December Daily – Day 1

In the world of paper-crafting, December Daily diaries are extremely popular. The idea is December is a busy month with a lot of holiday preparation and traditions that simply MUST be documented.

I've only been plugged into YouTube for 2-3 years, so I'm relatively new to the December Daily concept. My initial thought was it's a lot of work during a time when there's too much going on already. But recently I realized documenting this year's holiday prep and activities could be helpful for next year. For example, taking pictures of decorations would leave the guess work out of where things should go next year. And knowing the day of the month this year food items were purchased and prepped would help when setting a schedule for next year.

Even though December has just begun, however, I'm already behind because I didn't purchase the designated album, papers, and embellishments last month. (Trust me, I completely understand how crazy this sounds to non-scrapbookers!) So I've decided to do a digital December Daily, using my blog to record my holiday activities. It might not happen daily, but here goes!

Sunday, December 1

I spent most of today dressing the house for Christmas, including starting on the tree. Lots of pictures!

This vignette of Jim Shore Santas sits on the new chest
in the foyer. The chest replaced an oak hall tree we had
for at least 35 years. I love this new piece because we now
have a small lamp in the foyer and an opportunity for
seasonal decor.

And here's a shot of the entire foyer that recently got an update
and spruce. The floor and crown molding are new. The baseboard
is also new and replaces the old narrow one that was typical
in homes 35 years ago. The foyer was also recently painted
but the same colors as before.

This wreath in the dining room is a family favorite.
It holds pictures of the grandsons for every Christmas.

This tree of Santas around the world sits on a small
chest in the dining room. I've added dates to the Santas
whose countries we've visited.

This bookshelf sits in a small area of our family room.
The decorations change seasonally.

Here's a close-up of the shelf that holds my Jim Shore Disney
Christmas pieces. The thin wire of tiny lights is
battery-operated and on a timer.

And more Jim Shore. Yep, I'm a big fan!

The sleigh filled with ornaments and the tree, which
is a trinket box, are Jim Shore pieces. The ceramic egg
is a Valerie Parr Hill music box.

And the Jim Shore three kings complete the nativity scene.

The kitchen got a little holiday dressing too.

Just like the bookshelf in the family room, the decor
on the new kitchen etagere will also change
with the seasons.

There's a battery-operated candle in the gingerbread
house that's set to come on every evening around
4:00 P.M. My folks found this plate years ago.
It's dated the year we got married.

Yes, there's also a Jim Shore piece in the kitchen!