Christmas Thoughts and a Partial Show N' Tell of Christmas Decor with Pets

Dear Friends, grab some coffee or tea and away we go!

Christmas time is here, and it snuck up on me.   I started out with a bang around Thanksgiving and now suddenly feel overwhelmed somehow.  It's a fight for that Christmas spirit, I think maybe it happens every year around this time.  We see how far folks have gone, what happened to the sweet Christmas's of yesteryear.   It has a way of splashing cold water in my face so to speak and it feels....Well,   Icky.  Yuck.  And I want to say, No!  That is not Christmas!   Christmas is when I was little and I gazed into my mom and dad's five and dime beautiful little manger scene and the Christmas tree with blown glass ornaments and icicles!   It was about that special doll!   Christmas cards had beautiful art on the front of them!  A signature and sometimes a sweet little personal note, like...'Hope you all are doing well, Mary Ellen got married last year and we are delighted, how is little Amelia?", sometimes there would be a family photo enclosed and my mother would slip those in her photo album.  .... People would display the cards.  My mom always hung those we received in the slats of the white dining room doors and I remember really enjoying looking at them.   

Christmas was about picking a special toy to bring to the altar at church for a poor little girl, my mother and I always picked the most beautiful baby doll we could find at the store!  

Edit 12.14.23  I still to this day wonder who the little girl was who received my pretty doll sets every year, an orphange?   A very poor home?  Where is she today?

Even as a mommy,  our family would go to the Salvation Army shelters and help with a music presentation (Jem is a musician plays guitar etc.) and our oldest sang, Joycie played piano.  That was the true Christmas spirit.  Gifts would be given to the children, oh that would do it as far as Christmas spirit!

Just this morning I called a nearby senior citizens center Jem and I thought about going to, to help stuff senior Christmas bags to deliver to seniors.   I called for specifics and asked the head lady if she received my monetary donation for the bags (this is smalltown not a huge organization).  I was sooooo excited to be able to send money to a need in my own backyard so to speak!  I had spied the need in their little newsletter and thought it would be such a blessing to them!  I wanted to make sure it got there in the mail okay, the mail has been very up and down lately.  I'm from the old school, I'm close to Pearl Harbor as they used to say, we were financially strapped for most of our younger until recent married years and we're still not made of money although God has seen fit to bless, praise His name. But we've been through it, trust me.  Hubs worked on commission only and we owned our own business, no perks in Real Estate.  I've been acquainted with this lady for years, see her coming and going once in a blue moon...She was busy though chipper but just quick-quick...Yep, I got it!  Oh friends, what has happened to a simple and polite Thank you and sincere appreciation.  I don't expect muffins tossed at my feet, but allow me to say, that that was definitely a cold water in my face moment.  It's as if the enemy knows when we have our hopes up high and does this kind of thing through people.  It's also a good lesson to at least say at least Thank.  You.   As my husband, Jem has always said...There is not much worse than ungratefulness.  I also think the good Lord leads by offenses many times as He closes doors and opens others.   ...Oh well, enough of that!  Just being an honest human.  It makes me grateful for missionaries, friends and organizations who give a hefty thank you!

When I Was Little...

One special Christmas the nightwatchman named Tom at my dad's waterfront business, a Gulf gas station for  both cars and boats and boat slips my dad would rent to shrimpers and boaters.  The little nightwatchman stand was up on stilts like a tiny little house and Tom would spend the nights there watching over the property and the boats.  Tom was chubby and had only one arm, he reminded me of a Fisher Price people.  He had a cleft in his chin and had a light peachy complexion, light brown hair, he always looked very serious.  That precious man picked a baby doll that came with a matching plastic rocking crib just for me!   Do you know that man with one arm wrapped that Christmas gift for me?!    I was SO touched even as a very small little girl, I doubt I was even four years old.  That was such a special Christmas knowing the trouble, precious Tom went through to buy this little gal, me, a gift.  I knew in my little heart and I always cherished that little baby doll, I always, always cherished that little baby doll and crib. 

Sometimes we must get hold of ourselves and pull ourselves back to those simple times.  We must not succumb to the world's way of Christmas or be discouraged, we can keep our homes a sweet and peaceful place.  

There are sooo many blessings to consider and we must fight to keep our eyes on the Christ Child and what the Lord Jesus did and does for us!   It's a perfect time to be that Jesus with skin on to others.

