It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

While my Beef and Noodles were simmering, Frank, Mom and I went downstairs to start getting ready for the party scheduled Monday evening.

I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of those preparations with you. 

 

First we put out the carolers.

They will live on top of our piano for the rest of the Christmas season.

Did I mention that Frank plays the piano?

This year, I bought the street lamp to add to the display.

I was at Season's and fell in love with it so when it went on sale the owner, Liz, gave me a call to let me know and I ran over and snatched it up.

 

 

Then I put up this display but I didn't care for it.

I felt that it was missing something.

 

 

Then I remembered that my friend, Linda Adler Green, had brought me back these wonderful pine cones from New Hampshire.  They are gargantuan!!

 

 

Frank took one of them, covered it with spray adhesive and shook it in a bag with silver glitter.

It was perfect.  So I asked him to do the rest.  He made some gold and some silver.

 

 

I added these to the display and I love it now!!!

 

 

We put up one of our many Nativities.

This is a very special Nativity.

This belonged to Frank's parents.

His Dad made the stable and his Mom made all the figurines.

They are all awaiting the arrival of baby Jesus.

 

 

Our son, Tony, gave me this nativity for Christmas when he was just a youngster.

 

 

This Nativity was a gift from Frank.

 

 

We were at one of the K of C Christmas parties long ago, celebrating Mom's birthday.

They had a drawing and this was one of the items you could win.

I mentioned that I hoped my number got drawn because I loved this piece.

My brother, Dan's, number was drawn and he went up and got this for me.

It is a few day's before the first anniversary of Dan's death so this is an especially bittersweet memory for me.

 

 

My friend, Heidi, made this Nativity for me.

These are just my basement Nativities, I will share more when we decorate upstairs.

 

 

We also have a collection of Santas.

This was our first, purchased on the first Christmas after we were married.

It was $49.99 and we could not believe we were spending that much.

But I loved it and Frank insisted that we get it.

 

 

I have a pair of these, one on each side of a bookcase.

Our friends, Michelle and Myron, got them for us.

Myron is no longer with us and Michelle is now in Texas.

 

 

Frank's sister got him this Santa.

Have I mentioned that Frank plays the accordion?

 

 

She also got him this Santa with a sax.

Did I mention that Frank plays the saxophone?

 

 

We found this Santa when we moved into our second house together.

We waited until after Christmas to buy him when he went on sale.

 

 

Frank's brother got us this very cool diving Santa

 

 

And also this Wine Tasting Santa.

 

 

And when we were working we were often given Police Santas as gifts.

 

 

And Police snowmen too.

 

Our stuffies make an appearance each year.

 

 

And I bought this display a few years ago, again from Seasons.

This display will stay out until Spring.

 

Thanks for joining as I walked down memory lane....

I hope you join me for decorating the rest of the house when I recuperate LOL.

 

I am linking up with Nesting Place for the 2013 Tour of Homes.