Christmas transforms my home into a journey a cherished memories… the ones in the past and hopefully the ones for the future. Each decoration, no matter how big or small, tattered or new, expensive or not… has its own story. As I unpack each box or bin or tin, people and places come alive for me in a most magical way.
I love Christmas. I love tradition. I love that my family and friends love my home at the holidays!
Let’s start with the stockings… yes, hung by the chimney with care. I have always loved stockings that look like stockings, so when my family took a little trip to North Conway, New Hampshire many, many years ago… actually, Jane was just a baby… I found my perfect Christmas stockings in a little Christmas shop. I had them all monogrammed, and even though all the kids are grown-up with homes and fireplaces of their own, I still smile when I hang the “family” stockings. My grandchildren now get a big kick out of seeing their Mommys’ or Daddys’ names on the stockings, and inevitably ask if Santa still stops at my home. “Of course,” I explain, “because your Mommy and Daddy are still my kids!”
My little silver reindeer are a more recent gift. Last year, Jane and I were wandering around a discount store in Rhode Island (Job Lot, actually) and I spotted the silver reindeer with six tapered white candles as antlers. Well, I fell in love with them, but we were in such a hurry that the reindeer were left behind. So when I unwrapped an odd shaped gift from Jane a couple of weeks later, I was just so happy! My reindeer! I put them near an icicle tree at Christmas time, but I keep both of them on display all year ’round because I love them that much. Now I know why I love them so much… last week my little 2-year old grandson Alexander happened to get a little discipline from his Daddy and Mommy at my home. He cried with such despair that it broke my heart. I know that he loves my silver reindeer, so I took him into my dining room to help him settle down a bit. Well, he whispered to me as he pointed, “Grandma, that rein-dee-ah is named Ally, like me.” Then he pointed to the other one and whispered, “And that rein-dee-ah is Uncle Dimi.” I was so taken aback. Uncle Dimi is Audrey’s husband’s best friend and our little Alexander Dimitri’s namesake. Alexander never met Uncle Dimi… he died in Iraq in November of 2004. I asked Ally if he talks to Uncle Dimi. He answered so perfectly innocently, “Yes, Grandma.” Heavenly magic.
My home was built in 1780 by a cousin of the Revolutionary hero Nathanael Greene. We love its beauty. We cherish its history. And we love the crooked walls, uneven floorboards, and even the winter drafts (well, maybe not!). But we absolutely adore our 8 fireplaces. This fireplace is in our master bedroom. Each year I hang two little stockings that my husband and I use for a special little gift to each other. I have already picked out my little gift, but like a good elf, I cannot reveal it yet! Little gold reindeer wander along the mantle along the gold beaded garland.
Ah, my husband Barry in our kitchen sharpening his knives! Barry is Portuguese… and he LOVES to entertain. His specialties are pancakes grilled in bacon grease (oh, yes…!) for breakfast, fried bologna and tomato sanwiches for lunch, and prime rib with all the trimmings for dinner. Barry is not a chef, but his love for family and friends, and his love for cooking (inherited from his Mom, who is 89 years old and still cookin’) make his feasts incomparable. Barry is my most precious Christmas memory of all!
This is my dining room fireplace. I display my bell collection of this mantle at Christmastime. I have crystal bells from all over Europe. I have Hallmark bells with the words “Mom & Dad.” I have plastic bells that my kids have given me over the years. But my most prized bell is the one from Jane’s wedding. She and her husband Steve had a December wedding and gave little bells as wedding favors, with a tag that reads, “Thanks for hanging with Jane and Steve… December 4, 2004.”
Ah, my Santa collection! Each year I unpack and unravel dozens of Santas that I have received as gifts and collected since I was a little girl. I place them all on my family room mantle where I can see them from the kitchen, while entertaining, watching television, reading to my grandkids, or having a cup of tea (or glass of Port… remember, my husband is Portuguese!) My most prized Santa is the one I have had since childhood… this Santa holds a Christmas tree that has lost many of its branches, but is still my favorite Santa and tree of all. Another favorite is one I received from my Nana when I moved into my first apartment. It is a Santa with a little attached sleigh. Each of my Santa’s is priceless to me. Each of my Santa’s has its own beautiful story!
My front hall is always decorated with simple greens at Christmas. At night, I leave the front door wide open so passers-by can see the tiny white lights that go all the way up the stairs. And the front hall is where I hang my quilted Advent Calendar with the folk-art Santa. You can see it in the reflection of the mirror. This calendar is a precious decoration from a little store in Barrington, Rhode Island. I bought it when Jane was a baby, and I have watched tiny fingers place the little quilted Santa in the little dated pockets each Christmas season… for decades now. To now watch my grandkids place the little quilted Santa in the pockets is just a dream-come-true!
I spend much of my time in my library, writing and researching. This is one of my favorite rooms in my home because the window looks out to a busy main street in a small New England town. I can just imagine the discussions that have taken place in this room during my home’s 230-year history! I always place another favorite Santa on the mantle in this room… Santa studying the globe. I received this Santa from my brother-in-law several years ago, and I truly love my brother-in-law… and the worldly Santa. Inspiration is the word for this room and for this Santa!
