...and the stockings were hung by the chimney with care....

...in hopes that SAINT NICHOLAS soon would be there."

Most of us grew up with those words from the infamous poem...
....somehow, they are so comforting, even to this almost 75 year old.

Hi, everyone,

I have been working my fanny right off my body, trying to make things

look festive and Christmasey, amid all these boxes and disarray.

Our family tradition is to have a

CHRISTMAS EVE dinner, open packages and 

STOCKINGS.

EVERYONE in the family has a stocking hanging 

for everyone to put something special inside...
When all the grands were little, they would hurry thru their dinner,
tear open the packages and then say....
"Now, for the bestest part....STOCKINGS."

Yep, the stockings on Christmas Eve are a huge tradition and
I just love it.

 

Because we are 

SO BLESSED...

we have 19 stockings hanging...

and because I can't possibly hang that many stocking on my mantel,

I have these neat stocking holders I bought several years ago at

KIRKLANDS.

They are metal and will  last a lifetime.
I have one on either side of the fireplace.

The "grownups" stockings hang from stocking holders...

hahhhaa.....I laugh when I say that because just about ALL the grands are now considered GROWNUPS...:)

...there's DEEDS with her big sis, BRYNNA and the BEARDED ONE.

...awww....there's the TWINS, 

ANDREA and BAILEY

with their big sis, LACEY JEAN and Ole St. Nick.

...and BROOKS and DREW and Santa Clause.


I didn't get pictures of ALL the grands with Santa......too bad.

Maybe, if I am lucky, I can get photos of THEIR children with Santa. :)

HOPE and PEACE is what I wish for YOU for Christmas.

My mantel is a little
BARE as I did not UNPACK all my Christmas tubs.....
I will NEXT YEAR, tho

I should have got out some Christmas garland for the mantel.

For every tub I unpack, I just have to turn around and pack it again....

I am trying to have movers take everything we aren't using.

It will make the house easier to STAGE for selling, I hope.

I cut a few branches of cedar to use here...

I hope I remember to cut FRESH for Christmas Eve
night....

A vintage stocking for DAVID....my mom made it for him
when he was born and he is about to be 49.
WOW....

 All the stained glass stocking holders came from HOBBY LOBBY

about 6 years ago.

The vintage, STACY stocking was made by my mother when Stacy was born.

She will be 44 in April.

I've asked David and Stacy if they want to take their stockings home but they say they should stay HERE until.....

well.....until they feel like it's TIME to take them home with them.♥ 

 

This little BLUE stocking is one I put together 

for our first grandson, DREW, when he was born.

It's a kit.....I fell in love with the beautiful and sweet scene.

I added the inter lining of red,

embellished, added his name  and added the bells.

Drew will be 23 next summer.

and....he, too, will take his stocking when the time is right for him. 

I hope you have a day filled with JOY and DAZZLE.

 ................HAVE A PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE  

joining with:
BLUE MONDAY
MIX IT UP MONDAY
MOTIVATED MONDAY
MARTHA'S MONDAY 
MOSAIC MONDAY