I strive to keep our home that peaceful and sweet place and especially at Christmas.   

Our fur angels are so very important this time of year, they are a blessing and I will start with this precious to-me photo of our little Muffie the evening before he passed away...I love this photo of our sweet Muffie as he lay next to Jem the night before he passed away.  I knew he was not doing well, he looked like a little angel to me.  I'm so glad I caught this beautiful image.  I miss our little Muffie so much, both Jem and I look over at his little wicker bed quite often to still check on our Muffie, the blankets are still just so, gently mussed over where we picked him up and whisked him to the vet's.  It will stay that way for a long while.  They will not be moved or straightened, no.

 

 

 

Our trees represent our love for our pets.

This ornament reminds me of sweet Liesl.

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Liesl is that colossal ball of love.  She had been passed around as a large puppy and when she was around one year old we got that baby!    She's so cute...She tries to talk!

 

 

This is sweet Gracie, she is a hound dog, she is precious and very sensitive.  She decided this day to relax in a new small kitty bed.  She's a large dog As Liesl is, and sometimes I call her "Miss America" because she is long and leggy!  lol   Our daughter found Gracie on the old ranch road literally skin and  bones, and no hair with demodex mange in FREEZING cold weather.  Our daughter threw a tablecloth she had in the trunk over her and got her home to us where we nursed that angel back to health. 

 

Dachshund ornaments represent Atticus, our daughters, dachshund and Peanut who we lost two years ago. 

  

Atticus, our daughter's dog, but he knows his Mimi too.  He's a very sensitive doggy.  That is a coyote collar he is wearing for extra protection outside.

 

Kitties are represented too.  We have, Howdy, Momo and Elbee (Mr. Blue Eyes). 

 

Elbee

 

This is Elbee, (Mr. Blue Eyes), he will not let me get a good pic of him, that rascal.  He's a sweet kitty, a little guy and loves his treats.  He also likes to get in the dirt outside and gets his little nose dirty all the time!  The pic doesn't pick up on his blue eyes.  He was found toddling down a busy road with hawk talon marks on his back, he was just a tiny little kitten!   

 

I have this vintage Christmas card, probably from the 30s or 40s and this looks a lot like Elbee.    

 

 

Howdy

Here is one of our kitties, Howdy. Howdy is shy but very affectionate, he can be a little bossy about that too!  Sometimes I call him, Bossy Britches! lol

He says, pet me - pet me!  I will sit and be in your face until you pet me!  haha

 

Elbee and Howdy this morning.  Edit 12.16.23  This table is hardly ever used for dinner except for holidays, I disinfect the table and placemats when we eat here! ; )

Momo.  

Momo is a feminine little thing, beautiful Momo, glamor girl.  She is Howdy's sister.  She is also very clear when she wants pets. She is also very sweet and very delicate in her walk and actions and likes her food.  Howdy and Momo's mommy was Marilla, we found Marilla under a freeway overpass one dark night. 

 

Momo, along with Liesl love to greet me in the morning first thing!  Good morning Momo!

 

Our Primary Tree

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Our primary tree, it's all of 4 and a half feet and I put it on the coffee table that I grew up with.   Most of our ornaments on this tree of our pets are from our daughters, or finds after Christmas.  The pale pink bulbs are from Dollar Tree, the kind that comes in the long tube.  These are lovely nonbreakable ornaments and I love the pale pink against the maroon wall.  (So vintage!)  The little silver star is from Dollar Tree as well.  

 

 My 'It's a Wonderful Life' Scenes

I've been working on Christmas since Thanksgiving and some of my It's a Wonderful Life Village stays up year round...In the morning I say....Good Morning Wonderful Life peoples!..as I light it up.

This section stays up year round and it's so fun and fanciful.  

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We have Bailey Bros., the Granville House, Mr. Potter's on backrow, on front row we have Gower's drugstore, the library and the highschool.

 

 

From what I've read, Donna Reed was just the person she portrays in It's a Wonderful Life.   Jimmy Stewart sounds very similar as well, and a family man.

 

Our daughter, Grace gave this angel from Hobby Lobby to me one Mother's Day, I usually put something seasonal on her lap as she watches over all the Wonderful Life peoples and buildings.

Here's George here standing in front of the Bailey Bros. Building & Loan Association, poor George, he's beside himself, he is very upset. 

