Our Cracker Box Christmas

Christmas for us is generally spent up in Ohio with our extended families. Because we travel nearly every year, I am tempted to just forgo decorating for Christmas at our house. Because who loves coming home to a tree so dry it could impale you? No one. That's who.

But, decorating for Christmas is probably as much fun for my kids as is Christmas morning. There's no way we could not do it around here. So, since our families never get to see our house at Christmas time, I thought I would post some pictures here.

I'm also linking to The Nester's Christmas Tour of Homes.

Though, I have to say I'm a little nervous about that since most of those homes and pictures look like they've been done by professional stylists.

Our home? Well, there's no rhyme, no reason for what we put out for Christmas. We put it up because we have in the past, and the kids wouldn't be happy if we didn't do it again. It's sorta like Santa threw up in the living room. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?

My dreams of a perfectly coordinated decorating scheme will have to wait.

So, here we go.

I don't know if it's an indication of my mood today, but this little guy is my favorite decoration right now.



What's even better is that if you push on his back, he does this:

I ran out of brown-colored jelly beans. Lucky you!

Here's the living room.

See that wreath against the window? That's actually what I was trying to capture in this horribly dark photo.

A close-up of the wreath I made. Yes. I did. Glue gun and all.

Our every color, crazy, hectic, ornaments-jumbled-too-close-together tree.

I love it. Can't help myself.

Into the kitchen. Please pardon my wrapping paper and boxes in the corner!

We started this tradition a few years ago. Each day, the kids open a door on the advent calendar and find a candy treat and a small ornament. They then hang them on this little tree. It's the first thing they do when they wake up every morning.

Hideously old-school, but I love this thing for some reason.

Some of those things I would have kept in boxes, but the kids had to have them out.

Every home with young children should have this toy. It's a hit every year I bring it out.

Our "Elf on the Shelf," Elfie decided to ride the reindeer this morning.

This was always out at my house during the Christmas season while I was growing up, and it doesn't seem right not to include it now.


And finally, some of my favorite ornaments:

My girl. Ugh! Was she ever so small?

Geesh... we were infants!

The kids love this one. Pooh and Piglet's sleigh moves around the circle when you pull the string on the bottom.


And, last, but not least . . .

Guess who!

Thanks for visiting our Cracker Box Christmas!