Christmas is just around the corner…
Christmas is just around the corner…
I love Christmas. I always have and probably always will. I love pulling out the decorations year after year and seeing the old ornaments my kids have made over the years. I get to relive for a short period, all those delicious childhood memories, both my own children’s and mine.
My favorite decoration of all is a Paper Mache Santa holding onto a swaddled baby. I love this for a couple of reasons. First of all, I collect Santas. I have some very beautiful Santas from vintage to ornaments to boiled wool and each one has its own place in my heart. The second reason I love this particular Santa is my eldest son was born on Dec 17th and my lovely aunt gave it to me after I brought him home from the hospital. I can get a little lump in my throat when I bring it out each year and remember that special day.
Some memories are very funny. For instance, my youngest son made a Christmas tree ornament when he was 3 years old in preschool. It has his picture in it and is obviously decorated by a 3 yr old. BUT on the back where his name is supposed to be it has someone else’s name. Each year as we take out the ornaments we wonder if the other family has a Christmas ornament on their tree that has my son’s name on it!
For some reason we find this hysterically funny and we will proudly show the ornament and tell the story to whoever will listen each year. Last year a new layer was added to the story.
When the story came up at dinner one night , my son decided to look the boy up on FaceBook and realized he had been sitting next to him on the plane on his way home from university for Christmas!! Isn’t that just bizarre??
Christmas is also laden with tradition. I am sure we all have a set way we “do” Christmas. My daughter LOVES my Nuts and Bolts recipe I do every year. I usually have to make a few batches over the season as the kids’ friends love it as well.
My daughter’s first year away at school, when she was in the middle of exams and obviously just biding her time to come home, she asked me to send her some Nuts and Bolts. So I did.
Sending those darn things across the country set me back 70$! But, you know, it was worth it. She and her friends were so grateful. Sometimes a taste of something can remind you of home and that is priceless.
I did something wildly crazy this year….I strayed from the traditional green Christmas tree. We at Designers Collective, had put on a Pop Up shop in November and one of the decorations we did for the shop was to whitewash bare deciduous trees.
Don’t worry they were found and not cut down. They worked so well in the shop that I thought, why not use one at home as our tree this year. I was very sure to clear it with my daughter first. She loves tradition so I needed her “ok”.
So I took it home and lugged it up all the stairs and put it up in our living room. It’s not quite what we are used to but it looks great!!
There is not really room for many ornaments, so perhaps I will go back to our traditional tree next year but I think it is good to try and mix it up sometimes too.
We made a eucalyptus wreath last year at Designers Collective and I love how it turned out. It has now been added to my list of new traditions.! Have a look at our DIY videos to see how we did this.
What is important to remember is that no matter how we choose to celebrate the season, it is a time for coming together with family and friends.
We at Designers Collective wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a joyful holiday with your loved ones. We look forward to a New Year filled with lots of new ideas, workshops, Pop Ups and more. Stay tuned for all the news!
Happy Holidays everyone!
