My Christmas Treasures

Hi, Welcome to our home!

I want to share some of my very special Christmas Decorations with you. I call them treasures; not because they are worth much monetarily but rather because they have such special meaning. Most of our decorations have been used for many years and I look forward to pulling them out year after year. They hold special memories and they are important to me for that reason. So, come along with me and I will tell you all about them.

I lovingly dedicate this lens to my wonderful family with much love!

When my hubby and I married in 1978, he had already been living in our home for about 10 years so he had many decorations. Our first Christmas together, he pulled out the door decoration. It was a large swag with 3 wicker bells, ornamental roping, fruit, pinecones, and artificial greenery. I asked about it and he said that he had purchased in when he first came to Pendleton in 1960 and the house he lived in only had one door. I loved the piece except for the artificial greenery and we decided to see if our florist friend, Karen Link could possibly make two wreaths out of the materials and replace the artificial with real greenery. This was the result and I have been so pleased. Karen took the large piece apart and I had told her that I wanted to use anything that we could from the old one. She managed to incorporate all the old fruit, roping, pinecones, and bells and added fresh greenery and new bows.Every year when I take them down, I put all of the parts in a box labeled for Karen with reminders and every year I call and ask her if she is ready for the box. Of course, she knows exactly what I am talking about and gets right on it. Karen has since closed her shop, Pendleton Flower Shop but still does special occasions and decorations from her home. She is a very talented florist.

by Florist Karen Link

Karen took the liberty of using the 3rd bell and the remainder of the original piece to make this swag for the window in our breakfast room. She adds the fresh greenery and freshens the bow each year.I try to save the bows on the door decorations and the swag as well as the ones on the lights by hanging them on a clothes hanger and storing them in our cedar lined closet. This closet has become the storage for all our seasonal decorations. Some things hang right on the wall while others are in storage boxes and tins on the shelves. Aren't we fortunate to have such a talented friend as Karen Link?

• Karen Link Custom Floral Designs
• Weddings - Parties - Special Events - Home Designs
• lollink@yahoo.com
• PO Box 782 Pendleton, SC 29670
• By Appointment: 864-934-8599

Pendleton loves for folks to use white lights all around town and encourages businesses and residents to use them. It is such a lovely sight. This year my husband is putting lights on a small tree for the front entrance.

We haven't had lights at our entrance for many years and I would really like to do this next year maybe around the front doors. These look like they would be easy to work with.

This is actually one of the two Manger Scenes that my husband purchased in the 1960s. This one always goes in the foyer.When our son was a toddler, he would run full speed down the hall and without slowing down he would throw up his hand and holler "Hi ya, Jesus!" and keep on running. Of course, he is now 31 years old and denies that this ever happened but it is one of my fondest memories of this very special Manger Scene.The very beautiful wreath above was a gift from a friend who has worked with my husband for years. She purchased it from Karen and gave it to us one Christmas many years ago.

In the 1960s, our mother began making gorgeous Pine Cone Wreaths. I remember helping her gather pine cones and watching her as she worked them into beautiful wreaths that she gave to friends and family. During the year, this wreath hangs on the wall of our porch and each year I wash it good, let it dry and spray it with a clear acrylic. It is still holding up very nicely and I enjoy thinking about my mom when I look at it. I know my mom is proud that I have gotten so much enjoyment from her pinecone wreath.

Back in the 80's, I had a little shop on the square in Pendleton SC called Cripple Creek Crafts and then later went into business with two friends in our childrens clothing store called Beary Classy. We carried Annalee Mobilitee Dolls in both shops and I added many to my collection while I could get a discount. They make me happy and it is hard to look at them without smiling.Usually, I will put out a very large Annalee Santa near the fireplace but decided not to do that this year since we have a puppy in the house. Also, I usually fill in the mantle arrangment with fresh Magnolia Leaves and Pine but never got that done this year.

I have accumulated a good many Annalees and have some for about every holiday. I think the Christmas elves are my favorite! They are bendable so you can arrange them however you wish.

This year we had a much smaller tree and I only used the ornaments in one of the three containers that I have. It seems that the older we get, the smaller our tree gets but that is ok, too. Each ornament has a story. We have everything from a sock monkey to a pickle and each is special.I remembered seeing a picture of a white Christmas Tree in the living room that my husband had before we were married. I recently said something about it being a fake tree and he quickly informed me that it was a real tree that he had flocked using the vacuum cleaner. It was beautiful and had only gold ornaments on it. We still have some of those ornaments.This year our Utah relatives sent us a snowflake ornament that had been created from crystallized salt from the Great Salt Lakes. It is always fun to add a new ornament to the tree. One of my sisters always sends a special ornament, too. This year she found another frog ornament. I have several frog ornaments that are hung in memory of my brother who passed away. He used to tell a very funny joke about a wide mouthed frog so it is fun to remember him as I hang the frog ornaments. One year she made us ornaments out of old coasters that belonged to our mom.

Given by a friend

The tiny pewter Baby Jesus was given to our son for his first Christmas by a very special friend. When our grandson was born, she found him a pewter Shepherd Boy with a dog. These two ornaments are placed in a small box each year with the story of where they came from. I always hang them together and look for them each day.

Years ago, our old Angel began showing her age so we retired her. I made a special box for her and gave her to our daughter as a keepsake. Then the search began for a new Angel. I wasn't having much luck finding just the right one and then one day a package came in the mail. One of my sisters had sent this beautiful Angel that would become our Tree Topper for many years.There is a fun story that went with the old Angel. This happened before my husband and I were married and according to him, one day a flying squirrel came down the chimney and got under the Angel's skirt. He lifted the angel up and there she was floating in mid air when Helen (Nanny, housekeeper, and very special member of the family) saw her. Helen went to her knees praising the Lord.

My husband's niece made this beautiful Christmas Quilt and every year I have it over the back of the sofa. In the middle is the Christmas Tree that is decorated with buttons that came out of my husband's mother's button box. It is so special to us. It is one of the first things I pull out every year.

It is time for me to take down our Christmas Decorations especially anything that contains fresh greenery. Our tree is beginning to drop it's needles and the other greenery is turning brown. The nutcrackers will be the last thing to pack up. I like to enjoy them a little while longer so will leave them out until after the first of the year. They are each packed in individual boxes and stored in our cedar lined closet.