It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Maybe it's because we finally have a mantle in our house to put decorations on, or maybe it's because we have a 4 year old who is VERY anxious for Christmas to come, but either way, I've been chomping at the bit to decorate for Christmas this year. So, the day after Thanksgiving, up the decorations went!

On Friday, Travis and I turned on the Christmas music and set up most of the decorations and the tree during the girls' rest time.

This was Bethany's reaction when she came out and saw the tree lit up. "Ooh! Ooh!" she kept saying.

After admiring the tree a little more, we all helped put the ornaments on it.

Bethany LOVES these two ornaments and can now often be found giving Santa a ride on the rocking horse (which is especially adorable because it's completely her original idea). :)

And this is Grace's favorite ornament by far. It's Linus onstage (from a Charlie Brown Christmas), and when you push a button he recites what "Christmas is all about." Grace listened to it so much last year that she memorized it. :) I love that she loves to hear the Christmas story.

 

And here's a little tour of our other decorations.

Have I said how excited I am to finally have a mantle? Well, I am. :) It's been so fun to decorate for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and now Christmas.

Having a mantle now meant that we also needed stocking holders so we could (finally) hang our stockings "by the chimney with care"! Several weeks ago, one of the DIY bloggers I follow posted about a set of Nativity stocking holders that she had made, and I knew I had to make them too!
I just finished them last night, and I love them!

 

 

Our whole mantle has a nativity theme (the one on the far left being a new addition this year too), which I love.

 

The tree needed to fit where our TV was, so the TV got relocated to it's new spot in front of the fireplace. Not ideal, but it'll work for the month. :)

Can't wait to put presents underneath!

And our other decorations went in their traditional spots on our piano (the glass trees are new this year too):

Our final new decoration went outside--our first Christmas wreath. I must say, I am so excited to finally have a Christmas wreath to hang on our door!

 So yes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here, and we can't wait for the big day!  Looking forward to a month of Christmas fun!