Welcome to my final post of this year, The Christmas House Tour (2.0).
Here we go again. I have decorated my house for Christmas not once, but twice in the past two weeks. The funniest thing is ... this is nothing new.
I decorate my house for Christmas at LEAST twice a year. The first time is always for the photos for the blog. Then after a couple of days I get more critical and shift a few things. A week after that I usually move things around again trying to get them as right as possible for someone who has never had a "right" Christmas yet.
Until this year. THIS year Christmas is right. Christmas has been so right it's going to dictate the entire direction of how my house is decorated.
If you missed the first time I decorated my house for Christmas this year, you can see it here. It was a very long time (2 weeks) ago. It's beautiful I highly recommend you look at it.
So I thought ... why not show my phase two? Actually, I can tell you exactly why not - usually by the time I've finished the big overhaul of my decorations I'm too busy or too tired to photograph the house again.
The one thing I didn't have at home for this photoshoot (believe it or not) were fresh baked Christmas cookies. I ate all the ones I baked earlier this month and haven't taken the time to pull some dough out of the freezer to make more yet.
My neighbour brought me 6 of the most delicious homemade cookies I've ever eaten last night. I ate 5 of them in a row. Fast. I feel so ashamed.
Not because I ate 5 cookies, but because these are the kind of cookies you savour, not scarf. It was like chugging a $500 glass of wine.
But the best, the very best thing about her cookies is that her profession is cooking (making ice cream if we're being specific). She owns and runs a small batch ice cream company called Foundry Ice Cream
What that means is I automatically 100% trust her baking ... etiquette.
Yes you know exactly what I mean.
Everyone knows it's impossible to accept a gift of cookies without, just for a split second, wondering what the baker might have licked.
Not so when your baker is food safety certified.
This is my favourite view in my house. You probably know that since I often take photos in this general direction.
I took some presents out from under the tree and put them in a copper liner and added greenery and magnolia leaves to the candelabras.
Something weird happened with my camera in the living room so the quality of photos is poor.
(I use a Fuji T3 Mirrorless camera) it's normally a great camera. So ... just ignore the quality and graininess of these living room photos and focus on the content, lol.
This whole corner is different, with the oranges that were on the coffee table moving up behind the chair with a wire birdcage over them.
The other thing I changed was the coffee table display because something that I had out before but wasn't featured prominently enough was a big jar of marshmallows.
I have a working fireplace that is lit every single night. I used to keep a bag of marshmallows in the kitchen, when earlier this winter I thought that's stupid - I should keep them in the living room where their massive toaster oven is.
So Christmas Eve if someone wants something sweet ... BAM ... they can stab a marshmallow with one of those marshmallow spears and stick it in the fire.
I'll be keeping the marshmallows out all winter long.
And maybe the train.
This holiday season I'd like to leave you with the living room tree and one thought.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Kwanza and December.
See you in 2023.
You make me laugh so often - that is a wonderful trait and talent and I love you for that! When I saw the words of wisdom I laughed out loud for real! Honest, heart felt laughter. I would add that they should always cut their nails before baking. LOL Your new decorating looks mah-vel lus, darling. Tell Betty Merry Christmas and wishing you the best new year ever.
I forgot to mention the absolute best idea ever award - you got it for your marshmallow idea! Now I wish I had a fireplace again.
AND I received and set up my train with my 7 yo grandson and he played with it for 4 hours!!!! That was a record. I love the train - so easy to set up and use.
Oh, that's great! Glad you both like it.
I'm honestly pretty proud of that idea! ~ karen
Will do Mary! And thanks. ~ karen!
Love your decorations. Merry Christmas to you and Philip. Stay safe and well.
Thanks Leeuna! You too. ~ karen!
Dear Energy Unit - These photos are lovely. You demonstrate such good taste and creativity, simplicity and elegance. I don't have that self restraint...I admire those who do. I will try to follow your very fine example.
I'm sending along good wishes for 2023. Peace and joy! I am so glad to get your posts.
Thanks Cara! I accept those good wishes. ~ karen!
I have to be honest, I'm not liking the blue. I did a train under the base of the tree once but it was a disaster. It would derail at the back and there wasn't enough room for presents. I liked your idea of having it on the table and for a while wished I still had it, it was one of those fancy President's Choice ones when Dave was still around bringing us stuff from around the world. Anyway, it doesn't matter what I think, it is your home and if you like it that is all that matters, that and the majority of your readers. Have a Merry and not necessarily white but "Right" Christmas!
