Thursday, December 10

Christmas House Tour

It's time for Julia's Hooked on Holiday House Tours. Thank you for hosting us, Julia!

My husband and I were having lunch together today, and, remembering that Christmas this year is on a Friday, he asked, "Is Christmas three weeks from tomorrow?"

No, sweetheart. Christmas is TWO weeks from tomorrow. Just two short weeks and Christmas will be here. Can you believe it?

I love decorating for Christmas. I also love having the house decorated for Christmas. I'm not sure which one I enjoy more--the fun of decorating or the wonder of having things decorated. Let me show you some of what I've done.

As you approach my house, the first thing you'll see is my front porch. I love this space, which I've tried to make into an outdoor living room. So it seems only natural for it to have a Christmas tree here:



Now come on in--it's chilly outside! We're blessed to have a nice big foyer. Just off the foyer is my husband's study. It's a very masculine room, complete with stone fireplace, leather club chair, and antique nautical prints. So I've kept my decorating to a minimum--a garland for the stone fireplace and a couple of candles are enough to add a touch of Christmas.



To the right of the front door is this antique dresser:



Here I have some of the magnolia leaves that remind me of my mom. I also love to display these little angels that spell "Noel." I'm not sure how old these are--they belonged to my mom's mom. Aren't they darling? My youngest son, Lee, likes to change them around to spell other words, like "Leon." And one day he said, "Too bad you don't have a 'B' and an 'R.' You could spell 'Lebron.'" It's not just Christmastime. Basketball season is upon us.




Just beyond the dresser is the doorway to the dining room. My favorite Christmas decorations in the dining room are on the china cabinet:



Our oldest son was born in 1991, the year that Lenox introduced its "Trees Around the World" series of plates. I bought one of these plates in 1991, 1993, and 1997, the years our sons were born. I love them displayed here.



And at night, it's fun to light up the china cabinet:




To the left of the front door is the staircase, where I like to hang another garland:



As you can see, the foyer leads straight into the living room. I've shown you my wall of crosses. Right in that corner is where we put our Christmas tree.



Our tree is definitely a sentimental one--it's covered in all kinds of ornaments. My husband and I got married in 1985, so this is our 25th Christmas together. We've added at least one ornament to our collection every year. We've bought our sons an ornament every year, too. So the tree is filled with ornaments belonging to all of us.

Across the room from the tree is the fireplace.



Our stockings are all hung here. It's funny that one of our stockings hangs with the toe pointing to the left; the others all hang with the toes pointing to the right. Luckily the odd one belongs to our oldest son, so it belongs in the middle. (Do you hang your stockings in order? Ours go Dad, Mom, Son 1, Son 2, Son 3.) I love the candles on the mantel, along with my homemade topiaries and fresh greenery.

As you can see, the dogs love that chair by the fireplace. But that chair is a hot commodity on Christmas morning, when the boys will argue about who gets to sit there. I don't really care where I sit, as long as I get to be with all of them.

Come back on Monday for Nester's Tour of Homes and we'll poke around a bit more!

28 comments:

  1. I love all of it but I'm especially loving that you bought three little plates to commemorate the years of your kiddos' births. What a precious idea! Your house looks fantastic and the garland running up the stairs is perfect.

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  2. Your holiday home is lovely. I am also appreciating the sentimental meaning behind those plates.
    Susan

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  3. Gorgeous as always!
    Merry Christmas

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  4. Your home looks so Christmasy and cozy, I just love your front porch Richella.
    xxx

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  5. Your tree plates on the hutch are so cute, and their sentimentality must give you such pleasure. I love how you accented them with the magnolia leaves. Everything in your home looks lovely and festive.
    ~Sue

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  6. Oh your house is beautiful! I love your taste in decorating, especially the color of your dining room, and the stone fireplace!!!

    Suzanne
    Love the plates, too!

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  7. Everything is so pretty. It's so inviting and homey. I can just picture myself waking up here on Christmas morning.

