Quick side note: I have yet to see National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation this year. Dubbya-Tee-Eff, friends? It's usually alllll over the television by now. And, I digress... on with the show!
The tour starts in the front foyer, where we are greeted each year by the Big Guy, himself.
Hugh and I purchased this animatronic Santa at the Hellmouth twelve years ago; he was the first holiday purchase that we made once our four-year house remodel was complete. I think Hugh indulged me, not because he wanted a five-foot dancing Santa in his foyer, but because he was happy to still have a five-foot-five wife following all those years of living in a construction zone.
Over the years, Santa has picked up a variety of accessories, including this compass, allegedly "lost" by the "real" Santa during one of his visits to our children. I still remember the awe in the Man-Cub's eyes when he discovered it next to the empty cookie plate.
Looking past Santa, we see the living room, which, is where the majority of my decorations reside. I take a picture from this vantage point almost every year, and, almost without fail, there is an animal somewhere in the mix. Can you spot the ginger kitty?
I changed things up a bit this year, adding touches of tartan plaid throughout the house; one of my favorites is the ribbon that I used on the tree, in place of the red wooden bead garland that I have used for years.
The large Santa portrait over the fireplace is also new; Queen B, Katie, and I discovered it at a barn sale this fall and I knew that it was meant to grace my mantel. I picked up these metal reindeer at my local grocery store to finish off the new look, and, I love it.
Since I usually use my large wooden BELIEVE blocks on the mantel, I needed a new spot this year, and, since I chose not to set up my village again this year, they landed on top of the entertainment center, along with the flocked garland that I made last year. I think it worked out, beautifully.
Extra credit if you can identify the cheesy 80's movie that was playing when I took this picture
As usual, my Rankin Bass figurine collection is featured front and center on the entertainment center shelves, along with my Jim Shore nativity set and my collection of putz houses.
The breakfast nook features my collection of nutcrackers, as well as one of my Christmas farm trucks. This year, I'm using a buffalo plaid scarf as a table runner; buffalo plaid is allll the rage right now and I think I got this one in a subscription box. I'm not sure what I'll do with it after Christmas, but, could see it in a photo shoot at some point down the road.
Outside of jazzing up my cake stand collection with lights and snowglobes, I really didn't do a whole lot in the kitchen this year. Sometimes, less is more (she said; tongue firmly in cheek).
I used the new wine buffet in the dining room to display my mercury glass trees...
...and the table in the foyer to display my vintage glass tree ornaments.
Other than changing our bedding to holiday sheets and tossing holiday pillows on the beds, I usually don't decorate upstairs. This year, however, I became the custodian of an abandoned flocked tree, so I am using it in the small upstairs sitting room. It fits in the corner of the room quite well, and, I can see it from my bed at night, which is actually pretty nice.
Of course, a holiday tour would not be complete without porch pictures! And, while I went pretty low-key out there this year, it is still worth noting.
And, that's it for the Holiday Home Tour 2018! If you hung in there through that pictorial, you must be either bored or stuck behind a desk, slowly chipping away at the workday, counting down the minutes until you can go home.
Either way, Merry Christmas Eve! Thanks for reading!
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