My living room is reserved for my white, silver (or very shiny!) decorations! On the mantle in this room I put white Santas, balls, Demdaco statues… and this year two beautiful snowmen. These snowmen were gifts from my grandsons William and Alexander last Christmas. They are paper mache boxes with the words “May Your Christmas be full of Faith, Family and Friends.” These words say it all! The sun streams into this room in my home all afternoon, and the shimery mantle makes me feel completely at peace.
As you leave my home through the front hall, you must pass right by my dining room door. As quests leave, I love to give them a silver bell. One of my greatest joys is hanging my Silver Bells sign and finding bells to hang for all to enjoy!
Before the grandkids, I loved to put dozens of angels, small trees, ornaments and the like on every surface of my home. Now I put lots of stuffed Santas, reindeer, gingerbread men, snowmen and pillows on every windowsill and chair! The grandkids love to play with them, toss them on the floor, jump of them, throw them into the air, carry them… just plain enjoy them! I love it! My newest pillow is one that reads “Meet Me Under the Mistletoe.”
When I was a newlywed, my mother-in-law gave me a service-for-4 of Christmas dishes. That was one of my favorite gifts of all time! Well, over the years she has added more and more… and others have added more and more… til now. I have a service for 32! My Christmas dishes are not expensive. They are not irreplaceable. They are a combination of many manufacturers. But collectively, these dishes and the meaning behind each and every piece, is beyond priceless. When I put my Christmas dishes on each of my two kitchen hutches each holiday season, that is when the holidays begin. That is the start of the magic.
Thank you for taking the Christmas Tour of my home! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I loved sharing it with you!
You can find Jane’s Christmas Tour here!
– Sharon
What a beautiful, historical home. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sharon,
Your home is beautiful and you have decorated it so nicely! I’ll be over to join you for Barry’s Prime Rib! Blessings on you all this Christmas!
http://happywonderer.wordpress.com/2007/12/17/christmas-tour-of-homes-2007-2/
Beautiful home and beautifully decorated, thanks for letting us visit.
I love your home, Sharon! Thank you for letting us “visit”.
Oh, and now I’m craving a fried bologna and tomato sandwich. A glass of port too (I’m Portuguese as well) but I’d be happy with the sandwich.
What a beautiful home and thank you so much for showing it to us! 🙂
Your mantles are beautiful and I love your Santas. Thanks for the great tour.
Your home is amazing! Thanks for sharing! I love the silver bells tradition.
Sharon, you are a wonderful hostess and this was a lovely tour! I feel so welcome and, just maybe, that Christmas spirit is starting to wake up a little bit again.
Thank you.
Oh man do those pancakes sound delish!
What a loving decorated home. Love the history lesson and tour. I can see why you love your home so much!
Love the silver reindeer! Beautiful home. 🙂
Your home is lovely!!! So warm and inviting, I enjoyed your decorations! thanks for sharing! 🙂
Sharon Your home is beautiful. You have is decorated so nice.. It looks like the perfect place to come home for christmas too.
Thank you for inviting us to tour your home with you.
Merry Christmas
Your house is so beautiful, and it shows exactly how I would decorate if I were celebrating Christmas instead of Hanukkah. Such pretty details and so classically New England. Just lovely!
Simply lovely. Beautiful home. Merry Christmas. I joined the tour too.
beautiful home!
What a fun tour! Thanks! I love the silver bells!
Your home is so beautiful! I love the way you decorate!
Lovely. You have great taste!
What a wonderful post, Sharon! Your home is beautiful, but even more beautiful are the memories you have of all the holidays with your family. That is truly special.
Your home is absolutely beautiful. You have decorated it magnificently. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
What a beautiful and festive home! Your children and grandchildren must love spending the holidays there.
What a beautiful home – I love its rich history AND the 8 fireplaces! Wow! I especially like the fireplace in the master bedroom. You have decorated your entire home beautifully.
Your home and decorations are lovely! Thanks for giving us a tour.
It all looks beautiful!
Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Your home is so beautiful and I enjoyed reading about the history of your home . Thank you for welcoming us into your home!
Merry Christmas!
Patty
I live outside of Boston but am originally from Texas, and one of the things I will miss terribly when we move back is the beautiful homes. I just love yours! So much character!
A beautifully decorated home!
Wow! Your house is amazing. You are such a great grandma! Loved all the decorations!
Your home is so beautiful! I love the stockins!! 🙂
I love your home, the decorations are beautiful – and it makes me jealous that I don’t have 8 fireplaces to decorate!
My favorite, though, is the silver bell tradition. I think it’s so special, and enables you to share your love and the holiday spirit with all your guests.
Thank you for sharing this with all of us! Merry Christmas!
Very, very pretty! I thoroughly enjoyed my tour of your beautful home. Thank you for showing us in. Merry Christmas!
You have a stunning home! I love just everything I saw…so beautiful.
Merry Christmas!
Beautiful home, thanks for sharing.
Merry Christmas
Thank you for sharing! What a beautiful home!
I love that house, I love the decorations. But I must say I am absolutely in love with the fireplace with the “always kiss me goodnight” sign and the mirror in the hall by the stairs. Its GORGEOUS!!!
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