OK...This didn't work like I thought it would!

In order to take the tour in the right order you have to go all the way to the bottom of the page (click on "older posts") and read up! What a pain!

I can't believe I have spent the hours I have doing this but thanks to Snow and Goldilocks for getting me with the 21st century! I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with this like they do but I might give it a try. Merry Christmas from our house to yours! XOXOX Queenie

PS: Why Queenie? Because my girls think I'm the wicked Queen and one of them always feels like "Cindy"!

We are nearing the end of the tour. This is my least favorite part this year because I just stuck everything I couldn't find a home for here. There is a theme...sort of. The train on the top right I got in Chattanooga, TN before Jim and I married. The middle shelf on the left is a collection of art masterpieces the kids have done over they years. The little green velvet tree is interesting. My Grandmother made that for me and the decorations on the tree are old earings, pendants, pins, etc. from my Mother's youth. It is really special and fun to listen to my Mom describe where they all came from.

This nativity scene is the only thing I've ever spent a lot of money on. It is Raku and was handmade by our past preacher's wife. She is very talented and I just really love it. The balls in the crystal bowl on the right are also from my Grandmother's decorations...they are "vintage"!

This picture really doesn't do justice to our tree. We always have a fresh Frasier Fir and Jim picked this one out this year. There are red beads and clear lights and hand crocheted snowflakes all over in addition to ornaments we've collected over the years from our travels and through gifts and exchanges. I have a number of hand painted or blown glass balls that I especially treasure. I try to write when and where an ornament came from or who gave it to us somewhere on it so we don't forget! I even have some of Jim's ornaments and his stocking from his childhood in there somewhere.

The angel on top was also crocheted by my Mom. Didn't I say she was handy?! Thanks Mom!

The wreath above the mantel was made by my Mom and Pammie (my mother-in-law once removed!) The horns are from a deer Jim shot and the pheasant pelts as well. It is very rustic so Jim really likes it. I found the feather trees at the Paul Michael booth at Nutcracker several years ago. More Santas...

One reason I have so many decorations is my very good friend from highschool, Patricia Brown, was living in Paris when we got married and was not going to be able to be here for the wedding but she was going to be home for Christmas so she hosted a Christmas shower for me. I think that was my favorite shower of all and our first Christmas was really pretty well decorated for newlyweds. Of course I have been unable to get rid of anything so I have just added on over the years.

As you walk into the den from the kitchen I have a sofa table in front of the windows. The Santa was made by my Mom and he is very cute! If you see the fish in his basket he has a rainbow trout, a striped bass and a speckled trout. All the men in our family are fishermen so this Santa is appropriate!

This washstand is in the kitchen before you walk into the den. I put the garland on the wall above part of my Santa collection. Jim's Aunt & Uncle give us each a Christmas decoration of some sort every year which is why I have so many nice and different decorations. The Santa on the left is Jim Shore and the glass Santa lights up (I forgot to plug it in for the pic!) The lovely basket on the floor lives there always and is supposed to be where everyone throws their shoes to keep them off the floor!

This is on the desk in the kitchen. The glass block was a gift who made it.

Because our house is not as open as the newer models it is difficult to get a good overview of the whole thing so I will show you bits and pieces.

This is a candle I put on one of those Southern Living stand thingys. I added beads and pointias for decor. Aren't I clever?!

This is my dining room table decoration. It is a springy reindeer that rocks. If you click on the photo and blow it up you can see the beads on the runner....my effort at the Southern Living look!

The entry of our house is very open and you can see from the street in front straight through to the back yard. So, we put our entertainment center pieces back to back on one side of the entry to enclose our den a little and provide more flexibility in arranging furniture.

I have a collection of Santas on the top on this side and Snowmen on the other. Many of my decorations were made by my very talented Mother. On the top shelf is a nativity scene she sewed and beaded. The girls both get a snowglobe every year which are also displayed.

Answering the Holiday Open House Challenge

Welcome to our house! I love Christmas and I have been collecting Christmas decorations since I was in college. When I accepted this challenge I looked around on some other blogs and noted on a number of online open houses that there was a category of people who preferred minimal decorations that fit in with their regular decor. They didn't want it to look like "Christmas threw up in my house" or "the Christmas truck crashed in my den." That would be a good description of my house!