Inspiring Christmas - Deck The Halls

We would decorate the whole house from floor to rafters. It was always a lot of fun but tonnes of work. I loved every moment of it!

Fa la la la la, la la la la!

My mother has always liked having mats and area rugs around the house. Those would get changed out to Christmas mats as well.
Handpainted "Let it Snow" Floorcloth by A Little Bit of Pizzazz

Stockings would be hung by the fire, candles placed on the mantle and garlands of pine and berries hung.
Dollhouse Miniature Christmas Fireplace by Sherry of 19th Day Miniatures

Outside of the lights on the tree I always liked adding other light sources throughout the house.
Origami Patterned Tulips Lantern Lights by SnW Creative

Thank you to A Little Bit of Pizzazz, 19th Day Miniatures and SnW Creative for helping to decorate the house for Christmas. Please check out these and all their other fabulous items in their Etsy shops.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!
- CoconutPalmDesigns

Inspiring Christmas - Welcoming Santa

By time we finished decorating the house for Christmas it looked like a totally different place. First we'd start by taking all the ornaments and knick knacks off all the shelves and furniture. Then we'd redecorate with the many Christmas items my mother had saved up over the years.
 

Don't Forget The Cookies
  

Santa Claus, Father Christmas, St. Nick, items have always been very popular in my family. I love old fashioned images of Santa.
Vintage 1967 Annalee Santa Standup Doll by FarStarr

Board games are quite popular in my family. These days everyone is hooked on backgammon but as children my brother and I loved checkers.
Cowboy Santa Checkerboard by Mulberry Lane Folk Art

Not to be forgotten, each of the bedrooms in the house would get a few Christmas items as well. My mother's bed usually looks like a display bed in a department store with all her pillows and bedrolls and Christmas time was no exception.
Define Good / Santa Pillow by Chimera Custom Quilts

Thank you to FarStarr, Mulberry Lane Folk Art and Chimera Custom Quilts for helping to decorate the house for Christmas. Please check out these and all their other fabulous items in their Etsy shops.
 

Cheers and Happy Holidays!
- CoconutPalmDesigns

Inspiring Christmas - Beautify the Tree

Once the lights were straightened out and strung on the tree the fun times got started. I loved unwrapping each ornament and reminiscing about them. Each member of the family had their own favorites but the one I loved best was a little metal snowman picture frame that had a picture of our childhood babysitter.

Decorate! Beautify! Trim The Tree!

As we got older my mother started going to craft shows and fairs. I loved all the great items we'd find at them, things like these pine cone ornaments.
Snow White Natural Pinecone Christmas Ornaments - Set of 4 by AprilHilerDesigns

I'd strategically place items we had lots of so they didn't look clumped up on the tree.
Wool Felted Acorn Ornaments - Set of 12 in Red and White by angel dog designs

One year I stitched a set of felt ornaments.
Hand-stitched Angels by Future Leaders of Ghana

A standard of most Christmas trees are glass balls but we didn't have any handpainted ones.
Winter Trees with Cardinals Handpainted Ornament by Brush Stroke Ornaments

My brothers and I would fight over the package of tinsel. I thought it should be hung carefully and spread evenly. My brother was fine with throwing it on in clumps.
Vintage Tinsel Icicles by Ruby Floy

And finally we'd get to the tree topper. Sometimes we had an angel but when I was able to choose I'd always pick the star.
Star of Bethlehem Christmas Tree Topper, North Star by City Free Glass

Thank you to AprilHilerDesigns, angel dog designs, Future Leaders of Ghana, Brush Stroke Ornaments, Ruby Floy and City Free Glass for helping loaning me all these items to help trim the tree. Please check out these and all their other fabulous items in their Etsy shops.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!
- CoconutPalmDesigns

Inspiring Christmas - Light Up The Tree

After the tree was brought home, set up and left to thaw for a while it was time to sort out the strings of Christmas lights.

Straighten Out The Lights!

