In this time of holiday cheer, I’d like to take a moment to thank you, dear readers. It is humbling that so many of you want to read my ramblings, and take the time to comment. I am very grateful for each of you, those who only read, those who do the projects I offer or cook my recipes, all of you who leave wonderful comments, those who are inspired by a post, and everyone who shares on our Facebook group. The support of all of you makes writing a pleasure and gives me encouragement to keep blogging when so many have stopped. Today, I’ve again pulled some previous posts for your enjoyment.
I wrote these wishes in 2016, republished them in 2020 and I still wish for the same things today. I wish for a world where tolerance and respect is the norm instead of the exception for all people. I wish for people of different faiths, backgrounds and choices to see others as merely different and not evil. I wish for all to live and let live, to pursue happiness as each one wants, to learn from one another, to help one another, attend to making their lives as good as they can without tearing down others in the process. I wish for a world where all people spend their energy creating and serving instead of destroying or committing crimes, where the pursuit of excellence and knowledge takes center stage, where honest work is rewarded no matter what the job. I wish for an end to violence in all its forms. I wish for an end to homelessness and hunger. I wish for every shelter dog to find a home. I wish for peace in the world. I wish for everyone to have joy in their lives, and to spread joy to others.
To bring you some joy today, let’s revisit the Christmas Tour of Inns from 2014. Beautiful homes, lovely tablescapes and fun decorations always make me smile, and I hope you will too. I’ll give you a few pictures today, and links to the original posts for more photos and historical information.
That year, the local bed and breakfast houses decorated for the holidays, and opened to the public for self guided tours for a weekend. Every house had cookies for the ticket holders too. We saw them all, and I shared some wonderful photos in three posts. The tour began in Holiday Tour of Inns Part 1 with the Elizabeth Leigh House built in 1893, shown below, and we also saw the Pinebrook Manor Inn.
In Part 2, we visited the Inn on Church, The Claddaugh Inn, and the Waverly Inn. Two stunning staircases were decked out in holiday finery, along with mantles and lovely verandas. All three of these are in our downtown area. Click on Holiday Tour of Inns Part 2 to see them.
In part 3, we went to Laurel Park and up the mountain there to the Echo Mountain Inn. The view out the window with the snow village was lovely from the mountaintop. We then went to Aunt Adeline’s to see the nutcracker filled B&B. Click on Holiday Tour of Inns Part 3 to see the last ones on the tour. I hope you enjoy the lovely photos and beautiful rooms.
Breakfast on Christmas morning will be the Blueberry Turnovers that My Sweet Babboo likes. They are just puff pastry, with canned blueberry pie filling and a quick confectioner’s sugar glaze.
I’m planning a sumptuous feast for our holiday dinner. We’ll be having a Standing Rib Roast, my Cheddar Onion Mashed Potatoes, and maybe the Roasted Garlic Spinach Bake.
I might make some Yorkshire Puddings this year too. The only difference between these and popovers is the fat that is used. Yorkshire Pudding uses beef fat drippings, while popovers use vegetable shortening. I show you how to make them on my post Popovers with Black Cherry Creme. They would also make a great Christmas breakfast using vegetable shortening.
My Sweet Babboo and I wish you a wonderful holiday, filled with delights. Once again, here is the Peanuts comic strip that the term of endearment comes from.
In 2018, we took a tour of the Aluminum Christmas Tree Museum in Brevard at the Transylvania Heritage Museum. Fun to see all these vintage ornaments and trees.
Drive through the light shows with us at the Lake Julian Festival of Lights.
See the show at the NC Arboretum’s Winter Lights walking tour with hot chocolate and games in from 2017. During the pandemic year, the show went to a drive through, and was a welcome holiday treat during an austere year – Winter Lights Driving Tour.
If you are in the mood for some nostalgia, I did a post on my Christmas Memories in 2020 to remember the wonderful times during the year no one could be together. I’ll reprint those here for your enjoyment today, and hope you will share some of your own memories.
If you live in an area that gets snow, do you remember your first white Christmas? I do. I was six years old living in Greensboro, when my parents decided to stay with some friends over Christmas. They didn’t live far, but apparently a blizzard was on the way, and they wanted to have us all together on Christmas day. So we went to spend the night on Christmas eve with them. Their home was a split level house, typical of North Carolina homes of the era, with a circular staircase hidden behind a closet door on the second floor leading to a cozy and rustic attic space. Twin beds with warm quilts awaited their daughter and I, and we stayed up very late too excited to sleep. On Christmas morning, I awoke at dawn and looked out the window to see a world of white with more coming down. I remember feeling that magic was happening, and I stayed at the window in the early light watching the snow fall for quite a while. I still have that sense of delight whenever the world turns into a wonderland of snow.