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  8. Richelle, your home is beautiful. I adore the big front porch, something I'd love to have one day but it would mean moving and don't know if I could do that!! Love your wall of crosses too!

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  9. Richella! Did you say 25 years of marraige? My goodness girl you look soooo young and beautiful! What is your secret?

    Your home is absolutely hands down one of the prettiest I have seen on this tour! It's so elegant yet very cozy and welcoming. Your front porch is a-ma-zing! Love the stunning furniture and your trees are gorgeous!

    Thank you very much for the kind compliment. You truly made my night! It was hard for me to post that photo. Yikes!
    I have been working so hard at my new healthy lifestyle and I'm finally getting closer to my old weight and former "self". The high B/P is long gone. I'm so grateful.

    Enjoy this blessed season!
    ~Warmly, ~Melissa :)

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  10. Everything looks great!!! I love the stockings & mantel the best. Lucky for you that your oldest son's stocking belongs in the middle.

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  11. pk @ Room Remix
    It all looks so pretty, but I'm honestly having trouble getting past your awesome porch! Sigh... So pretty and welcoming. Would love a porch like that. :-)

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  12. Your stairs are SO pretty. I am so envious of people with stairs, I'm a Christmas decoration fanatic. Your mantle is very pretty, too. That's always my favorite spot to decorate since I don't have any stairs to call my own :)

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  13. Rhichella, your home is so beautifully and so tastefully decorated. I love that the decorations have a simpler tone and not cluttered looking.

    Your front porch is amazing! It's definitely another living room!

    That fireplace in your husband's study is exactly what I want in my dream house.

    I didn't know Lenox made those plates. What a wonderful idea to get one for each year a son was born. They are lovely.

    The magnolia leaves make everything look so rich and royal, like you're decorating for a king, which you are!

    And, of course, I always love that wall of crosses, another idea I hope to borrow at some point.

    Beautiful!

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  14. Absolutely beautiful. I love everything. I am enjoying bloglands decor since I haven't decorated this year. We just moved 5 weeks ago (800 miles)and I just couldn't do it this. Your house looks lovely.

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  15. Beautiful Christmas decor.

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  16. Richella, I SO want to move in with you. ;) Your home is gorgeous!!! I love your front porch and your tree is so pretty. :)

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  17. An outdoor living...my dream! your house is gorg, as are all of your pretty decorations! 5 stars!!

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  18. WOW! Your front porch? Your husband's study? Just amazing. Lovely home all around!

    Christmas blessings to you!
    Melissa

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  19. Yes, I never thought about it, but I do hang my stockings in order ~ I'm first! Love your husband's study. I'd love a study like that. Your son sounds like my son, I would find things moved around like your Noel angels ~ quite the funny guy, my son. Your house looks beautiful!

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  20. Hi Richella! I love the Christmas plates from the tears your sons were born, and I am also partial to the photo with your puppies lounging on the chair! Thank you so much for your visit to my home, and your lovely comment. Have a Merry Christmas!

    Karen
    My Desert Cottage

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  21. Beautiful, beautiful!!! I think my favorite photo is the view of the stairway and on into the livingroom. I love that garland on the stairway!! Your porch "room" is just precious, too! You must make all your neighbors smile. What a warm, inviting home you have! Blessings!

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  22. BEAUTIFUL!!!!! I just adore your home.

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  23. I know I say this every time I visit your blog, but I love your house. It's just so warm and inviting.

    What a wonderful idea to have the plates from the years your children were born. Love that!

    Have a wonderful weekend, Richella! :)

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  24. Oh my goodness, Richella, your house is gorgeous! I love seeing your holiday touches in each room. Can't wait to see more!

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  25. Your home looks gorgeous Richella! I really enjoyed the story about your mom sending the Magnolia branches to you. How sweet :)

    rue

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  26. How beautiful! I love the porch/sunroom/whatever (sorry...not thinking straight right now)!

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  27. Just beautiful. I particularly love your wall of crosses. What a beautiful idea~

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