Christmas 2017 Decorations

Each year, we add onto our outside decorations. We have these plastic luminaries that look like paperbags, but have no candles and can be used every night.

The first year, we only lined our property perimeter, but last year we added on. We went up our sidewalk to the front door and went across the common area next to our property.

We moved the location of our cross this year and I like it there.

 

We moved it because I added a new feature and I didn’t want the cross to get lost. The new feature is something I saw at the Galaxy of Lights. The Galaxy of Lights is our local Botanical Garden’s display of holiday lights. There are designated nights for walking through the gardens and you can stop of sweets and hot chocolate. Then there are driving nights, biking nights, a 5k night and a dog-walking night. Whew! It is so much fun. But this year, I noticed their new feature of wrapping trees in tin-foil and using those laser lights that people point at their house, and point it at the tree. 

It looks so cool to see the trees sparkle. 

I have received so many comments on it. 

And during the day, it looks cool, too. 

But I have since taken the laser lights down. I had read this before, forgot, but recently read it again. Airplane pilots do NOT like these lights. They want you to make sure the lights are pointed at your house and not into the sky. Well, that’s what I was doing! I was pointing them up into the trees! AND, we are sooo close to the airport AND an Army base that flies helicopters at night! We are not in a flight path, but occasionally, we get a plane/helicopter that circles above our backyard. Recently one night, there was a plane the kept going over our house ten times. It was a few days later that I re-read the warning about those lights and I immediately took them down. Fun idea, but not worth it to potentially cause a hazard. 

Other décor was have around the outside of the house are some colored lights and blue lights.

We also have our wreaths that I made several years ago. They are still looking great!

And we have our tin nutcracker. I love him.

And we have a couple elf legs.

Inside, we have our stockings by the fireplace.

A tree with colored lights (for the kids).

The garland on the staircase was purchased at a local store. Once we take it down, the stairs look so bare.

I use a smaller garland from the old house on the opposite side of the staircase.

The Post-It notes are used a lot in our house. I come home and there are notes everywhere telling us what things are. The ones on the staircase are to label who is allowed up stairs. Each person has their own note, and then there is a note for "friends."

We have four nativity sets that change their location each year.

The boys were gifted trees to put in their rooms last year.

I bought new ornaments and I love them! The boys decorated their trees all by themselves and did a great job.

I have yet to find a base for the trees. I like the tin buckets and baskets people use. It was my goal to find one this year, but I am unsuccessful. Maybe I can find something in the after Christmas sales.

Their trees are on a timer so they come on when they wake up. Turn off when we go to school. Then they turn on right at bedtime and turn off by the time they should be falling asleep. I currently use the timing of the lights to help tell time. If we have gone to bed later than usual and the lights on the tree are already off, I usually make a comment like, “See guys, we should have been in bed a long time ago. Your tree lights are already off!”

And of course, I have my nutcracker collection around the house. It is so fun to pull these out and remember the story of who gave them to me and when. I had some important people that showered me with love when I was younger. I hope I showed enough appreciation then as I do now. Right now, it feels inadequate. 

Merry Christmas to you all, from my family to yours!