Jenn's Post On Jen's Holiday Home Tour

Have any of the rest of y'all noticed there are a lot of Jen/Jenn/Jennifers in the blogosphere?

Jen on the Edge is graciously hosting this holiday event--and I've embraced it as a way for my kids to be able to remember how things used to be after I'm gone and my Christmas stuff is parceled out. I'm happily morbid (or morbidly happy) sometimes.

I know these are the best years of my life. The ones before I had kids were great and the ones when they are grown up will have a lot to offer, but, really, I'm pretty sure the family-raising years will prove to be the highlight of my life.

I think maybe my kids like it around here for the most part. At least I think that was supposed to be the message they were sending me.

 

Stockings hung by the chimney with care? Check. Though the fireplace itself could use some updating from it's 1973 glory days. It's on the list.

Have you ever noticed how the oldest child often has the hand-crafted stocking that took forever to make and then you never had time to do another one after the first kid was born, so theirs are all store bought? My kids have.

                    Grownup Girl's Stocking

I like the transformation of the house for this time of year, so I put a lot of my regular stuff away and it becomes all about the Christmas. I have all of my mom's Christmas decor also, so I take special joy in having it all on display.

My mother was not religious, but she did appreciate a lovely nativity scene. I must thank my mother-in-law for the lovely wall hanging and the Hummel figurines.

Giant Carolers prepare to stomp small village. As soon as the song is over.

I have been eating candy canes (not these same ones) from this sleigh since my mother bought it at the Sav-On on Lincoln Blvd in Venice Beach in 1967.

This is one of my favorite decorations in the holiday season. I gift wrap the door leading from the kitchen to the garage and hang all the cards we get. As it gets closer to the 25th more cards come in until you can barely see the paper. Christmas letters? I love them all, even the braggy ones. I really want to know how you're doing and what your kids are up to!

The tree, of course, is the centerpiece. Ours is artificial and has been for several years. We came very close (firefighters battling flames in our backyard close) to losing our house in the Cedar Fire. Six weeks later, when it came time to get a tree, I had an anxiety attack at the idea of knowingly bringing a fire hazard into my home. Irrational probably, but the feeling was real.

           I made this for my mom in Girl Scouts when I was 8.

For all of us, so much of what makes decorating for Christmas special is the memories attached to each ornament, or nutcracker, or candlestick as well as the memories of the wonderful meals eaten off the special plates with the best silver.

Maybe that's the point of Christmas culturally (versus the religious reason); to make us stop at least once a year and think about the memories we have and the ones we'd like to make. And to make us reconnect with one another and with our extended families--it's not always easy, but I've always found it to be worthwhile.

I'm really annoyed that I've got a duplicate photo in here--and in the same row--but, I'm going to take a deep breath and let it go since I already exited Mosaic Maker and I need to get in the shower or I'm going to be an odd sight at my neighbor's holiday brunch in bathrobe with bed head (and not the sexy kind).

Comments

[Jen on the Edge]

So many lovely things. So many wonderful memories.

*happy sigh*

Thank you for sharing!

[Kimberly]

All your stuff is so pretty. I didn't decorate this year since I was going to be out-of-town, but I've enjoyed looking at everyone else's decorations.

[Susan]

I love this! Christmas is all about memories to me and you've got some great ones.

[Guider (also a Jen!)]

Lovely pictures, thanks for sharing. And although I didn't add them to my own Holiday Home tour, yes my kids have the same stocking issue: daughter has one embroidered in gold thread that took me weeks, son has the same one but I never did get round to adding his name so it gets safety pinned on annually. Poor child.

[Patricia]

this is Fabulous! Christmas is all about this; the traditions and the celebrations of them and the memories. You got it right!
Lovely. Thanks for sharing. :-))

[kcinnova]

My mother promised to make the oldest boy (her first grandson) a stocking in the tradition of her own mother. After my 4th son was born --and the oldest boy was 8-1/2 years old, still lacking a homemade stocking with his name on it-- I paid a friend to make them all stockings. So we have avoided the stocking issue, thanks to my mother's 9-year-long procrastination!

Thanks for sharing your lovely home and decorations. I haven't pulled very many decorations out this year. I'm not sure why...

[blognut]

You KNOW this is going to get you in trouble with Cheri, don't you? LOL!

[vodkamom]

That collage rocked!!! i need a DAMN CAMERA THAT WORKS..

[Little Miss Sunshine State]

Loved all your beautiful decorations. Nice memories to go with them.

I really like your cards on the door.

