I thought I would post some pictures from our Christmas decorations this year. Last year we bought our first artificial Christmas tree. Technically, we had an artificial tree our second Christmas in Ukraine, a gift from one of the parents to each missionary. It was just a little tree but very appreciated. But last year was the first one we bought. I think it looks very nice and it is certainly easier to clean up after Christmas since it doesn’t drop needles over the season. Because of the location I was able to use all our ceramic village houses this year and all but three ornaments (I ran out of hangers or I might have used those as well. They were from our first Christmases.)
If you look to the left of the tree on the wall near the bottom you can see Carl’s Christmas Story leg lamp nightlight.
With the lights on.
Close up of the village from the front.
Our living room decorated.
Back view of the tree from our dining room.
Back view of the village from our dining room.
Bookcase to the left of the door in our dining room with nutcrackers and other decorations.
Bookcase to the right of the door in our dining room with nutcrackers and other decorations.
These boughs used to be hung on the railing in our living room going downstairs but I have not such railing here so I hung them over the kitchen windows.
Many years ago the Morgenegg family got a nativity that Carl remembers from when he was a child. He is not sure exactly how old it is but probably over 70 years old. Most of the figures are made of plaster of Paris and have cracked or been broken over the years. One of the sheep no longer has a right ear and the camels are missing parts of their feet. For some time I have wanted to do something to make them look a little better. This year, with Carl’s approval, I borrowed paints from Holly and painted them. Some needed some repair and I used craft glue to fix them as best I could. Here are the before pictures.
Nativity Before.
Here is the almost finished newly painted and repaired nativity.
Here it is completed and sitting on the shelf in our living room.
I am actually quite pleased with the outcome. The picture is a little blurry – sorry – but now the colors are brighter and the cracks and scraped off places are fixed. I also glued the stable so it doesn’t wobble any more. The colors are not exactly the same but I like them. I think Carl likes them as well.