11/21/18
The day before Thanksgiving we set off in search of our first Christmas tree together, and brought the lovely pine smelling thing back into our little apartment. But before it was ready to be decked out in lights and the ornaments we had so carefully collected over our last 4 years together, it was time to pull out those red and green bins from the storage closet and dig out all the other treasures we had waiting to be used by us for the first time.
2018 is a very special Christmas for us. It’s our first year to celebrate it as a married couple, though it’s our 5th as a couple. It’s our first year to have our own home to decorate. It’s my first year as a Cunningham instead of a Blaylock. Last year, we spent Christmas Day half with Brandon’s family, and half with mine, a big change for us both, and we will do the same this year. It’s an extra special blessing to now have 2 families to be thankful for during the holiday season.
So without further adieu, our Christmas decor (everything but the tree):
The dining room! The seasonal wreath on the window pane and the table runner are both from Target. Brandon handmade the candle holder in the center of the table, after we saw a similar one at our friends the Phillips’ house last year. The plan is to light one candle for each day of December while we read the gospel’s telling of Jesus’s life every night as a special advent tradition. The little elf on the corner has a special meaning for me, as it’s one of a set that has always been on my Mom’s grandfather clock, and I look forward to them coming out every year! And of course, the letter board is festive too!
The living room! The “O come let us adore him” painting is hand painted by me, and Brandon drilled the holes for the little lights! The wood came from an old barn on my papaw’s property! The garland on the TV stand is live from Pikes. The Johnnyswim poster came from their holiday concert at the Schermerhorn Symphony that we went to last year. The red and green mason jars are hand painted by me, and came from a surprise stash we found in my papaw’s barn. The hanging bells have always been displayed in my Dad’s vet clinic, and found a new home with us this year! And our monogrammed stockings came from Target.
The kitchen! Our recipe board, which will hopefully be used to display any Christmas cards we might receive, is the home to a fun string of wood slices that my dad cut for me after a tree fell in our yard last year. I painted the letters on and strung them up! We have just a sampling of the multitude of Christmas hand towels that we own, and a cookie plate for the inevitable holiday treats that will be shared this season.
Our front door features a live wreath from Pikes (the same place we got our tree)! The snowmen are just a few from my Mom’s extensive collection. The sheets on our bed are Christmas themed sloths, a much loved gift from my Granny! The soap in the bathroom is even festive, also a gift from my Granny!
Pillows! We have an adorable advent one in my great granny’s rocking chair, an awesome sloth one, and two sweet pale green ones on the couch.
Fun mittens on all the door handles!
One of the most special parts of our Christmas decor, my Grandad and Mimi’s porcelain nativity set. My grandad carefully packaged it up for me in December 2015, and I have been saving it for this moment ever since. Nativity sets have long been one of the best parts of Christmas for me, a reminder of the reason for the season, and this one’s history makes it even more of a treasure.
A Christmas we will always remember for sure, it was so fun to listen to blaringly loud holiday favorites while unearthing all the treasures I have picked up along the way, now all that’s left is the tree! Happy holidays!
