Decorating for Christmas

One of our family traditions is to decorate the Monday night after Thanksgiving for FHE. Most of our decorations not only have a religious meaning but a family memory. We read the story of Christ's birth from the picture scriptures of the New Testament and Book of Mormon and then let the decorating and reminiscing begin!!!!I have owned 3 different nativity scenes. The first one was glass that I bought on my mission. I used that until after I was married we bought a white porcelain set and I gave the glass one to a friend without one. The next year my parents gave me this one for Christmas. It is very nice and painted and trimmed with gold. The white one was given to another friend without one. All three of us have appreciated our gifts of the Christmas miracle.

All of my decorations are heirlooms or gifts to Shaun and I. Growing up my grandparents gave me an ornament each Christmas, I have continued that with Shaun. I also have ornaments that my mom has given me from our family such as little beaded angels. After my grandpa died the grandkids were given some of the plaster ornaments he had made and painted (I keep the three apples on my kitchen wall all year around). We also have several that have been gifts from other friends and family. The train was Shaun's present from his Grandma and Grampa Savage. The houses were my mom's that she painted and I have now that her house is smaller and doesn't have as much room for everything. The tree skirt was my Grandma Stokes'.
The blue stocking is Shaun's and the clue one with the red top is mine. The other two belong to my roommate and her daughter. The santa is hers too.
The polka dot thing in the middle is my pink and purple polka dotted Christmas. When my dad was younger he and his sisters changed the words to "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" to "I'm dreaming of a pink, purple polkadotted Christmas" and so it has been a family tradition we have laughingly passed on to our kids and anyone else who will sit still long enough to listen to it.

I'm dreaming of a pink, purple polka dotted christmas
Just like the ones I never knew.
Where the tree tops take off
And branches break off
And fall into the dew.
I'm dreaming of a pink, purple polka dotted christmas
With every Christmas card I jot
May your days be merry with lots
And may none of your Christmases have spots.