5 on Friday - Holiday Movies

Seeing as its the last linkup with April and Co. before Christmas I just had to share five of our favorite holiday movies. We are all about Christmas movies in this house - in fact the mister enjoys them just as much if not more than I do!  Here are five of our favorites that we always make sure to watch during the holiday season...

One. 

We just love Home Alone. It's a classic, plain and simple. I love Kevin's loud scream.  And the scream that Marv lets out when the tarantula is on his face - it makes me laugh every time!

Two. 

I grew up on this movie - anyone else?  The Santa is so real and I love how they depict the North Pole.  It's actually on Netflix streaming right now so watch it if you have a moment!!

Three

This is another classic for me. Mary Steenburgen plays a Scrooge of a mother but quickly finds her Christmas spirit. It's also available to stream on Netflix! 

Four 

Love Actually always makes me smile and cry. My roommates and I watched it on repeat our senior year of college so it will always evoke sweet memories. My favorite scenes are when the prime minister gets caught dancing and when Emma Thompson cries to Joni Mitchell. Fabulous casting all around!  

Five

Technically these should be five and six but we'll  just go with it.  Nate absolutely looooves these two movies.  He'll watch any Christmas movie really, but every time I put either of these in he will undoubtably say "Oooh, I like this one!" 

Happy Holidays to all of you...I hope that you find time to sit down, relax and enjoy popcorn and one of these movies before the New Year!

Deck the Halls!

We have had a very busy couple of weeks - hence the lack of blogging - filled with holidays, birthdays and houseguests.  Things haven't slowed down at all but I wanted to take a moment to share a quick tour of our home this holiday season. 

 

When you first arrive in our home you see a few of my favorite things.  Our front entry way houses the first of our Christmas trees that we cover each year in the lovely cards that we receive from friends and family. The tree skirt is the same skirt that sat underneath my grandparents tree in their home after my mom made it for them. On the other side of our entry stairs is a quilted runner that my mom made for us using scraps of fabric from my sweet Aunt Annabelle.  I always have this candle on the buffet but at the holidays it's filled with ornaments.  A simple yet fun touch.  Our dining room table is covered with a tablecloth that Nathan's grandmother made for us for our wedding.  On top of the dining table we have an assortment of Santa's.

My mom actually handmade a lot of the Santa's back in the 80's.  Here is a close up!

 

This angel is so special to me.  I can remember winding her up and watching her twirl at my Great-Grandmother Alma's house during Christmas so many years ago.  Now BG gets that same pleasure here in our home!

Our bathroom downstairs has a few simple touches that I love.  The cross-stitch hanging on the wall was down by my mom.  My last Christmas with both of my parents I asked her if she could make me a cross-stitch just like this one for the holidays.  My dad replied before she could saying "Just take this one!"  I think she would have been happy either way but I'm so glad that he is a part of us having this piece now too.  The wooden pieces on the sink are Nonnie-originals as well that fit perfectly on either side of the faucet.

Every year while he was growing up Nate received a piece for this nativity from his parents.  I always display it in our family room on top of the beautiful Christmas runner that his aunt made us for our wedding.  BG has really taken to pulling on it these days even though he has his own Little People nativity.  SIlly boy.  The Merry Christmas banner does not photograph well but it adds a little spark to our kitchen table area while we're eating.

 

This plate is the perfect touch in our kitchen and our new Santa cookie jar adds another little punch!

 

 

 

Our mantle is chock FULL of special pieces.  I know so many people that have these perfectly ornate mantles, but this is more "us" anyway.  The handmade stockings...antique Santa's... a snow globe from a former student..but most importantly, the book in the center.  My mom and dad recorded the story The Night Before Christmas before BG was born so now he can always hear my dad reading the story like I did every Christmas Eve. 

 

This year I asked my mom to make us a new tree skirt.  I had ordered one but it just wasn't what I was hoping for.  So off to JoAnn's we went for fabric and by the end of the week we had a new skirt that I absolutely LOVE!!!!

 

Here's hoping that your home is also warm and cozy and filled with the love of family this holiday season.  Merry Christmas to you and yours...