Christmas Traditions and Trees

I love shopping for Christmas gifts. I love going to the mall, specialty boutiques, crafts fairs or outdoor shopping outlets and trying to find that perfect gift for a loved one or a friend. I love listening to Christmas music and best of all I love shopping with my best friend - Sergio.
Tonight we headed out to Watters Creek Shopping Center. It is SO pretty there this time of year. This is the type of masterplanned shopping center where people live, work, eat and shop. And boy do they have some cool shops!!
Like Charming Charlie- a really cool and chic boutique where you can get your bling on! All their jewelry and accessories are arranged according to color! An OCD girl's best dream come true ;) And best of all you can just stroll around sipping hot chocolate and listening to music. They often have live bands playing outside near a little creek. If you are in the McKinney/Allen area you must visit this shopping center!
Anyway, here are some cool pics we took while out shopping and after those you'll see some pics of my two Christmas trees that are in our downstairs area.

I had to take a pic in front of this gorgeous tree :D

So back to traditions.
I have had some very special ornaments for a VERY long time. These ornaments were bought when my baby girl was, well, a BABY. I've had these for about 17 years. I remember I bought the whole Christmas tree decorating set from a catalog. Included in the set were these beautiful porcelain doves, some crystal icicles and fabric poinsettias. They have withstood the test of time and I love to put them up on our little tree in the family room. I love how they glow in the colorful lights and I love that they have been with my family thru the good times and the bad. They are very SPECIAL to us.

The kids love to decorate this tree because the ornaments have so much history behind them and they like the colorful lights :)

Our next tree is in the dining room. It is very simple yet classic. I have it simply decorated in silver and blue. You'll see it here next to the dining room table where I have been working on my Christmas cards. Don't you just love it when the mess you make has to do with Christmas? Like gift wrapping, crafting, addressing cards, etc. I love those kinds of "mess".

And last but not least--- My Door Hanging. It's not a wreath but an old shutter I found at an antique shop several years ago. I didn't even paint it or nothin' :) I just hung this cute birdie I found at Target and a pine spray, tied a red ribbon to it and voila-Christmas :)

May your Christmas be Merry and Bright :)

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