Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge: My Winter Holiday Traditions

I love, love, love, LOVE Christmas. I love decorating inside the house and outside the house. I love Christmas movies, hot chocolate, a fire in the fireplace. There is nothing about Christmas I do not like.

I wasn't feeling much in the Christmas spirit, though, this year. My mama passed away in September, a week before she turned 91, and it was largely due to her influence I enjoy Christmas so much. I was having trouble feeling it this year. But, my husband loves for me to decorate, and I knew that she would be disappointed if I did not decorate this year. She loved coming home for Christmas and spending the day with whoever was able to be there.

So, I am decorating, but a little bit differently this year. Normally, I put out my ever-growing Christmas village, my also ever-growing Santa Clause collection (see pictures from last year below), and my snowmen collection (ditto).  I can't resist looking for new Christmas decorations everywhere I go. It's a compulsion my husband thinks might be out of control...lol. Oh well.

However, my mama collected nativity scenes, and adding that to the mix was going to be a little overwhelming (even for me...who believes that Christmas should look like joy threw up all over the house). So.... I have a solution.

I already alternate tree decoration colors. One year, I feature red and gold, the next blue and silver. So, I'm just expanding that. Odd years, I will feature blue/silver, my snowman collection (see below) and Mama's nativity scenes (still a work in progress). Even years, red/gold, Santa collection, and the Christmas village.

Things may be different, but the love remains the same.

And, that's what Christmas is all about.