Has anyone ever wondered why lights that were rolled and put away so carefully the year before were a tangled mess when they came back out of the box?
Personalized Christmas Lights Owl TShirt by Cutie Patootie Creations

The lights had to be so carefully unraveled and checked.
Ho Ho Ho Hand Stamped Sterling Pendant with Red and Green Enameled Lights by Pure Rox in Print

And somehow there were always other items in the box other than the strings of lights.
Vintage Christmas Plug Ins by Riff Raff Review

But in the end it always came out right. Perfect strings of dazzling Christmas lights.
Holiday Lights - Set of 3 Cards by Card Crop Shop

Thank you to Cutie Patootie Creations, Pure Rox in Print, Riff Raff Review and Card Crop Shop for helping me to straighten out my Christmas lights. Please check out these and all their other fabulous items in their Etsy shops.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!
- CoconutPalmDesigns

Inspiring Christmas - Just The Right Tree

Choosing just the right Christmas tree was always a family affair for us. We'd all pile into the car, including my grandparents, and head off to the tree lot. For some strange reason I only ever remember doing this after dark. Invariably my grandfather would pick out a really tall blue spruce. I don't remember what type we'd get but my brothers and I always had fun running around trying to decide on just the right tree.

Oh, Christmas Tree! Oh, Christmas Tree!

One year, we were invited up to a friend's place where we got to go out and cut our own tree. We headed out early before the mist had even been burned away by the rising sun.
Mist Valley ACEO by CoconutPalmDesigns (A little shameless self promotion.)
We walked through a Christmas tree forest just like this one.
Christmas Tree Forest Wood Plaque by A Lost Feather


Finally, we found it! Just the right tree! Once it was chosen I let other people deal with cutting it down while I went off and made snow angels.
Pine Tree Absorbent Tile Coasters by My Little Chickadee Creations


Thank you to A Lost Feather and My Little Chickadee Creations allowing me to feature your items to help illustrate my childhood search for just the right tree. Please check out these and all their other wonderful items in their Etsy shops.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!
- CoconutPalmDesigns

Inspiring Christmas - Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire

Wow! It's cold! There must be some snow down my back from that breathtaking snowball fight. I had a complete blast playing in the glorious, white, fluffy, snow.

Time for getting warm though and snuggling up with my all-time favourite Christmas cartoon!

Snuggle Up! Get Warm! Enjoy!

First, I'll light the pine logs I have all set up in the fireplace and also one of these wonderfully fragrant, pine scented, Hand Dipped Incense Hearth Sticks by BohemianBazaar.

To warm my insides I'll mix up a cup of My Winter Wonderland's delicious Christmas Cocoa Mix.

And then I'll snuggle up on the couch with two of my favorite fellas who are featured on this Charlie Brown and Snoopy Christmas ACEO by Aloquin.

Thank you to BohemianBazaar, My Winter Wonderland and Aloquin for helping me to continue my walk down memory lane in search of that elusive Christmas Spirit. Please check out these and all their other wonderful items in their Etsy shops.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!
- CoconutPalmDesigns

Inspiring Christmas - Happy, Happy, Snow Day!

As a child, and probably still as an adult if I lived somewhere where it snowed, I could never wait to get outside after the first snowfall of the year. Can't you just imagine waking up to a world of glittering whiteness?

It Snowed!!! Let's Play!!!

First, let's build a snowman but be careful not to slip!
Whoopsy the Snowman Polymer Clay Ornament by CELLestial Beadworks

Then we'll write our names in the snow.
He Marked The Day... by Theater Clouds

And we'll spend the afternoon sledding down the biggest hill we can find! Hang On!
Hand Carved Sledder Ornament by GT Carvings

Thank you to CELLestial Beadworks, Theater Clouds and GT Carvings for a fun-filled, winter, day! Please check out these and all their other wonderful items in their Etsy shops.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!
- CoconutPalmDesigns

Inspiring Christmas - Let It Snow!

I love Christmas. I love the sights, the scents and the smells. However, living in a tropical country it just never feels like Christmas to me and I have the hardest time getting in the Spirit. So, to that end I will spend the time from now until that magic day featuring all sorts of lovely items that invoke the feelings of Christmas for me.

Snow was always the first indication to me that we were getting close to Christmas. So...

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Let It Snow Pendant with Snowflake Charm by The Vintage Chain

Let It Snow Fabric Banner by eljah B

Let It Snow Bird Scrabble Tile Pendant by Jesse Janes

Thank you to The Vintage Chain, eljah B and Jesse Janes for allowing me to feature their items. Please check out these and all their other fabulous items in their Etsy shops.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!
- CoconutPalmDesigns