Christmas memories old and new

As I'm typing this it is only TWO days until Christmas Eve and I am getting so excited!
As far back as I can remember, Christmas has been my favorite holiday. When I was a little girl, I can remember how absolutely magical Christmas felt. It wasn't just the tree and the lights, or just the gifts, which were far from lavish or extravagant. No, the magic I'm referring to was something in the very air, something you could almost palpably feel.
I've mentioned before here on the blog that I grew up very poor. I can remember more than one Christmas when our gifts were special gifts that Santa had saved from the "Island of Misfit Toys" (as referenced in the old Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" cartoon). The toys weren't the latest or greatest but they were from SANTA and that made them special. I was so happy to get those naked Barbie dolls covered in ink scribbles with matted hair because Santa Claus chose ME of all the children on his list to receive those misfit toys. I don't remember feeling any disappointment whatsoever!

Mama loved Christmas but I imagine it was very difficult for her year after year not knowing how she would provide gifts for us to open on Christmas morning. If she let her worry or stress show then I was oblivious to it....all I felt was wonder and happiness.
I also remember each year thinking that our tree just had to be the most beautiful tree in all the world. We would traipse through the fields looking for just the perfect round, fat cedar tree to call our own. Mama would fit the tree into a 5 gallon bucket and fill in around the trunk with rocks and gravel to hold it in place. Some years she would even have to tie a string around it and attach it to a nail in the wall to keep it from toppling over. Mama would cover that tree with so much garland and tinsel that it glittered like diamonds! My mama surely loved tinsel lol. I, unfortunately, don't have any photos of those childhood Christmas trees but I certainly have my memories of them!

After I became a bonafide adult (not sure when or how that happened lol), I slowly began to associate Christmas with stress rather than joy and I let it become a chore to me until there were years when I didn't enjoy it at all. It took awhile but I have slowly but surely learned to control the stress and Christmas has once again become exciting and magical to me.

I couldn't wait to get my tree up this year and I started shopping in September so I wouldn't be stressed with the shopping aspect.
So, with all that said, I wanted to share with you some pictures of our home decorated for this wonderful holiday that is CHRISTmas. I realize not everyone feels that Christmas is based on the birth of Jesus and I respect that...I hope that you will all also respect my belief of the opposite :)

The view coming into the kitchen 

The small tree centerpiece on the table in the kitchen

Some of the pretty packages underneath our tree!

The top of the gas fireplace...this tree is about 2 ft tall I think

The red block "gift" on the left was something Brandon
made in elementary school...I think PreK. And the Frosty
on the far right is musical and I picked it up from one of my
favorite stores, Goodwill, lol. 

This amazing cookie jar was also picked up from
the Goodwill this past weekend for $4.99 and I
absolutely LOVE it!!

And here's the entire living room as seen from
directly in front of the front door.

And THIS is a picture I took with my phone
using the Panorama feature, hence the reason
you can see the entire room and it has the
curved effect. 

I promise it doesn't look nearly as cluttered in person :) It's actually
quite festive, if I do say so myself. There are a few other small pieces of Christmas scattered about the house but this is the main part.

If I don't post again before Christmas, then I want to wish you all the happiest Christmas ever! Enjoy your family and friends...laugh, be merry and make wonderful memories!!

As always, thanks for stopping by and come back soon!!

Rhonda