Another memory begins some years ago when my mother began collecting Lenox Holiday Tartan china, and using her set became our holiday tradition for Christmas day at her home. For several years, I gave her pieces of it as well for Christmas gifts. One year, about 3 years before she passed away, she decided she wanted to have our extended family for a Christmas party at her home and make it a formal dinner. She bought more china plates, rented tables, tablecloths and crystal, and hosted 15 at her home. She set up the dinner table as one long table through her dining area and most of the way into the living room. She was an avid tablescaper, and it was gorgeous, set with low candles, gold ornaments and chargers, and all that china. I wish I had a photo of that table, but it was before my blogging days. It was the last time we were all together like that. It was an amazing weekend for us to stay with her, and see family we didn’t often get to see. One of these days, I’ll have a big party again, and have a sumptuous buffet with those plates. When I inherited them, I sold all my Spode Christmas Tree china, as one really doesn’t need three sets of holiday dishes, LOL!
So, my wish for you on this day is to take a just a moment to be quiet, to breathe in the joy of the season, to appreciate those in your life who are important. Be good to yourself. Enjoy this Christmas eve day and have a wonderful holiday tomorrow.
Share your memories and holiday wishes today, I’d love to read them.
Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!
From My Carolina Home 
I have a Sweet Baboo too, one of my daughters. Long, long ago I promised to never call her that in public. As a young teenager it embarrassed her. I have kept my promise, but from time to time it wants to slip out in a text or email. So, she will find a SB stuck in my writing. She knows that it is a term of great quiet love. It always makes us smile those secret smiles between mother and daughter.
Thank you for the re-posting of the tour. A large part of Christmas is pulling up memories and enjoying them a second or third or fourth time. The homes are beauties and inspiring. They make my eyes twinkle and my heart just rest in the elegant beauty.
Enjoy your Christmas time in the hills and mountains. May your new year be filled with joy, health and peace.
Merry Christmas to you and your sweet Baboo. It’s so interesting that you are thinking about the first time you experienced Christmas snow where this year I keep telling my kids they will have to remember this as their first year with no snow at Christmas. We have had a warm spell up here in MN and although it has rained quite a bit, no snow! I can’t remember the last time there was a brown Christmas.
I love all the memories you shared and your mothers table sounds just lovely. What a special thing to inherit. My grandmother had a set of Spode Christmas tree china and she gave some to my husband and I the first Christmas we were married so that we could start our own set. It is even more special now that she isn’t with us and helps me remember her every year. Many blessings to you and enjoy your Christmas!
Carole, wishing you and your SB a very Merry Christmas and all the best for 2024. Thank you for sharing so many of your talents with us, and I look forward to another year. There will be 5 of us for dinner tomorrow, 2 friends and my son and his fiance (assuming she says ‘yes’ tonight when he gives her the ring!!). Afraid my SB has been gone for many years now, yet I get to see so many of his traits in my son. This always makes my heart glad. Merry Christmas!
I follow this blog for the beautiful pictures of North Carolina (went to college in Lynchburg, VA), the recommendations for books (usually right on), food comments (big Milk street fan) and to be totally amazed at the quilts and tablescapes. I can barely thread a needle and setting the table for me is real silver, a simple cloth or placemat and candles. I’m amazed at the creative use of chargers, runners, centerpieces, etc.
That said, this morning’s commentary was exactly what the world needs now. So, dear friend, thank you and God bless you on this Christmas Eve. May this time next year find us in a peaceful place.
Merry Christmas Carole and your Sweet Baboo! I always enjoy your posts!
Merry Christmas to you Carole. What a lovely post. I am wishing for all of those things, and that we can learn to live in harmony with each other. I wish you peace in your heart, and that your creative spirit is refreshed in this time of rest. . Greetings to your sweet Baboo.
Merry Christmas Carole! And may you have a very happy and healthy New Year! All of us on the Facebook “Friends of My Carolina Home Blog” Group are so inspired by each of your projects and eye candy. Thank you for all you do!
I hope you have a magical Christmas and a Happy, Healthy New Year!
Happy Christmas Carole!
Merry Christmas, Carole! Your words touched my heart. Thank you for all you do in our world! Wishing you and your SB a calm and restful Christmas. ❤️
Merry Christmas to you and was looking for the shortbread and icing recepie from the photo Thanks Donna
Those are Christmas Vanilla Sugar Cookies – click HERE for the recipe.
Merry Christmas!
awesome thank you Donna
Merry Christmas, Carole snd Sweet Babboo❣️🎄🎄🎄
Always love reading your joy-filled blog!
Cheri
Wishing you and SB a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for sharing your memories.
