A Nostalgic Noël

We all own items that have sentimental value, providing us with sweet memories of loved ones and times gone by. Here's a few of our Christmas treasures that give us a sense of nostalgia.

Mom remembers this ceramic storage box being one of her mom's favorite trinkets and seeing it in her kitchen while they visited over a cup of coffee. 

Just like her mom, my mom loves all children and says we should all have the heart of a child during the season.

Greek Santa is also a sentimental Christmas treasure to Mom as it symbolizes her heritage. She puts him out every year along with her other holiday decor.

 
Have you read The Little Match Girl? It's a beautiful and sentimental short story written by Danish author, Hans Christian Andersen. Every year, we would sit on Mom's lap while she read a children's version to us. 

Although it made me sad, it taught me at a young age how fortunate I was in life and to help others who are in need. If you would like to read the original, follow this link. 
 
On a lighter note, let me introduce you to our last treasure, Brownie the Bear. 

When we were young, Nel gave him to me as a Christmas gift, and she had no idea how much I would love him to this day. Mom even bought him a Santa suit one year.

I don't think you are ever too old for a Teddy Bear! If you are ever feeling down, hug one...I bet you will instantly feel better ;-) 

We hope you enjoyed a peek into our Christmas treasures. DO tell us if you have your own!

~Jess

'Tis the Season Blog Tour

The girls at Red Rose Alley are delighted to join in our sweet friend Jemma's 'Tis the Season Blog Tour.

Around here, 'tis the season for holiday traditions! We wanted to share some of our favorites with YOU.

There's nothing more fun than decking the halls with our favorite holiday decor to kick off the Christmas season. This year Sheri went with traditional red, silver, and white.

Holiday baking makes the season even sweeter. Pour in a few ingredients...

mix it all up...

and soon the house is filled with the warm and sugary scent of fresh-baked goods. Jess makes cookie tins for her friends every year--sugar cookies, rice crispy treats, Russian tea cookies, and gooey chocolate chip.

When the kids were little, the family would spend cozy fire-lit evenings gathered around the Christmas tree singing all our favorite carols. The music of the season puts us in the holiday spirit every year.  

After Christmas Eve mass we come home to enjoy a festive holiday meal. Dad makes his traditional French onion soup, and in these last few years we've been pairing it with a hearty side, like this yummy truffle-oil, bacon-Gouda mac and cheese.  

 

 

Like most kids, Jess, Nel, and their brother couldn't wait to open presents on Christmas Day--so we started the tradition of opening just one on Christmas Eve.

All our presents from Santa are marked with a big black initial. It's always a treat to see a S, J, or D under the tree.

 

Each and every year, we make a point to spend the season celebrating and giving thanks for the many blessings we have in our lives. And we're especially thankful for YOU, dear friends. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy season of celebrating your own holiday traditions.  

Thank you, Jemma, for inviting us to be a part of your 'Tis the Season Blog Tour! To all our merry friends, we hope you'll be sure to check out the creative bloggers who are spreading the holiday cheer this week!

Monday, December 9th
The Cafe Sucre Farine
At Home with Jemma

Tuesday, December 10th
Poppy View

Wednesday, December 11th
Home and Lifestyle Design

Thursday, December 12th
Cozy Little House
Comfy House

Friday, December 13th
The Feathered Roost

Saturday, December 14th
Across the Way
The Dedicated House

A happy Christmas season to you!

~ Sheri, Jess, & Nel ~

How Beautiful And Bright

Our trees are decorated, and each is different in their own special way.  Nel went with the golds and reds and clear lights.  I love her gold ribbon adorning the tree, so pretty.

 

I saw a few white and silver ornaments this year that I liked, and always prefer the colored lights.

Jess went with the golds and reds and clear lights also.  I love her red skirt and classic red balls.

"...freshly cut Christmas

trees smelling of stars and

snow and pine resin -

inhale deeply and fill your

soul with wintry

night..."

 

~John Geddes

 

 

~Sheri

'Tis the Season to Be Crafty

We were feeling a little creative during the holiday weekend.

We did some shopping at Michael's (arts and crafts store) and loaded up on the supplies we needed to CREATE. 

Nel was inspired by Pinterest and made these classy and clever bookmarks for her friends.

Using pieces of ribbon, she hot glued each edge to prevent fraying and attached a unique charm to one end. 

Mom painted a wooden box she found in a timeless white to match her current Christmas decor. 

She then added a simple yet elegant jewel to top it off. 

I made these 'Merry Christmas' tags, which represent different languages. (Let me know if I spelled any wrong! :-)

  
I can't wait to attach them to my gifts.
 

We ended the evening by creating these fancy bows made out of ribbon. 

If you would like to learn how to make them, follow this link.

I hope you are having a creative Christmas season!

~Jess

A Cup Of Cheer

Me and the girls just gotta have our Starbucks.  I only drink coffee three times a week, but during the holidays, it seems I have it more.  We can't help but love their festive drinks before going out into the hustle and bustle of it all.  My favorite drink is the Caffe Americano because it's not too strong and has just the right taste.  Nel's favorite is the Eggnog Latte.  She has always loved eggnog since she was a little girl, and enjoys sipping it before a hectic day at work.  Jess' favorite is the Peppermint Mocha.  Well, do I need to say more about this delightful drink?

I saw this reindeer and thought it was adorable, and couldn't resist.

What's your favorite

Starbucks drink,

if you have one?

We'd love to know.

 

 

~Sheri