Well hello friends! When Stephanie asked me to join the My Home Style Blog Hop Christmas Tree Edition, I was seriously humbled because there are amazing bloggers on this tour😊
I always love the opportunity to collaborate and share my own unique perspective, so I immediately said yes and got started on my living room tree. Before I share my tree, I want to welcome those of you coming over from seeing Ginny’s beautiful and colorful tree at Au Petit Salon.
(If you’re new, you can read about our home and property HERE.)
I have such amazing memories of Christmas as a child, and coming here for Christmas dinner with my grandparents certainly contributed to those memories. Hearing my daddy talk about growing up here, and about Christmas in the old Victorian house has also contributed to my desire to step back in time.
I’ve really combined a few periods – from the invention of electric Christmas tree lights in 1880 to a doll my grandfather sent from Paris to my mother during World War II, and a few things in between – all for a nostalgic celebration of Christmas past.
My tree is the Un-lit Noblis Fir from Grandin Road. I bought mine several years ago when I had to shoot a Christmas story for Romantic Homes Magazine in January-February. I really wanted something that was open and looked like the Balsam trees my grandparents would cut here.
When it comes to lights, I need my main tree to have colored lights, just like the original tree lights were in the 1880s. I added a string of clear LED lights around the inside, and a separate string of 1940s-style bubble lights around the front.
I topped my tree with this beautiful angel, which my mother found in the attic several years back in a box my grandmother had marked, “Mother’s Angel.”
Underneath is a very special doll my grandfather sent back from Paris to my mother for Christmas in 1944. This is the only time of year I get her out, and she reminds me of the sacrifices he and so many others made as they were about to engage in the Battle of the Bulge.
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On the tree, I normally use collected and inherited Shiny Brite ornaments, but last year my mother had gifted me a large box full of handmade ornaments I could not wait to use. She actually made some of these in the 1970s but only had a couple left. I could not believe she found all these, and the Victorian style is perfect for my tree.
My great grandmother’s strands of glass beads have certainly seen a lot of Christmases, as have the wrapping paper fans I made while in high school😊 I’m not saying how long that’s been either😁
And what vintage tree is complete without icicles? At least tinsel is not made from lead now – or silver as it was when invented in the 1600s.
While I’ve definitely included a few more periods than Victorian, I think the collected over time aspect is what I love so much.
And in my case, that means turning the clock backward.
There is definitely a very specific look I try to create with my tree, and it is not a perfectly coordinated, themed tree, but one that tells the unique stories of those before me.
And that’s not something you buy in a store.
It’s in dusty boxes in the attic, old photo albums and film reels, but most importantly, in our memories and our hearts.
And those are the things we pass on to those who come after us❤️
Thanks so much for stopping by, and thanks to Stephanie for putting all this together. All the links are below for the whole week, so be sure to start at the beginning so you don’t miss anyone.
Monday:
Casa Watkins Living // Up To Date Interiors // Taryn Whiteaker Designs // Cherished Bliss // Thou Swell // Cassie Bustamante
Tuesday:
The DIY Mommy // PMQ for Two // Jeweled Interiors // Kate Decorates // Banyan Bridges // Making Home Base
Wednesday:
Monica Wants It // House of Hipsters // Cuckoo 4 Design // Delineate Your Dwelling // Lolly Lane // Mango Manor
Thursday:
Two Twenty One // Lemon Thistle // Iris Nacole // Au Petite Salon // Whispering Pines Homestead
Friday:
The Handmade Home // Our Fifth House // Tag & Tibby // Daly Digs // House Homemade // Love Your Abode
Oh wooow Anita !!! Fabulous as expected!!! This is absolutely gorgeous! Beautiful tree and I can’t get over those ornaments!
Thank you so much Stephanie!!! I'm so humbled to be included in this group for sure!!
i absolutely love your tree! the colors and glow!!!
Thank you so much Cassie!!
This is so beautiful! Gorgeous home!!
Thank you very much Ginny!!!!
As always your decor is so so special. I love that you always include your ancestors in everything you do. That card and doll is so special to have of your grandfather. Love your tree!
Thank you so much Julia!! I guess it's in my blood:-)
It's so beautiful Anita! I loved reading the history behind all of the special pieces and especially the letter. Thank you for sharing with us!
Thank you so much!! So happy to be included with all of you for sure!!
Bubble lights are a must in my family. I have all clear as well as colored ones to suit the style tree I make. I like to use a dimmer to soften the lights when desired
Those bubble lights bring back so many memories. I love the motion of the bubbles.
In the seventies and 80s making decorated satin bulbs was a huge craft hobby. Yours are lovely.
Beautiful room full of personality and warmth.
Wow, Anita! This is pure Christmas magic! I love every last detail, especially the wonderful doll and note from your grandfather. What a special memory kept alive! Thank you for sharing it all with us!
Anita, it's like going in my grandmother's parlor when we 'visit' your home. I remember the tinsel being like aluminum foil as a kid. My mother had these big blue ornaments when we decorated the tree. It had to be on one of two birthdays in Dec. Thanks for the memories. It's so awesome you have all of these things from your grandparents.
Happy Thanksgiving.
Myrna
Oh both blogs were delightful, so warm and colorful! I love the letter from your father! My father was also in the Battle of the Bulge! We all need Christmas this year! Thank you again for sharing
That was my grandfather😊😊 My mom was a baby when he sent the doll back. Sadly most of the letters he wrote were taken by another family member so my mother n9 longer has them.
Oh, Anita. Visiting your blog is always the best adventure. I LOVE your home for Christmas. It's like stepping outside of time itself. I love you keep these memories alive. And that sweet doll and postcard – wow. Just wow.
Thank you so much Michele😊😊
This is just the BEST! Love how cozy this is!
So warm, so cozy and BEAUTIFUL! I LOVE the paper fans!!! I love things that tell a story and have history. You honor your grandparents and great grandparents so well. Hopefully someone in your family will continue the traditions you have saved.
Thank you Toni😊😊😊