A Country Christmas and a Christmas Party!

It's begining to look alot like Christmas,

Every where you go........in the Farmhouse!

Christmas preparations have been underway for a few days now here at our Farmhouse.  My all time most Favorite holiday ever!  Who doesn't love it?  The joy, the love, the cheer?  There is so much celebrating going on during this season you can just see the love! 


I tend to go a little nuts decorating for Christmas, and was putting some more holiday decor out yesterday, pulling my decorations out of the slumber of their delicate wrappings.

While I pulled those ornaments out and carefull unwrapped each one my mind began to wander back to last year when I had packed them away.  I remember wondering what things would have changed in our lives from that Christmas season to the next, the next time I would see these items.  Here I am,  a whirlwind of a year later and I now know the answers....... 


Things have changed at our farmhouse, for our family over the couse of this past year as things often do.  Things have changed for alot of families.  So many families need a little extra help this year with the state of things, and I remind my family of that often, especially when they get the ugly "I wan't this and I would like that"....I say "ewwww"  you need some medicine for that!  They laugh and are reminded that we all must do our parts to fill the toys for tots and donate to the local food banks to help, that is what this season is all about after all, the giving spirit of Christmas!    Yet inspite of all the changes that have occurred in the world, there is one constant at Christmas, the love!  

Excitement and traditions.. 

What I have always loved most about the hoildays is the tradition.  Baking christmas cookies, the decorating, the planning.  Family heirloom ornaments passed down from grandmas and great aunts now hanging on the farmhouse tree.  A winter's evening drive to sight see the holiday light displays in our neck of the woods.  Christmas movies, warm cookies and cocoa, a Christmastime Teaparty.  Horse drawn carraige rides through our old town.  An annual cookie swap and holiday breakfast.  My children's holiday chorus concert at school and secret Santa sale.  Visiting with Santa,  Christmas eve service at our country church.


The twinkle in my children's eyes....these are the things that I love most about the Christmas season, no matter what changes in a year's time these are the things that mean Christmas to me and my family.

Before I explain the Party invitation below, here are some pictures from our farmhouse photo album of our

Christmas porch......

Click photos to enlarge....


I like to mix artificial and fresh greens on my front porch.  In our neck of woods it stays cold enough for the fresh greens to stay alive without worry.  My family and I go for a hike through the woods on our property to take fresh cuttings of cedar, pine boughs and holly.  The kids love this each year, it is like an Christmas adventure, we spend an afternoon searching for our natural decor, decorate and then head inside to warm our frozen hands and fill our bellies with some warm cocoa. 
Everything we cut is free.....
an old fashioned low cost way to decorate your home!

I have a wagon on the porch that I change out for the seasons, I reused the autumn corn stalks and dried cobs, amost the greens to give an added punch of color.  I love how they all look together and it is reused or natural.  Every now and again we can hear a squirrel in the wagon munching on the corn!

A sled my husband bought me from an antiques store about 12 years ago.  I decorate it each year with an antique pair of skates a find I picked up on an anniversary trip to my favorite weekend getaway place, Jim Thorpe, PA, about 5 years ago..yes, those are the presents I like, old, used and antique!

Putting our out of season gardening tools to work for decorations.....doesn't cost a dime!  Hmmmm sleds and gardening, interesting my husbands says, lol....why not!

I like to fill our empty window boxes with more fresh greens to brighten them up too.

The lantern below was picked up in September at a craft show for $2.50, I got two of them.  It didn't quite look like that when I bought it though.  I stripped the neon paint (yes neon green paint) from the glass, repainted the lantern and frosted the glass, and now it sits nicely in my wagon. 

Another one of my signs, hangs in the wagon to greet my visitors at the door!

Now, for the invitation below.....

It's a Blogger Christmas Party gals! Holiday music, food and decor! We're going to have us some holiday fun, Rockin' around the Christmas Tree I sure hope ya'll can come!

I have been hard at work preparing for the festivities here at the farmhouse, just like one of Santa's lil elves! The garland is hung, lights are lit, the fires will be going and the cider will be warm and ready for your arrival! A good old fashioned Christmas Party will be going on here at the Farmhouse!

Oh and feel free to bring a friend or two if you know anyone who loves them a farmhouse christmas, be sure to pass the invitation on, the more the MERRIER! Don't forget to leave a comment below to RSVP!

Come with your BELLS on!

Well I hope that you are all enjoying the Christmas Season

absorbing all of the fun and love that is going around,

"Jesus' Birthday Party sure is big and fun",

as my middle daughter exclaimed when she was little!!!  Too cute!

Take care now!

~Dee~