Christmas Decor

I know it is about that time when all the Christmas decor comes down.
Due to shear laziness mine will not come down until next weekend.
But I thought while my apartment was semi presentable I would share with you how I decorate my little place for the holidays.

To me when I hear bells I think Christmas.

So I put a few of these around the house.

Made even better with a bow!



In my entrance a lighted reindeer welcomes you.

I got this little guy from Target years ago.

On the other side of the mirror is my large nutcracker.

I think he is also a Target find. 

I like to hide little touches of Christmas throughout my apartment.

Like this little nutcracker.

Who I think was a gift from Jim's mom actually (one of the ExBoyfriends).

I like how this golden sparkly tree fits right in with my jewelry on my dresser.

It was a gift from Quinn years ago.

Christmas Tea Towels.

I would not get this kind again because when you wash them the little applique and waffling don't mix and these seem very wrinkly but I'm obviously not OCD enough to iron them.

This chubby little Santa is from Homesense.

I love having a holiday scent.

So this Red Apple Wreath Candle is just perfect!

This cute little guy sits on my windowsill.

He is another Homesense find.

In Toronto we obviously did NOT have a white Christmas and I'm certainly not complaining.

My mum got this for me this year.

I guess I would describe it as a crystal lighted gift with a perfect bow. 

The fleur de lis is obviously my favourite part.

My Christmas tree.

This guy is a Walmart special from Dallas.

And you can see my shakeyourbooty dancing Santa on my entertainment stand thingy.

Another view of the tree.

As you can see I take the mutlicoloured mix and match approach.

In the future I have two types of other trees I want to get.

But those are a surprize in the works for future years.

So now I can let you in on a little thing that I do.

If you've been reading a long time I've talked about it before.

I collect Christmas ornaments.

But not the usual.

I like to gather them when I travel.

Sometimes it is something that isn't a Christmas ornament but I make it into one.

That way when I put up my tree I revisit fun memories of travel and friends.

I thought it would be fun to highlight just a few of my favs and what they mean to me.

The wooden bird.

This was a party favour from my friend Laurel's holiday party I attended.

It makes me smile and know that it is worth it to put yourself out there to make great new friends.

This gecko I got on my first solo trip to Bali, Indonesia.

My grandma brought me back this from Florida years ago.

It pays homage to my cheerleading past (though I've never used poms), my love for Disney, and my high school colours of blue and gold.

This is the key and heart keychain that Val brought me back from thier honeymoon to Rome.

Perfect because it is a key.

It gives me inspiration to one day travel there hopefully with the person I love.

I got this amazing ornament when I attended the 500th University of Michigan game with my best friend Will.  The weekend was incredible and we just had the best time.

Plus the Wolverines came back from being down like a 19-0 to win the game.

I wore by blue and gold proudly that day.

I'm dying to go back for another game...maybe next year with Will?

This ornament I got during my trip to see Sophie (you can read about it hear if you missed it).

I got this ornament when I crossed something off my bucket list....which was to see The Nutcracker at Christmas time.  I did this in California during the Christmas season of 2005.

Now this ornament is special to me becuase it's meaning has changed.

I originally got it during an interesting weekend in July of 2008.

But when I look at it now all I think of was a simply incredible life changing trip of December 2008.

A trip filled with the best memories of my best friend.

From a limo at the airport waiting for us, to the awe of our room, to sitting in an empty jacuzzi tub in robes eating chocolate covered strawberries and drinking a cocktail in the dark, a trip to in&out burger with some funny conversations, the self-imposed camera ban,  48 hours with maybe 5 hours of sleep and both of us needing that weekend so badly.  I can't even describe the feeling of that weekend and how perfect it was.

When I hang this ornament that is what I think of and I smile.

In fact I almost don't want to return to Vegas because I feel like nothing can top that memory of that city.

This furry little guy is from the Night Safari you can take in Singapore.

Part of it makes me think of Spencer because we did that together.

But part of it is simply something Singapore is know for so I'm okay with it.

Just like I'm growing to be okay with what happened with Spencer.

This dancing from is from a trip to New Orleans in May of 2007.

What a drama DRAMA filled weekend.

My goodness.

I'm not sure I would have kept sane without two of my besties Taylor and Erin.

Seriously thank goodness for those two.

My first time snowboarding in Breckenridge with 9 of my classmates from graduate school in December of 2006.

What a great few days.

Snowboarding and hanging out in a small ski town.

I actually really fell in love with the place.

I suppose the house we rented with the hot tub on the deck didn't hurt.

See this sort of no big deal golden egg one that looks a little old.

No one usually notices it but it's special.

Because it's open and since last year I started hiding something in it.

Can you see?

And if you think this idea is original.

It's totally not.

I stole it completely from OneTreeHill (big shocker).

You see besties Lucas and Hailey would write their wishes and bury them behind a loose brick of Karen's Cafe.

I can't find an actual screenshot to show you so you will have to trust me on this one.

So without further ado here I go with my wishes!

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

I write my wishes....

You see they aren't goals.

When I wote them last year they seemed to silly and too frivolous and almost too lofty or unachievable at the time to be actual goals.

And I really couldn't remember what I wrote last year...

So here they are...

I wrote in my results for you.

There is something I relish about checking things off a list...

I'm going to continue this tradition...

Here's a sneak peak at next year.

But you will have to wait for my reveal in 2013.

After all if you tell someone your wish it may not come true!