A VERY VINTAGE HOLIDAY HOUSE

One of the most fun days for me in December is the one I devote to pulling out all my holiday decorations and setting them up around my house.

I feel a flood of memories as I pull out each one.

Let’s start with my kitchen.

Some decorations I feel like I’ve had forever.

These little elves adorning this particular wreath have been with me for a while, and a couple of them have the most adorable gingham outfits on.  They are some of my perennial holiday favorites.

These vintage foam Santas are from last year

and they flank my French doors in my kitchen that go outside, so I look at them constantly, bringing a smile all the while.

Also in my kitchen are some of my other treasures, a couple of which I’ve bought from Laurie Romanaggi (aka “Magpie Ethel“) over the years.

She’s the incredible crafter/artist/collector I told you about in the last post and I buy a couple new pieces from her every year.

On my dining room table I feature a couple more Magpie Ethel creations

as well as a number of homemade Christmas-in-a-jar decorations surrounded by a glass gumdrop border.

I’ve made a number of these jars for friends; just take an old glass jar, add a little sugar, the odd Christmas piece and a tree or an upright candy cane and you’re there.

My living room has gotten a lot of vintage love, too.

My mantle is covered with vintage (thanks, Laurie!) and newer houses plus Gurley candles and over-sized deer.

(I love my new oversized white Pom-Pom garland — it might have to stay up year-round.)

This vintage piece is new to me this year.

He sits at the base of my fireplace guarding the woodpile and when he’s plugged in, there’s few merrier.

There’s more vintage goings-on atop the side table; I call it the Elf Halfway House because some of the inhabitants look tipsy or somewhat down on their luck.

They all sit in an oversized tinsel-topped house I painted my favorite blue and I used vintage Christmas cards as paintings inside.

I also have a deer garden on my coffee table

and our decorated gingerbread house sits on one of my many enamelware trays atop a favorite felted tablecloth.

It seems like every room in my house has something festive in it — even if you might not spy it on first glance.

And lastly, my favorite part of the house to decorate are the doors (I bought this Santa at Laurie’s epic garage sale this summer)

and my beloved front porch.

There’s another vintage light up Santa right by the front door.

There’s merry plaid

including Thermoses (?) I will use next week for another cocoa party.

On my pillars there’s an old homemade wooden candy cane

and a giant plastic Rudolph. I’m not sure how it was made, but it’s so goofy that I love it.

This year I even found a little holiday letter box at the Goodwill Bins.

And I’ve saved the best for last.

It’s not vintage per se, but it seems to fit the overall vibe.

I bought this light up sign at the Bins and it was still in the box, attached to the cardboard and safety card. I couldn’t believe my good luck!

Not only do I love the sentiment, but I bought it for less than two dollars (because it was by the pound) and I think I’ve found the perfect place for it — over my porch swing.

Funny — I found her at Goodwill that same day too, so I tucked her in alongside the sign.

Okay, off to deliver the last of my teacher and school worker gifts.

I’ve made twenty-two pounds of granola (all presented in one pound bags)

and eight dozen cookies, baked up and packaged as a mini-assortment (fifteen boxes total).

I hope that wherever you are, you’re having fun — and eating well!