Five on Friday

I made my first ever Christmas cake with a recipe that Mom gave me many years ago. It's not a really dark one like she used to make, so I'm thinking maybe she used a different recipe. I'll have to search through some recipes I have of hers to see if there's a different one. I haven't sliced into this cake yet, but it is ageing in the garage wrapped in rum-soaked cheesecloth. It's tucked inside Mom's official Christmas cake tin too (which I didn't get a photo of, but maybe another day I'll remember to do that). It's an old unpainted heavy square tin that is quite aged and lovely because of that. It's not a pretty tin, but Mom liked it because it closed up tight. She stored her Christmas cakes in there every year, and there were butter tarts at other times. Good memories.

A couple of weeks ago the four of us plus one (my daughter's boyfriend) all went to Toronto to do a bit of fun Christmas shopping. This is inside the Eaton's Centre. They always put up a magnificent display for Christmas, and this is the "tree" reaching from basement level right up to the glass roof. I used to work just across the street from the Eaton's Centre and spent many a rushed, but happy lunchtime there Christmas shopping!

Back at home the following week, we worked on decorating our house and got our own fat tree assembled and placed in the front window. A lot fewer decorations adorn it this year, and I'm really happy with the results. The photos don't do it justice (phone!!!grrr), but it simply glows with the clear lights we put on it this year. I've always wanted clear lights and it's made quite a difference to the tree. I put strands of faux red berries, icicles, snowflakes and tiny felt mice on it. Also a long ribbon of burlap with red edging made by me about 30 years ago. I've always loved the rustic look of burlap ;)

A beautiful tatted snowflake from a new friend was gifted to me this year.

A crystal snowflake that we made from chenille sticks and Borax

A red-tailed hawk my son made out of papier mache
for a school project sis on the tree top

 The living room looks a lot nicer this year without all the clutter of Christmas decorations I usually set around it. We have room to put things on the coffee table and the buffet now :)

a cozy corner with Christmas cushions

Just a few decorations here and there ... this is a tiny porcelain snowman
I picked up when shopping with my girlfriend a few years ago

A cedar branch display with "nature" themed decorations.
Some of these stay on the branches all year. I peeled the bark
off the branches and they are super smooth and now darkening a bit with age.

A small thrifted aged lantern full of tiny pinecones

Another small snowman tealight & tree on top of the desk

Just a few things on the buffet with some greenery in front and
a big log tealight holder underneath

Log tealight, hedgehog bootscrape and metal reindeer (also made by my son)

My "Winter" Brambly Hedge teacup that my husband gave me years ago.

Mom & Dad's ancient tree-top angel that I cleaned up sits
on top of the bookshelf with a few friends

Father Time atop the only logical place

Just a few of the many nutcrackers we have. Even they were getting on my nerves in the past,
so I put only a few on top of the china cabinet this year.

The kitchen was decorated as well, and received it's usual garlands of pinecones across the windows and my pinecone wreath in between. I put some greenery around our light as well, but am a little bit leery of the oil lamp being lit right underneath it. So far, so good.

I made a little felt decoration that sits inside the wreath this year.

Our Countdown to Christmas chalkboard.
I really like this small calendar rather than an advent calendar and have
had it since my kids were little. It was a kit I painted up.

We have a full-sized red pick-up truck, so I couldn't wait to decorate my son's
childhood toy with a fake tree. Couldn't find a smaller tree, but we had a laugh
over this one ;)

A favourite wooden bead and wooden snowman & Santa garland leading into the living room

This is a tiny smoking table at the top of my entryway stairs. Just added my mini tree there with some polymer clay ornaments I made about 30 years ago. I'm surprised they lasted this long! The photo is on the table all year round and is from a blogging friend last Christmas :)

My son was looking around the house the other day and commented "we have a lot of pinecones in our house". It's true! But I find they are such simple yet pretty decoration year round. I get out more at Christmas time, but some are out all year round.

I'm joining up with Amy at Love Made My Home and her world famous Five on Friday.