lovely and yes.. its always nice to bring a bit out outdoors in the house… and yep… less is more.. and the tree will be so lovely to sit in the dark room and look at the lights.. and reminisce about each ornament and the stories behind them.
love the blanket of snow… its that way here also in pa…
stay warm and cuddle with hubby and dont forget scout
big ladybug hugs
lynnl