Nobody Does Christmas Like Grandma

Last weekend, after Thanksgiving, we decorated the house for Christmas. Since we'll be going to St. Louis for Christmas this year, we debated slightly if we should even decorate. It always seems like a lot of work when you aren't even going to be in town for the actual holiday. But, since it's MJ's first Christmas and our first Christmas in our new house we decided we definitely wanted to do so. There were a lot of things that didn't get put out because we knew that MJ would just get into them, but the essentials are all up. I've spent very little money on Christmas decorations over the years. The majority of the decor we have has either been given to us as gifts or were handed down to me by my Grandma Dorsie. Nobody did Christmas like she did! Grandma absolutely adored Christmas. She baked and baked and baked-all kinds of candies and cookies not to mention the actual meal she served on Christmas Eve. She had special stockings for all of us grand kids that she would pretend Santa came to her house to fill. She loved gift giving and spending time with her children and grandchildren. So many great memories took place at her home on Christmas Eve, year after year. So, it's no surprise that decorating this year felt somewhat bittersweet. While I am so excited to experience Christmas this year with Mathew, and so thankful for all that he's added to our lives, it's sad to me that he'll never know just how much his Grandma Great adored Christmas. He won't get to have special memories with her over the holidays. Grandma is still at the nursing home and if she continues to live through the holiday, it certainly won't be one that she is able to partake in or enjoy. But, I take joy in knowing how many wonderful Christmases she celebrated so joyfully, and that her ultimate present-everlasting life-soon awaits her. I know that Mathew will grow up loving Christmas with his own grandma's and other great grandma's and will make so many memories with each of them. He too will think, "Nobody Does Christmas Like Grandma!" Grandma's are great for showering us with love over the holidays, aren't they?

Here's a few pictures around our home...


From the moment we bought this house, I looked forward to decorating the stairs! My mom always decorated the stairs in our house with such pretty lights and greenery. I improvised and used some berries that I already had, but I was pretty pleased at how it turned out, without having to spend a dime!

This Dicken's Christmas village belonged to my Grandma. These aren't even all the pieces, but I couldn't find a space big enough to display the entire village. It certainly makes me think of her each time I look at it.

Yes, our Christmas tree is bare on the bottom. We tried to keep it baby-friendly. Mathew still manages to crawl over and pull on the branches. It's fake though, so no needles falling to the ground or branches to break off. As he gets older, I'd like to get a real tree, but for now I'm all about the fake easy maintenance one!

I've had this Santa lamp as long as I can remember. It sat in my bedroom every Christmas season, as a child. Each Christmas Eve I would leave the light on all night. As silly as it may seem, I've continued to have it in my bedroom every Christmas season, as an adult. Even Mat has learned to love my Santa lamp and leave it on with me each Christmas Even night. It only seemed fitting that it was passed on to Mathew this year. It is sitting on his bookshelf in the nursery. As he grows up, I hope he loves it as much as I have!

I thought this picture was so cute! The actual snow globe isn't overly significant; a student gave it to me last year, and I thought it was cute. MJ loves when I shake the snow around and play the music. I thought his chubby little baby hand grab it it in wonder was precious!