[badness jones]

Lovely. Both the decorating and the sentiments. I love the idea of papering the door to hold your Xmas cards. I'd steal that if all our doors weren't panelled! Merry Christmas!

[Suzanne]

I love that you shared all of this with us Jenn. Your home is a sweet view of your love for your family and tradition.
"Giant Carolers prepare to stomp small village. As soon as the song is over"-well, this just cracked me up.
So great too, that you have so much stuff from your Mom....take care and I hope the party was grand!!

[Manic Mommy]

I loved this post.

[debbie]

This was absolutely beautiful!! Your house is amazing!! Of course, all the while I'm oohing and aahing...I'm also looking at the pictures as the 'mother of small children' and so many things, I was like "oh no...nononono..that just won't work...up higher, jenn, waaaay up higher"!! :-D
It's amazing how much more stuff I'm able to put out the older my youngest gets...it's going to be out of control in a few more years!!
How long does it take you to get it all displayed?/put away again?

*Are you prepared for Cheri? You know she's not going to let this post go without a fight!! That collage alone might put her over the edge!!
What fun this is going to be!!!

[MomBabe]

Beautiful! And I love love LOVE the nativity wall hanging. sigh.

[Fannie]

The memories each item brings back is my favorite part. I LOVE the photo collage - you're going to have to give me some tips on how to do that!

[alison]

Lovely decorations. I love the red and green votive holders on the fireplace.

When I was little, I wished my name was Jennifer. Fortunately, I've gotten used to Alison.

[Green Girl]

Rampaging carolers aside, your houses is so charming and cozy and I adore all the memories you included in this tour!

[Peggy]

I totally get the stocking thing..very sad..LOL!
Thanks for letting us check out your holiday stuff and suche.Your home looks fantastic!
Merry Christmas!

[Amy Y]

How perfect!!!
Happy Holidays :)

[Janet]

Oh, Jenn, you have such pretty things! Thank you for sharing :-)

When I lived in Japan, I worked on a US air force base, and the General would hold a contest each Christmas...every office would wrap their door and the best decorated one would win. Since I worked for the General, I never won LOL but I had a lot of fun wrapping the door and putting things up!

[Suzy]

I'm all for the fake tree. Those real needles show up YEARS later!

Casa Sugar showcased some red and blue ones.

[Jessica bern]

I love the sled with all the candy canes. No surprise. I love colors and anything with sugar in it so......

[Carol]

So many things to love at your house. Love the Nativity wall hanging, your tree and your little girl scout gift for your mom. We only took one candy cane. Thank you.

[mrs. g.]

I love the gift wrapped door and Christmas card idea. Consider it stolen. Thanks for sharing.

[Smalltown Mom]

I love your girl scout tree.

The stocking I made that says "Baby's 1st Christmas?" Wasn't finished until close to his 2nd Christmas. The second child didn't get one.

[Susan]

Oh, Jenn. So wonderfully put together, the old and new. I always put my cards in a basket or bowl. love the display where you can see them all the time. I am glad you like Christmas letters- I write one (not braggy) and love getting them, too.

Happiest of Holidays to you and your family!

[stephanie (bad mom)]

It is all quite charming & lovely, especially with so many memories attached. Thank you for sharing :D

[Cheri @ Blog This Mom!]

You tryin' to start up with me again?

[shelia]

All very beautiful! My decorations consist of a wooden tree hanging on my front door! : )

[Patience]

Just stopping by via Jenontheedge. So true about the stockings! I love your Christmas card door.

[Becky]

BTW I love your Christmas card/letter/picture. Hopefully I'll get ours out by the first of the year. Missed it entirely last year!

[jen_alluisi]

Oh! That tree you made in Scouts as a child! What a treasure that you still have it :)

[Lee Ann and Alex]

My son and I love the Christmas tree of yarn decoration that you made. Handmade treasures are the best. Thanks for the joy of the season.

[Kim Kasch]

Love the yarn tree you made :) that is really cute.

[Navhelowife]

Love it all!
The plate, on the bottom row, almost the last picture? That was my Mom's Christmas china - I have it now. I love it and always have.

[Jocelyn]

You got me from the start: "I know these are the best years of my life." Before I read that, I'd never registered that sentiment. It brought tears to my eyes. YES. Before was something; after will be something else. But these are the best years of our lives.

Thank you for putting that into words for me.

[Fran]

I never sent out cards this year, but reading your blog has given me an idea for next year. I especially enjoyed your quilt of thumbprint images. It's personal and gives me a window into your style and sentimentality.
I think it would be nice to create a card of thumbprints welcoming people into my home. Now I wish I wasn't in such a hurry to get all the decorations down and packed away!