HM5: Indoor Decorations

Decorating for Christmas is always fun for us. The biggest focus is the tree, but we also have a lot of little Christmas items strewn around the house.

These sleigh bells for instance. We've had them for 10 years and each years the kids truly enjoy them. They have been used in past years to simulate Santa's sleigh bells when he comes to check to see if the kids are in bed. Of course, the kids each take a turn ringing them while we are trying to find a place to put them up. Nothing like sleigh bells to wake up the holiday spirit.

I also love this Christmas carousel. It was given to me by Brian's parents many years ago after the kids and I admired it at their house. Each time we were over the kids would turn it on and watch it go round and round, light glowing, to the sound of Christmas carols. This has been a favorite of everyone's but Carissa especially loves it and has a habit of turning it on whenever the mood strikes her.

My Snowbaby collection holds a special place in my heart and in our homes each winter. My first Snowbaby was a gift from Brian the first Christmas after Chase was born. Now my collection has grown and I have several shelves of them. I love bringing them out each year.

My absolutel favorite indoor decoration, if you can call it that, are the kids Christmas stockings. I cross-stitched these stockings for the kids, finally finishing Carissa's last Christmas Eve. Now there is a complete set of stockings, homemade with love. I hope the kids will treasure these as much as I treasure the one I had as a child.