Fa la la la la

I love, love, love decorating my home for Christmas time. The house always looks more inviting this time of the year! But it is quite a production to do. No matter how organized I try to be, it creates a HUGE mess before it looks good and it takes me days to get it all together... probably because I never do it the same way each year. Anyway, I present to you the Benson Christmas Home 2011:

This is on my sofa table...a simple Nativity and a framed statement about Jesus Christ

This is a throw I made several year ago...red velvet and fur. I wanted it to look like Santa could wrap himself up in it. The crocheted table topper was made for me by a special friend when I was Relief Society President in Corona years ago. I know you can't see it but the tree on the table is a cute little Charlie Brown Christmas tree

The next five are of my living room--simple but elegant.

My collection of Willow Tree angels. I took Katie's idea and found a bunch of red books (not necessarily Christmas books) and stacked them up for effect

Some of my favorite Christmas books along with a few pine cones I collected in my yard after the last windstorm

The family room Mantle

I used Christmas greenery and fruit (apples, oranges, and pomegranates)

Added to that were an eclectic collection of glass apothecary jars and a candle inside

In the kitchen

...more kitchen.

The cone trees are just rolled up scrapbook paper and placed on a candlestick

(with rickrack and pom poms added to the bottom)

I did something different with my bakers rack this year. I decided to go a little more whimsical with red and greens and really like the look. I added some things like cranberries and limes for a little more color. The bottom left photo is of a picture holder and each letter spells imagine. The Santa mugs were given to my by my grandmother but are replicates of mugs we used when we were children.

The Christmas Tree.

I have been adding to this for the past few years. It's gold and a few touches of green.

this is an ornament from my childhood

...belonged to my mother-in-law

a new addition this year purchased after Christmas last year

Another after Christmas sale item. Beautiful!

So there it is. I wish you could all come over for some hot chocolate and cookies and see it in person.