Merry Christmas! Hugs,
Merry Christmas Carole…Thant you for bring Christmas cheer through your blog.
What a wonderful post, full of love and joy and happiness. Thank you for sharing. I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, too! Cheers!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled again with the wonder and joy you bring us through your blog. Thank you so much for continuing to share your beautiful view of life.
Connie W.
Merry Christmas, Carole!
Thanks for sharing all those wonderful Christmas memories! We moved into a senior retirement community this fall and are starting over with some new traditions with our new “family”. Wishing you a blessed Christmas and a Happy 2024!
Merry Christmas, Carole! I’ll be revisiting the B&B tour, I love to see all the decorations. By my age there are lots of Christmas memories. One that stands out, & family never tires of hearing, is the year we had a magical snowstorm in the late 70s. My family always celebrated on Christmas Eve & the extended family packed my parent’s house in the city. After dinner we left for our house in the country enjoying a pretty snowfall & all the holidays lights. Next morning there was 18″ of snow on the ground! My sister in law had flown in from California & was staying with my in-laws 60 miles from here. What fantastic road crews & public works departments we have, the roads were cleared & they were able to drive here & back without any problems.
Thank you for sharing! Wonderful Christmas memories! Have a merry Christmas!
A Very Merry Christmas to you and yours Carole. We got a dusting of snow overnight, but our ski area got quite a lot which makes all the skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers happy. My husband is one of those snowshoers out there today. Here’s to a bright and shining New Year, and I’ll look forward to what you have in store for us in your newsletters this coming year.
Your 2016/2020 wishes brought tears to my eyes! I hope that someday the world will be like that. Thank you for sharing your life and your ideas with us.
For the first time in many years, both my Mum, brother and sister and I will be together for Christmas. So many fine memories of our years together. Merry Christmas to you and your family. I so enjoy reading your blog and enjoying your pictures.
Merry Christmas to you, Carole, and to your Sweet Baboo! I love your posts, especially the Mini Club tours, books, critter pictures, and recipes. Let’s not forget the quilting ones either, most especially Autumn Jubilee! Thank you for sharing so much with all of us.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful memories.
Growing up in Northern Illinois, there was always snow on the ground in December. White Christmas for us meant that we got new snow on Christmas eve or Christmas morning. If it was snowing on our was to Christmas eve services, well, that was really special. My grandma hosted Christmas dinner every year. She had an aluminum tree like you showed in one of your pictures. I miss those days of gathering with cousins at her house. And I miss going to Christmas eve services with my son. He’s is Colorado, we are in California. Singing silent night, holding a candle and being next to him is my favorite Christmas memory
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Merry Christmas to you too from North East England. I do look forward to your newsletters, especially if there’s a bear included!
Your words here are very uplifting. Thank you very Much.
Meg
Thank you and a very Merry Christmas to you and family.
Merry Christmas from Michigan. Love your posts. Oh, by the way no snow here for Christmas.
Merry Christmas. Thanks for sharing so much this last year. I love those ornaments with a word on each one.
Lori
Dear Carole Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas
Love from Queensland Australia
Irena
I loved going on all the tours you had posted. For someone who is almost home bound that was a delight. Bless you and Merry Christmas to you and your sweet Baboo.
Thank you for your wonderful posts. I enjoy them all so much whether it’s traveling, sewing, baking/cooking, or gardening. Always interesting and appreciated. Merry Christmas to you and your hubby and best wishes for a happy, healthy new year.
Merry Christmas, Carole! thank you for fun all year long 🙂
I don’t comment often but i do enjoy your Blog. especially the flowers and animals in your yard along with your quilting projects. Your words of wisdom from yrs. past are so true and more true today. Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to come. Thanks for all the projects, recipes, and trips all over your area hoping to visit some when we visit our son+ his family in Asheville. Thanks to you & your sweet husband for your charity and blog.
I’m finally back on blog and catching up with my favorite friends. What a beautiful wish — and alas, may be the wish forever if our world doesn’t straighten up! I loved seeing the memory images and thoughts — especially those from before we “met” here online. I send you all good wishes for a Happy New Year and hope that you were able to find some relaxation and some joy in the holidays. Onward to a new year!
Hi Carole, a wonderful blog, I thoroughly enjoyed this and look forward to catching up on others. I am a little late wishing you A Merry Christmas but I can wish you A Very Happy and Healthy New Year! Thanks so much for getting in touch with me. It was very much appreciated.
Merry Christmas (late) and Happy New Year! It’s always fun to see your decorations, quilting projects and recipes. Another quilt retreat is in my future, so I’m always looking for new ideas. Keep them coming! 🙂 I keep your patterns in a separate binder so I can find them easily.