This scene is atop a very, very old Henty book, probably from the early 1900s.  The inscriptions were usually written: Merry Christmas!  From Aunt Emma.   Or:  To Master Thomas.   The Henty books are adventure books written for young men or young women would enjoy them too.

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Here is that wonderful gal, Annie, the housekeeper here at the Granville House where George, Mary and the children live.  

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Don't worry, Annie, Bert the policeman is right around the corner. : )

 

Oh no....It's Mr. Potter!   Yikes!  He's got that money on his lap I tell you!   That greedy meanie-boots crook!  

 

Here's Ernie's taxi, parked right there in front of Gower's drugstore. I'm trying to find a Target brand Ernie, and a Mr. Gower.  But patience, patience...right?   All of these pieces here are the Target brand from the 90s.   Very good memories then, our girls were little and I remember saving my pennies for Gower's drugstore and the highschool.  It was later stolen by dishonest workers who were supposed to be cleaning for mold, but thank God I've been able to restore my little collection and more thanks to patience, gifts from Zuzu and ebay.  I try to be patient waiting on a good value, and sometimes use swagbucks to buy these things.  

 

Across the room we have this part of It's a Wonderful Life.

 

We have Harry in uniform standing in front of the church, city hall with the Bailey children there waiting on mom and dad who are standing in front of the train station.   Many of my Wonderful Life buildings are on my old Grace Livingston Hill books, some of the books are also The Bells of St. Mary's, and probably Peter Marshall's old sermons too. 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's go Over to the Little Bookcase

 

 

We have a model B29 from WWII that Jem put together from a model kit I got him for Christmas a couple of years ago from Hobby Lobby.  I have a fascinating stack of like-new condition 30s magazines called The Farmer's Wife.  We have the Bijou Theater from Wonderful Life, and they are even playing:   Bells of St. Mary's!  One of our little trees lit up and a wonderful Cathedral from Walmart I picked up a few years ago.   Do you see Baby Jesus under the tree?

 

This is exactly like the little Baby Jesus my Sunday School teacher, Mrs. Cooley gave me when I was in the first grade.  It's made from plastic and the little Baby Jesus is removable from the hay.  The original was stolen as I explained above, and thank the Lord I was able to find another one on ebay last year.   

The bookcase with sliding doors is something my dad and my Uncle Bennie made together way before I was born.

 

 

 

These magazines contain the sweetest articles you've ever seen, I read one about games for college age youth, just so innocent and fun, and look at the Christmas subscription price!   5 Years for $1.00!  

 

 

Let's go to the Breakfast table area!

 

The Precious Nativity

 

 I love my Nativity scene.  I love to light it up in the morning and throughout the day I stop and ponder this scene.  I never want to lose the true sweet real meaning behind Christmas.

 

A very, very old Christmas card, probably from the 30s or 40s.  Is this not so sweet?   I just love everything about it.

The Library Christmas Tree Area 

 

This is another little tree, this one is Grace's real tree she bought.  But I do have a little 'police department' building that I thought went well with our Wonderful Life buildings.  I found it reasonably on ebay.  The light-up doggy always stays here atop my old cedar chest that Mr. Jeske made me when I was born.   The police department building sits on top of a stack of children's Christmas books for when the grandchildren come to visit.   This is near our breakfast table too.

 

I have quite a few other decorations even in the guest Edit: 12.14.23 bathroom, many old cards and pale pink bulbs....Another four foot tree that got scooted in the living room when Grace brought her real one home...Oh well, it works. : )

 

There are a lot of memories right now...A lot of precious thoughts too.   We miss those we love and those innocent years of childhood.

 Jem when he was a little boy. This abc shirt was his favorite.

 

I think I was almost 2 years old here.

 

This is me with my little dog, Cutie when I was probably 4 or 5.  I drew this when I was in highschool.  

 

 

 

 

Been to Dollar Tree Lately?

Last week my mom had a total ball at Dollar Tree!  It was one of those very special days and it even did her so, so good, cognitively.   Here she is with one of our little grandsons, he decided he would take a ride on Great-Grandma's walker!

I've been enjoying this Christmas music video on our tv screen, it's so old fashioned and sweet.  Think WWII era Christmas. 

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I sure hope everyone is okay this Christmas season, I know days can seem strange as well as enchanting this time of year.   Many widows and widowers need our prayers, many who have an ill mate need our prayers, many who have very elderly parents as Jem and I do need your prayers.    

 

I appreciate you all so very much!    ~Amelia