Are you ready for the holiday? I am done with all I intend to do. The decorating is done, cookies baked, cards mailed, gifts bought and wrapped. The veranda got a wreath, but I never got to the arrangements I thought I’d do. No one comes up here so I just wasn’t motivated. I have our holiday meal planned, and most everything is in the pantry, just a quick stop later in the week for the perishables. In the sewing room, I am finishing the Christmas panel quilt this week. Just in case you still have a few things left on your list, I thought I’d bring some past posts up for your enjoyment. Leading off, lets look at some fun ways to wrap those last minute gifts with Making Packages Bright. I’ll show you alternatives to bows, and how to add just a touch of fun to your wrappings.
Be sure to pick up some egg nog this week. Christmas breakfast is super special with my Cinnamon Egg Nog French Toast.
If you are a fan of egg nog, try my Cranberry Egg Nog Biscotti. There isn’t any actual egg nog in it, but the flavor will remind you of it with the nutmeg. The dried cranberries are perfect for the holiday season. I made a huge tray that year with my Christmas Vanilla Sugar Cookies and Chocolate Covered Oreos.
My Sweet Babboo wanted a soft frosting on the cookies this year instead of the royal icing I usually use. Unfortunately, that meant that the cookies couldn’t be stacked in a container to take to pickleball, as the frosting would stick to the underside of the cookie sitting on top. But, he came up with the solution, using my large square basket, and placing a cooling rack inside, I could put one layer below the rack, and one on top so they could transport. I put pretty paper doilies in the basket, and filled it with cookies. Then the rack was placed in the basket, with some wax paper to keep the top layer from falling through. Our pickleball pals ate them up in a hurry yesterday.
I haven’t yet taken you on a tour of our decorations around the house. I purged a great deal of stuff from previous years, pared down my collection of Santa figures and cleaned out the ornament box last year. There are still many little things left for small vignettes, would you like to see? A small table that holds cookbooks underneath got its usual table topper with a Santa, a ceramic reindeer, a Christmas cookbook, and a couple of little things. The runner is a free pattern on my post Quickie Christmas Projects.
I just love this little cookie jar that looks like a MINI. I got it in a gift swap some years ago. It is sitting on the kitchen counter with a Lenox Holiday Tartan candle warmer with vanilla scented wax, and another candle in a Chocolate Peppermint scent. The little pinwheel mat pattern is linked on the post above as well.
On another cookbook shelf, I pulled a couple of Christmas cookbooks, with a vintage candlestick holding red candles with holly and pine cone rings. The little Santa and workshop complete this display.
My Sweet Babboo brought home some Christmas flowers over the weekend. Beautiful and so festive in the kitchen. They were put on the table as a centerpiece after I got a good photo.
More of my little Santa figures sit in front of my Ornament Mini Quilt, free pattern on that post. The quilt stand has a wire tree topper for the season.
Five Santa figures go on my Victorian corner shelf with more candles in Depression Glass holders. The Christmas tree is right next to it, and makes it difficult to get enough light for a good photo.
On the coffee table, this Folded Wreath has my Santa candle holder in the middle. I didn’t make this one, I won it at the guild Christmas Tea. The committee made 15 of these marvelous Fold ‘n Stitch Wreaths. Click HERE to buy the pattern with template, and HERE for the fusible foam used inside for heft and stability.
Yesterday, my pattern for a Winter Snowflake Table Topper was published on the MadamSew blog. You may recognize the pattern, it is our Autumn Jubilee quilt in blue and white. See the link for the free pattern if you missed Autumn Jubilee. See their Weekly Deals while you are there.
It is quilted with a snowflake pantograph, in silver color Glide thread. The pantograph is called Flurry, and has two snowflake designs. Here’s one.
And here is the other.
This one will go into my trunk show for my Scrap Dancing program, to show the different looks using different fabric colors.
Are you ready for the holidays?
From My Carolina Home 
Merry Christmas, Carole! My favorite of yours is the.mini quilted ornament and your newest folded wreath quilt.
I’m mostly finished with wrapping, grocery shopping, a bit of baking. I didn’t send cards this year, shame on me!
The weather is a wild card for whether or not we’ll celebrate with Mr. P’s family Christmas Eve (or, Plan B, on NY Eve). They live on a mountaintop like you and it’s a private drive they would have to clear and salt (which may be ineffective given the forecast temps). We shall see….
Merry Christmas.
I hope you have a fun filled Christmas.
Hubbs and I are keeping it simple this year. Church and dad. He is 99 now.
everything looks so very pretty at your house – great job decorating as usual
Merry Christmas! It looks lovely and festive at your house.
Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas. Thank you for all you great posts this holiday season. You’ve really made this a magical season 🙂
Good morning!
I never feel ready for any holiday but im not sure i feel ready for any given day so there’s that. 😆
All gifts are wrapped that I didn’t put somewhere for safe keeping.
I just need to tidy up the place and do my daily chores.
Have a wonderful holiday!
Just a reminder – I’ve not forgotten about the UK fabric – I’ll be sorting out things after New Year.
Merry Christmas to you and hubby 🙂
Love your fun reindeer with the red bow and your blue and white AJ tablerunner, too! I am mostly ready for the weekend – some wrapping and baking to do. Thanks for sharing your lovely decorations!
I hope you have a very cozy and Merry Christmas!
Thanks for the Christmas tour, everything is so festive & welcoming. The winter table topper is especially nice, it will last through to Valentine’s decorating time. I’m sewing Christmas wreaths that I’ll finish & put away for our Christmas in July family get together.
Our little town used to do a House Walk – thanks for taking us on your House Walk! I can smell the cookies and the lovely flower arrangement! Biscotti is a constant here, even more than a loaf of bread (who wants bread when you can have biscotti!) Happy Holidays! Thanks for the tour!
So nice to see your pretty Chrismas decorations. We are away on a long caravan trip so no decorations at all. Its Summer here in New Zealand and we will be having a good old Kiwi Christmas smorgasbord, cold ham, salads, lots of extra goodies with hubby’s sister and her family.
Everything is so lovely Wishing you and yours a Merry,Blessed Christmas.
All the best in 2023
Marilyn,Joan and Marion
Happy Christmas to you Carole! I enjoyed the tour of your home with the Santa collection, very festive. I have just begun baking, but won’t do that much, because I’ll eat most of it! Lefse yesterday, gingerbread men today, and Christmas cookies tomorrow. I may do some thumb print cookies or some Danish to use up some extra plum jam. The red velvet cake is still on hold, as Girl #2 is making one in CT, and she’s the one that insists on having it Dec. 24, so I think I’ll skip that. 😀
I love all your Christmas decorations. Very festive.
The folded wreath quilt is beautiful. Your home is so festive and I so enjoyed seeing your lovely decor. Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas, Carole!
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas Carole! You may see some snow this weekend – it won’t make it down the mountains to Lincolnton NC. Stay warm & safe!
Merry Christmas to you and your hubby! I admire organized people like you! I made some no bake cookies, to take to the Quilter’s Party, and on Saturday my two youngest grandsons and their parents were here to make cookies and ornaments. I started this tradition last year and I hope that we can do for a few years.
I don’t have cards or cookies, I finally wrapped some gifts today and delivered them. At least I know what the menu will be.
Carole, thank you so much for your beautiful blog! I love your pictures, the tablescapes, the free patterns. You are so generous! God bless you with good health and happiness.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Hugs, Felicia
Merry Christmas Carole. I so enjoy your blog and all you do. You have inspired me to do more next year. Wishing you health and happiness. Alexandria
You really do look ready. Have a wonderful Christmas.