More Progress toward Christmas! All done but the Cooking and Cleaning!

BEWARE!  THIS POST IS PHOTO INTENSIVE!

I had thought I would skip through Christmas without dragging out many of my decorations, but hey, it's almost Christmas, and I just couldn't stand it!  So........I did it!  Well, most everything is out; a few things are missing, but I love going by each decoration to punch the button and hear it sing or talk, or just play Christmas music.   So many of them remind me of the one who gave them to me.   Thanks to my son for getting the big tubs out of the garage, and helping me get the water globes off the top shelf in the utility room!  I was able to get the tall figurines from the top of a bedroom closet myself.  Putting batteries in all those things took a while.  My grandsons did that for me in times past, and I got to learn what a pain that is!  Now I'm realizing those batteries all have to be removed after Christmas, but it just wouldn't be Christmas at my house without all the glitz and glitter, and SOUND!  (Yes, I know; I'm just a crazy old woman!)  But if you could be here, you'd love it all too I'm sure!

You've seen it all before, but I want to share some pictures from this year.  A few pieces have been rearranged from times past, and some are in exactly the same places.

From my living room:

Double click to see details better.

Closeup of the sleighs, which are cookie jars.

(Angel's skirt is clear, not silver; dome covers manger scene; light reflection problems.)
Lighted box says "All is calm; all is bright." 

Gold  Santa checking his list from my neighbor;
Keyboard cover fabric from Ruth of Country Log Cabin Quilter; I hand quilted it.

From my den:

Corner of my den with my piano, which has five pianos on it,
along with two manger water globes, and of course, Santa!

Close-up of one end of piano
Notice the little angels got their letters mixed up
My younger son always did that, so I still do.

Other end of piano

"Mr. Christmas" Mouse and piano on music stand by my piano.
When someone walks by and breaks light source, he starts telling them to
"put a song on the piano and I'll play it for you", and he does.
12 songs are on the little chip music cards in racks on the ends of piano.
This is one of my favorites!

I made the appliqued "Christmas Chickadees" wall hanging in 2004; won 1st place in a show, if you can believe it!
  No, I didn't make the quilt on the love seat; bought it at Penneys.

The gold boy is playing a horn, and the girl has her hands over her ears!
Son No.1 gave me the gingerbread house and gold lighted tree.

Manger Scene bought in 1978

From my bedroom:

Five manger scenes and angels

A friend from 1st grade gave me the two prissy little ladies
 (tree decorations),  and they fit perfectly by my two tiny pianos.
They make me laugh every year
I love my white Santa too!

Tiny tree and packages on my jewelry cabinet.
Crocheted cutwork piece 'rug' from long ago.

Hanging on my bedroom door

From the hall:

Little tree quilt hanging, made by same friend that gave me
the prissy ladies by little pianos
Quilts in cabinet made by my mother and my aunt.

Closeup of my bear bands on top of quilt cabinet;
quilts made by my aunt in late 1930's

From my sunroom:

;

My favorite nativity scene, I think.

Daddy was a postman 44 years; so I had to  make this one several years ago.

One of my favorite panels. 

From the hall bath:

A couple of others I missed along the way:

Hangs in hall on a closed door..

Only new Christmas quilt this year!  I love that picture of Santa in guest bedroom.
My son helped me hang this quilt.

For an  old crippled lady, I guess I've done okay to get all this up by myself!  I could never have done it if my son had not gotten all the tubs down for me, from closets and the garage!  Believe it or not, I didn't get everything out, nor did I show you all that is out!    As I've said before, I'm just a crazy old woman!

There is one thing I didn't get a closeup picture of that I want to share.  It is a small heart-shaped placque that looks like a wood carving that says, "I will honor Christmas in my heart and will try to keep it all the year!"  Sometimes that's hard to do, but I do try really hard to do that.  Obviously, Christmas is my favorite time of the year.  Let's all remember that Jesus our Savior is the reason we have such a glorious season!  I love having Santa Clause all over my house, but you can also see that I love having the Nativity scenes in every room also.  What's more important is to keep Him in my heart!

Merry Chrstmas to all of you. Remember, like the placque on my piano: "Keep Christ in Christmas!" 

---"Love"