T Stands for the Holiday Edition

 Hi everyone. Happy T day. It's hard to believe it is not only already Tuesday, but it is less than a week until Christmas.

Although I still have some things I need to do, the house is decorated (but a messy disaster zone) and my presents are wrapped (and all over my daughter's bed). Today I thought I'd share some of my decorations because I feel like being festive. Grab a cup of tea or coffee because (sorry) this is a rather long post.

This first photo is my link to T day this week over at  Bleubeard's and Elizabeth's blog. I know it would have been better if one of my cups was full of tea. Smile. Too bad I never remember to take photos when I make one each late afternoon. 😟

I didn't decorate quite to the extent I usually do, but I did put out the things I love. I usually put away the old clock  that is in the middle of my photo. It doesn't run because there is no plug on my mantel, and also the wiring in it is from the 1930's and a little scary. One of these days I want to get this clock changed over to batteries so we can use it. It originally belonged to my husband's grandparents.

I do love my Swedish tomte though. These 2 big ones I found by chance and bought years ago, but most of mine are ones that family members gifted me. 

Here's a few more of my Swedish tomte and one of my collection of dalarna horses.  

I have more of these Swedish gnomes on my living room bookshelf because I really have a lot of these.

The tree is also decorated. (Ignore the grassy looking plant on the right-it's my lemon grass plant which is put in the window to get more light.) We chopped this tree at the Christmas tree farm in our town Thanksgiving weekend.

My tree is all about nostalgia. The decorations are a hodgepodge of items from over the years.

See that sad looking pipe cleaner and bead man with the styrofoam ball head in this last photo? It's beady- man. He's so old.  I made him when I was in kindergarten or nursery school.He always gets a spot right in the front of the tree because he is special to me. And right behind him you can just see the baby bottle that we bought and filled out the year my daughter was born.

And on the opposite side of the tree, next to the Dr. Who dalek is a lovely mini-quilt our T day hostess Elizabeth made several years back. I hang it on the tree every year also because that is what my Christmas tree is all about, lots of nostalgia.

My mother-in-law used to gift me a santa every year for Christmas back in the 1990's, and then when my daughter was older, she wanted to gift them to me also. I have quite a collection, and I can only put out so many each year. Here's a little peak at them. And do you like my retro tree? I bought it at Costco this past fall because it reminded me of my grandmother who used to have one back when I was a kid.

Speaking of my grandmother, these very vintage musician angels were part of a decoration she had. There used to be a lighted church with them, but I'm not sure what happened to it. One thing I love about these angels is that the Made in West Germany-US zone stamp is still on their bottoms. That definitely dates them.

The 2 little singers in the front are not from her set, but something I added to them.

And does anyone know anything about this candle holder?

It doesn't have enough candle spots to be a Menorah. My great aunt had it and then my mom did. I also know it came from Sweden. It's always been a mystery since my mom received it whether  it is just a candle holder or has some other meaning.

And finally, here's my other tree. I call this my winter tree. I put it up mid-November, and I take it down late in January. This part of the diningroom-kitchen is dark, and having the tree here adds lots of light. All of the decorations don't have a Christmas theme but more of a winter  or woodland theme.

I have a few holiday Annelee animals (the Annelee factory shop is like 40 minutes away from me). This year I wasn't inspired to find a place for them  so I just put them under my winter tree. They'll get put away with my holiday decorations, and I won't leave them up as long as I keep up the tree.

I do have these 2 yetis from Annalee that I always put on the top tree. 

This is my newest ornament that I bought at Hobby Lobby last week when all their ornaments were 70% off. I wasn't  planning on going in, but my friend was looking for something so I went in with her. I couldn't resist the dodo bird. He goes along with the wooly mammoth I have hanging on another spot of the tree.

My kitchen is now decorated with all the supplies for cookie baking. I took this photo  Sunday afternoon when I was baking a few batches of cookies. I also made some cookie doughs that needed to be refrigerated and that I'll bake later this week.

You can even see my bottle of Diet Coke on the counter.  I guess I do have an actual drink photo for T this week.

I did clean up the kitchen a bit after all my baking, but the cookie cutters and the cookie stamps are still on the counter until i finish baking my refrigerated cookie doughs.

And I hope after reading this long post  you don't feel like Mr. Pete does.

He popped open his eyes just as I snapped this photo. (Before that he was sound asleep and snoring loudly.) What a life. I'm surprised he wasn't in the kitchen hoping for a cookie. Smile.

I also want to mention I will share all my Christmas cards next T day as I think post is long enough. 

I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas has a wonderful holiday. And happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate that holiday this week also. Also, a happy winter solstice to you.

And of course, have a great T day too.