It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

With Christmas just 11 days away, I'm trying to shift myself into high gear to get everything done. Most of the gift shopping is done - just a couple of small things to pick up yet.  Presently I've been working on getting our house decorated.  The most time consuming part of the task has been packing up all the non-holiday things to make room for the Christmas things.

The 8 ft. Christmas tree came up from the basement today and will hopefully get decorated before days end.

I will share a few pictures so you'll know what my hubby and I have been up to and why I haven't been blogging lately.  Our mantel was the starting place [Jerry built the mantel and fireplace surround].

First fire in the fireplace this Christmas Season.  My talented hubby also made the wooden toy soldier and Santa Bear sleigh.

The last time we put up my ceramic lighted tea houses was in 2013, so it was an ambitious undertaking this year.   They're displayed on top of the built-in bookcases and china cabinet that Jerry also built.  I have 21 tea houses and stopped collecting them a few years back.

My job was to unpack the tea houses and test the light bulbs while Jerry put the lighted garland around the top of the bookcases.

Unpacking the china cabinet to make room for all my Christmas tea sets was no small task. The contents filled six totes!  I didn't realize how cluttered the bottom shelf had become until I took the picture, so reorganizing will definitely be done after Christmas.  Some things will stay in a tote.

The lighted tea houses and garland are all in place and we love the coziness at night.  Normally pictures of our grandchildren occupy the top of the bookcases, so they all had to be packed away.  The empty china cabinet was now ready to be filled with Christmas teaware.   

For China lovers [who peek on the bottom of teacups and teapots to see who the manufacturer is] here's who made the tea sets: Top shelf L-R Royal Albert Old Country Roses Basket Weave.  It's not specifically a Christmas pattern but because it has bows on it and I bought it at Christmas time many years ago, I keep it with my Christmas teapots; Sandy Clough Christmas Plaid [I was a Sandy Clough tea lady and sold the china at home parties]; and A Cup of Christmas Tea [Tom Hegg].  Middle shelf:  Red Cardinal by Lefton China; Twas the Night Before Christmas by Williams & Sonoma; Windows of the Heart by Sandy Clough; and Royal Albert Old Country Roses Ruby Collection [again, not specifically a Christmas pattern but it has ribbons running through it, so I keep it with my Christmas teapots.]  Bottom shelf: Lenox Holiday Tartan; the candy cane teapot isn't fine china and will be replaced with a better one after this Christmas; Sango Noel 1990.  It was my first set of Christmas China; the Poinsettia teapot is inexpensive but was from the days when I used to do Holiday Celebration Dinners at my church.  I bought several of the teapots as centerpieces and held onto one as a keepsake; in the far corner is a 6-cup Pfaltzgraff Winterbury teapot.  It was a gift from my youngest son and family in 2006. 

Below is a sweet picture of granddaughter, Isabella, [now 15 years old] with me as I opened it.  Every teapot has a story to tell, doesn't it?

I can assure you the tea houses and Christmas china won't be put away on January 1st.  After all this work we will be leaving everything up until mid-January.  I ordered myself a new Christmas teapot this year and put the teacups on my wish list, so an inexpensive one will be retired next year.

Below are a few more pictures in the family room this year.

I got a Steinbach tea-themed nutcracker last year but didn't display it until this year with my two nutcracker teapots.

The picture below is in our dining area, and is the only decorated area I've completed so far. Most of my Christmas teapots are out now, and I'm glad to be able to enjoy them since they're packed away 11 months of the year.

That's it for now.  Will post more pictures when the tree is decorated and the nativity set is up.

We're not sure what our family Christmas Eve will look like this year yet.  Our daughter-in-law, Sharon, tested positive for COVID four days ago, so Steve and Brooke could get it. They had another 'rapid' COVID test today which is negative, but they're all still in quarantine right now.  Thankfully, Sharon hasn't had any adverse symptoms and is doing well.  It's one of the busiest and most meaningful times of the year for a minister to be in quarantine, but God has a reason and plan for everything and we trust His Sovereignty.

On a positive note, the steeple was put in place on our new church building last Thursday morning and I close this post with a picture of that milestone event.  Just one specialized window has to be installed before the building will be completely enclosed and drywalling and other projects can begin on the inside.  

 Amidst all the decorations, I remind myself that Jesus is the reason for the season! 

Amidst all the festive lights, HE is the Light of the World! [John 8:12]