The Start of our Christmas Season
I am joining in on Tiany’s Holiday Open House, but I’m not going to just do one post.
You’re going to have to come back during the week and read some more!After Sinterklaas on the 5th, we start decorating our house on the 6th. I did this because I didn’t want the children to confuse Sinterklaas and Christmas when they were little. Sinterklaas really doesn’t have anything to do with Christmas, ie with the birth of Jesus. Yes, Santa came from St Nicholas, but in Holland there was a clear distinction between the two, and I wanted to keep it that way.So, on the 6th we bring out all our decorations and start putting them up around the house. I love having the house look all Christmassy! Since we were married, every year I would buy a special Christmas decoration in the after Christmas sales. I have quite a nice collection now. Since I learned how to quilt, I’ve been wanting to make a Christmas quilt a year so that I can swap my quilts around too. I always swap all my normal nick-nacks for Christmas decorations, so I want to do that with my quilts too. So far I have started four, and am almost done with one!!! Maybe this year I’ll at least finish that one….!Our Christmas tree is still the same little one that we bought when we were first married for $19.95, which was a lot of money for us then! I don’t have the heart to get rid of it and buy one of those beautiful ones they have out these days…it does the job and I am way too sentimental!
Today we brought the tree out of the shed and set it up, but the other decorations were at the old house still. I told the kids to put the tree together, and then we’d go and get the other decorations. In the meantime I was busy doing some other things around the house. I heard lots of giggles, and then the children called me to the lounge room. They had decorated the tree with their soft toys!
I thought it was quite cute and told them if they wanted to leave it like that for this year, they could! They were pretty excited. We’ll have to take all of them off and put the lights on it, but they would like to have it like this for a change!
This evening was a special night for our local tourist attraction “Sovereign Hill“. It is a replica gold mining town. We go there often as we have a membership, and want to make the most of the local history. Anyway, tonight was a late night Christmas shopping night with free entry for all. Boy was it busy! There were some lovely stalls though, and the children got to do some candle dipping for free because the guy there was a friend of the family! Here are some of the sights in our first of many Christmas activities this year:
It was a bit of fun! More on how we spend Christmas tomorrow….
This is my first post for the Holiday Open House. My next one is here!
I love the tree! It is too cute! I look forward to reading more.
Tammy
Comment by Tammy - December 6, 2007 11:22 pm
I really enjoyed reading your post & seeing your pictures. That is one cute tree! I love the stuffed animals!
Merry Christmas!
-Heather
Comment by Heather @ MrsMomma - December 7, 2007 12:29 am
Hi Joy -I am so glad I popped over to visit you this morning - I saw your recent Christmas Open House post and suddenly remembered I was wanting to do that too! I have made a very quick post but I sure wished I had taken the week or so!
I too love my Christmas decoration - I too buy one each year at the Christmas sales but this year my favourite shop in town (we don’t have many!) had a pre Christmas sale so I bought mine before this year (hopefully I can resist her post sale as well!!).
I’m quite the meany when it comes to decorating my tree - my decorations and nothing else!! In fact I have a 2nd tree for the kids to do what they want to down in the family room! We still have to put that one up yet.
I love Sovereign Hill! It would be great to see it in Christmas festivities.
Have a great day today - I’m off to read more of your posts!
Belinda
Comment by Belinda Letchford - December 11, 2007 9:09 am
I remembered one other thing I wanted to say - I too love Christmas quilts - I am in the middle of an applique wall quilt of the nativity scene - must get it finished. My Mum has done the same quilt and she loves it so much it stays out all year round.
Must finish mine!
Belinda
Comment by Belinda Letchford - December 11, 2007 9:13 am