Outside CdlV ...

Growing up, my mom would decorate the big picture window in the front of our house. It was probably a 5'x5' solid sheet of glass that sat between two smaller windows which opened up to let breeze and West Texas dust into the house. Her theme changed slightly every year, but it always included small, colorful lights outlining the window frame, and then some sparkling foil garland draped along the top of the window in perfect half-circles. One year, she and her friend Dotty made glass Christmas trees from baby food jars, by gluing them together in the shape of a Christmas tree, then punching a hole thru the metal lid and shoving a light through it. At the time (1989) they were very cute. I remember the Christmas they lined up in the windows and along tabletops ... she must have made 50 of them! Where she got all of those jars, I'll never know! But, I digress.

***** EDITED TO ADD *****
Thank you so much Kathy, for emailing me the directions on how to make the Baby Food Christmas Trees. These are exactly what my mother made more than 15 years ago. I'm shocked to see instructions for them. If you're interested in seeing or making these jar trees, click here.

There were sometimes lights on the house, and sometimes not, heavily depending on whether or not my fathers favorite football team was playing, but that window was always decorated to let Santa know - we're here, and we've been good! Since I moved into my own home, and then now at CdlV, (Casa de la Vanderdogan) I stopped a few things that we did as children, and decorating the windows with a trimming of lights is one of them. Now, we use simple electrified candles. I skip the baby food jar Christmas trees, and go for natural green wreaths on the front door.

I've not gotten around to many of the exterior projects a CdlV, and not because my favorite football team is on television. Is football still on television? Anyway - it's because the inside of CdlV has been a chore. Thankfully though, I needed a respite from the Peacock decor, and I decided to work on the large urn near the front porch out for the winter season. I chose to fill it with lovely live greens, twigs, pine cones, and berry branches, and this morning, eyes a fog - I took a picture for you like I promised:





Beautiful, no? Yes, the decor of CdlV is a bit different than it was at my childhood home, but the love and joy still remains. After all, it isn't about the pine boughs or pretty ribbons, lights, ornaments, or fancy decor - it's about filling your home with joy, peace, and love.