My Crazy Life: Christmas Decor 2020

It's no secret I love setting up for Christmas. We like to do so in November, I've decided solidly now, that the weekend after Vale's birthday will be the go-to time. I have tried in the past to leave it much closer to/right after Thanksgiving, but I feel like we are too rushed and unprepared for our advent traditions to start on time. The past few years it's worked nicely to slow roll every thing out mid November. There is no pressure to finish it all in a day, and that works best for me so I feel rested and not hurried into the season of celebration.

The angel on the top shelf is affectionately known as the "Headless Angel", Brooks' gift to me from the Awana Christmas store in 2013. "Here, I got you this, but the head fell off" Thankfully it's made of a resin, not glass, and I was able to reattach the severed head😂

The letterboard sign is just one of many "signs" or pictures that I like to decorate with, because I feel like it properly orients my heart for the meaning of it all - Can you imagine the weight of glory, holding a newborn baby boy - the King of Creation?

I made the canvas sign - A double meaning for me, but the lyric to a song, Noel by Lauren Daigle. All who are weary and worn, Come and see what God has done, in the incarnation of the Son. And also, friends, come and see what God has done in His rescue and redemption of me.

The painting I purchased - it's women in the family tree of Jesus - It's Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba. I could write more about them, but I won't take the time in this post. Suffice it to say - they aren't who you'd expect. They were wronged. They were bound to a life they never would have picked for themselves. They were sinned against. They weren't even all Jewish! They knew what it was like to be in desperate need of rescue. To want nothing more than to be provided for, to be...chosen. And they were chosen. They received the rescue they were waiting for, and they never would have guessed what would happen long after their stories were ended in a little town called Bethlehem, with the birth of a little baby - their many many many times Grandson! I love that picture because of all it represents to show God's faithfulness to those he will call his own.

Part of a lyric to Welcome to Our World by Chris Rice. I traced it off my computer onto "table paper" from Ikea. You've been promised, we've been waiting. That was true of those in the days of Jesus birth, looking forward to his 1st coming, and it's true of us now, looking back on his 1st coming, and looking forward to his 2nd coming. Sometimes it feels so far away, and so impossible, and ...could it really be true, because it doesn't seem likely...and I bet that's what it felt like then, too. And so we wait, with great anticipation for the day we know is coming - the heavens will be rent, the sky will open, and our King will descend to reign and dwell and live with us forever.

A pretty little advent from Gracelaced (Ruth Chou Simons), I put the cards on a christmas card holder from Ikea, and it looks so great!

Hung a wreath on the barn door!

Some art by Gracelaced.

Some art by me!

My nativity set

The Joshua Tree

All delecate/breakables/truly precious ornaments have to stay off the big tree, because we have animals, and they've knocked it over more than once😡

The Jesse Tree...and our stockings

I love the mantle! So pretty

The Jesse Tree is part of our advent traditions.

Vale is loving this Playmobil nativity - so it always looks like this

We love Charlie Brown

A baby nativity set.

But Vale is very upset that Jesus can't come out of his bed, she is quite bothered by the fact that he's lying down. She tries to pry him out and even bite him out😂 But she always sets him up like this😂😂