Christmas decorations...

 Little by little, I have gotten my Christmas decorations up in the house.  They are nothing special but I really like what I have done.

These are 4 little houses, a few little trees, and some kids building a snowman that now grace the top of the oak secretary that moved from PA to Alaska.  It was in the living room in Parkesburg after Rudy refinished it.  He had purchased it at auction.  It is one of my favorite pieces.  It is in the living room here in Fairbanks, as well.

I do not know where the little houses came from.  They appeared in a "Christmas" box that arrived in the move.  They were inside a small plastic tub and each one was in a box.  They came from the Ames Department Store but I do not remember buying them or even displaying them.  But I know they are mine because in that tub were two shoe boxes.  One held very old ornaments that had been on my parent's Christmas trees and are quite fragile.  The other box held my first Nativity scene.  I had not seen it in years and I had thought that Rudy, during some of his attic purge days, had inadvertently thrown them out.  There was also a crocheted angel tree topper and a few other odds and ends.

I love how cute the little village is on top of the secretary.

This is the coffee table.  I placed a gold-colored charger plate on the table then placed a battery-operated candle lantern that runs for several hours in the evening in the center of the plate.  I added some small red and gold ornaments, finally surrounding the plate with red and gold garland.  Can you guess my color theme???

This is the area that divides the living room from the steps.  We have heard tell that one of the previous owners had a large fish tank in this area where they had Piranha.  Along the top, there are three little Christmas Gnomes, a couple of LED candles, and an angel musical decoration.

Attached to the front-top is the Poinsettia garland that I had used in Parkesburg around all of the doors.  The doorways here are a tad different, so this year, I am only using one of the three garlands.

On either side of the TV are two Christmas Gnomes made from socks.  I made four of them (thus far) to add to my Christmas decor.

This is my front window.  Last year I used the big Poinsettias, the lighted garland, and the 4 large red and gold ornaments.  This year I added 4 smaller ornaments.  I got a tube of 6, but I hung the two extra ones over by the TV.

If you look carefully, under the little china cabinet having on the wall you can see the hanging Christmas tree made from folded fabric.  It was made at Sew Much Love at the Parkesburg Mennonite Church.  I am sure missing my sewing ladies and time at the sewing machine making pillowcases, little dresses, and the occasional craft.  I pray that they will get back to the fellowship, fun, and sewing that they have done before COVID!

This is next to the TV.  It sits on top of the Symphonian, covered with batting.  This is one of two Nativities that I have used in the past few years.  This one was to replace the one I thought I had lost but just found in a box!  So now I have three and they will be rotated out each year.  This one is made by Lenox and I paid $25.00 for it at a local thrift shop in Cochranville.

This is the little secretary with the village on top.  Next to it is my printer.  On top is one of the four Christmas Gnomes I made sitting in a nest of red and gold garland.

This year I got another tree.  Over time, in Parkesburg, I had gotten rid of all of my regular sized Christmas Trees.  So I went searching for a little tree.  I could not find any, but very good friends had been out shopping in the local Commissary where they spied this perfect little tree.  It came pre-lit and I added red and gold ornaments as well as bead garland.  Note, the printer is now adorned with another Christmas Lantern.  The Gnome now resides on the opening between the living room and the kitchen with its brother...

This is the dining room table.  A lovely red tablecloth, embossed with satin Poinsettias, a white table runner with embroidered red Poinsettias, round Poinsettia placemats go around the table.  In the center, you will see "Nutcracker" nutcrackers and on the turntable a tall vase of Poinsettias with two round containers of red and gold ornaments with battery-operated fairy lights woven through the ornaments.  The table is really stunning in person.

I had help.  Normally Miles spends his time stretched out on the floor at the top of the stairs.  At one point this is where I found him.  He had snuggled down on top of the leftover garland.  The red really shows off his sandy-colored fur.