Just one ornament............

This was the year I said "no more ornaments." The decision to simplify ~ remember all I learned in France in October ~ made me decide not to unpack many from other years as we are not having an indoor tree. If you are still a sweet young thing, you've no clue as to how Christmas ornaments have a tendency to multiply..........very quickly! By the time you become a grandparent your entire home can be a repository for Christmas stuff! The secret is to have a yard sale as part of your New Year celebration or, better still, donate them to a charity shop, as many of us refuse to do a yard sale on a sub-zero Saturday morning in January. Otherwise, the only remaining option is to run to Target for a pickup truck full of those green plastic 'ornament storage' boxes which then take up your entire attic or basement.

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A quick trip to the mall this past weekend had me stop in my tracks when I spied a Christmas Shop. There's probably one in a mall near you too. Inside.................yes, I just begged a minute to pop inside.............was every imaginable ornament ever made. Nice thing was they were categorized such as Disney, Birds, Fairies, Snowmen etc., making it easy to just look at what you enjoy collecting.

Of course I don't really collect chandeliers............yet! I have one in the dining room, one in the 'Paris guest room', and a little one in the Potting Shed - hanging there because the electrician refused to hang it in a bathroom............apparently it's "against code" if reachable when one stands dripping wet on the rim of the tub, and we all do that, don't we!!? I would have those beautiful glittery prisms dangling in every room if dh would agree to dump the ugly ceiling fans.

So I broke the vow of 'no new ornaments' this year. You have to agree it's really lovely. Even dh knew this mini chandelier wouldn't require taking down a ceiling fan ~ guess that's why he treated me to it, thanks dear.

I hung this miniature beauty around the cottage, loving how it brightened up each place. Near a dark wood door it glowed.......................reflected in a vintage oval mirror it sparkled.


Hanging from my old French frame and glass glitter sign in the Paris bedroom, it made me think of the Opera Garnier and a certain phantom!


Tonight it's hanging beneath the real dining room chandelier. The porch lights are on, 'snowflakes' are at the window........................and as the rain pours down the little chandelier helps light up the room.

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Did you buy new ornaments this year? If so, which one is your favorite?

Sights & Sounds of Christmas

No matter what you wish for at Christmas, nothing can beat the simple sights and sounds around one's home.

Hang your wish list in a prominent place!

Listen to traditional carols and Christmas songs, remembering the long ago learned words, and join in..............................

..................or blow loud horns and trumpets of joy.

Pull Christmas crackers, jumping when they snap! Traditionally enjoyed by British revelers before digging in to Christmas dinner so they can wear the silly paper hats inside.......how we love them and are glad they are now available in the USA.

Burn candles brightly. They light up the evening as it draws in early, casting shadows around the rooms. The romance of gentle candlelight.

Perfume your home with Nature's scents. Long lasting rosemary is perfect and can be trained into simple topiaries.

Unwrap your Christmas treasures to hang from a tree, dangle from a hook, rest on a pretty china plate.

Stand by your window, looking out into the crisp world. Wait for the first big flakes......wish for them to stick and turn the dreary Winter garden into a holiday wonderland.


.......Wish upon a star.......

Christmas Simplicity

I'm planning to turn over a new leaf. After staying in lovely places where less is more, and visions of simplified French country decor, rather than sugarplums, still swim in my head, I'm hoping to keep the holidays simple around the cottage.

Christmas decorating time is here. The boxes are down from the attic, tissue wrapped ornaments are dusted off, and once again stuff is everywhere!
BUT.....................I am restraining myself somewhat. I love Christmas with vintage glitter, angels on high, velvet robed Santas, white wood snowflakes hanging in the window, musical snow globes, white candles in mercury glass holders...................the smell of fresh pine garlands, red holly berries.........a Christmas tree.
So decorate I will............simply.


I started on the outside on Saturday......................strung new white lights along the fence and arbor........wound strings of lights and replaced the white star balls hanging from a little tree by the potting shed, pesky squirrels having chewed the original ones. Sunday it rained heavily all day. On the next fine one I'll be stringing lights on the front porch and decorating the tree in the gazebo.

Meanwhile, in the house the kitchen rooster was first to be 'decorated'.
Hung a candle wreath around his neck ~ looks adorable.
Can I keep it all simple like this? Wait and see.