Well it doesn't really matter what my readers think about my house. I'm definitely only decorating for myself and am 100% behind the blue, lol. The train had to leave the dining room table because I'm having a sit down Christmas dinner and there wouldn't be room for plates. :) ~ karen!
Thank you for a beautiful tour! I love the warmth and individuality of it as it reminds me to be true to myself and not magazine trends! Can’t wait till you replace your sofa (hopefully with something deep and cozy) cause then I can replace mine! I’ll be confident that you’ve already done all the sitting and fabric research! Merry Christmas to you and your family from Huntsville! Blizzarding up here now! 🎄
Uch. I went out last night to look at a couple. No winners. ~ karen!
Merry Christmas Karen, and a very happy new year. Thanks for all the fun and tips and inspiration.
Thanks for reading Suzanne! ~ karen
Thank you for all the joy you bring to others, especially me. Looking forward to opening my inbox to you sage advice/sarcastic humour in 2023. Love the puzzles, the advent calendar and pup updates.
I'm glad you like the advent calendar Wendy! I'm quite happy with it too. :) ~ karen!
Rest up and we cannot wait for what is in store for 2023. Merry Christmas Karen!
Thanks Babs! I'm actually going to TRY to rest up. A little. Perhaps. ~ karen
I to will be borrowing the bows idea, hopefully Before Christmas Day! He he
Also I ordered and received one of the Trains! It sits on my antique coffee table near the tree. We’ve not attempted the “smoke” yet.. but will do that before the grandchildren show up.
Thanks for always giving humor to tge everyday.
Oh and I LOVE the puzzles!
Cristie in KC,Mo USA
Thanks Cristie! I'm kind of shocked at how much people love the puzzles. I may have to do a poll on why, lol. ~ karen!
Merry Christmas Karen,
Ummm, is the open, available bag of marshmallows near the fireplace an invitation?
Thank you for all the fun reads, you have provided many enjoyable twisted moments.
Thank you for reading Carolyn! Without readers, I'm jobless. ~ karen!
Merry Christmas Karen.
Your home is beautiful and cozy.
Thanks for a fun year.
Best wishes for a great New Year.
June
Thanks June on all counts. :)
~ karen!
Merry Christmas Karen!
You too Sabina! ~ karen
Best wishes in the new year!
Thanks Fonda, you too! ~ karen
Thank you for the smiles this year, Karen. My daughter died in March, so smiles have been harder to come by. I share some of your posts with my sister and other daughter, so I’m pretty sure they smiled too. We appreciate your bright light. Wishing you good health and happiness in 2023. Linda
You're very welcome Linda. I wish I could do more. ~ karen!
Enjoy the rewards of your near Amazonian (not Herculean) efforts in creating a splendid home for the holidays. You have expressed your design and fashion "voice" most admirably. I believe you may have well conquered Christmas, a mighty feat indeed. I send forth my holiday e-hug as a wee token of admiration.
Thank you Randy! I did. I definitely did conquer pre-Christmas. Wish me luck for my murder mystery Christmas Eve party, lol. ~ karen!
Merry Christmas, Karen!
You bring so much humor and inspiration (and LOVE the puzzles)!
Within you the happiest of New Years,
Lori
Thanks Lori! Merry Christmas in - I feel like I remember you're in Memphis. Forgive me if I'm wrong. You might be a different Lori who is nowhere near Memphis, lol. ~ karen!
The ceramic tree with the plastic light bulbs and stars brings back memories - my granny in North Dakota was so proud of the exact same tree in the 80's!
It was a big thing in the 80's. :) ~ karen!
Stealing the long bows on the tree and the train around!
You’ve brought joy to my year with every post you wrote, so thanks for that! May you have joy in return for 2023!
BTW…doesn’t Lip get into the marshmallows?..
Thanks Melissa! Not in the jar, no. I don't leave them out on the sticks like that normally. It was just for display so you could better visualize the marshmallow setup. :) He's pretty good about only eating food he's offered but .. .well yeah, there are exceptions, lol. ~ karen!
Steal away! I stole the idea from someone else a few years ago. ~ karen!
Why are you worried about a baker licking cookies? Am l missing something? I have never worried about someone doing that, except at a few drive-thru fast food places that I would not stop at. Merry Christmas!!! Your home is beautiful!!
Your dining room table is now So. Exactly. Right!