the best way to spread Christmas cheer

We have reached a new level of holiday cheer over here. Steve gets 100% of the credit for the idea and I get 100% of the credit for actually doing it and between the two of us, we are unstoppable. I am in love with this red coffee table. It's a good thing I ran out of paint, or some of our other furniture would be in danger.

This year I did not buy any decorations (except the tree) and I didn't even use all the ones we pulled out of the attic. Simple and homemade is the name of the game. Lots of fresh greens. Lots of ball ornaments, collected over the years, used almost everywhere but on the tree. I like to mix things up a bit.

We have a special love for advent calendars around here. In December, I don't want a single day to sneak by without being noticed. We are going to savor every one.

I spent several hours last week creating this new advent calendar for our family room wall. It is loosely based on one I saw in the Pottery Barn catalogue and I love how it turned out. The actual days were created several years ago, but the hanging apparatus is new. Made out of garden twine and sticks from our yard.

These felt flowers are sprucing up the pillows on the green sofa and are also for sale in the shop. I love being able to easily turn a neutral pillow into a Christmas decoration. If I had time to make more of these flowers, I would string garlands of them around the windows. Maybe next year.

We don't have stockings on the fireplace, but I put a couple in the guest room, just in case anyone wants to stay here on Christmas Eve. I'll bet Santa could sneak in the window just as easily as the chimney. I'll even leave it unlocked.

I'm telling you- nothing is safe from the decorating squad (which is mainly just me, and a little bit Steve, but "squad" sounds so much more official). Even the wall hangings got gussied up for the month. I like to buy fancy ribbon on sale during the week after Christmas. There is no shortage of ribbon around here.

The dining room is ready for meals with friends and lingering over a second helping. Or maybe just Steve and I and some soup. Which, by the way, was french onion this week, but there are no pictures because french onion soup isn't very attractive. But she has a great personality.

The tree was decorated courtesy of Mia and Uncle Steve, mostly. We just used the straw ornaments this year, which are very kid-friendly. Now that Mia's gone, I need to find some more kids to pull stuff off the tree.

The family room is my hang out spot of choice these days, for obvious reasons. If only you could smell the pine and spice candles or hear the choirs singing on the radio. Pictures don't even do it justice.

The days are already slipping by too fast and I try to catch them as they swirl away. The 8th will quickly become the 15th and before we know it, the moment will have passed.

Good news though- the Reason we celebrate doesn't fade away on the 26th like all the music and lights. He settles right in for the long winter- sleet, muddy boots, and all.