Welcome to my Christmas Blog, A Debbie-Dabble Christmas!!
I am so happy you decided to stop by my Christmas Blog!!
Every room in our townhouse has a different Christmas Theme and Color Scheme!!
I prove that you do not have to live in a large home to have several Trees, over 20, in all shapes and sizes!!
The majority of my Christmas decorations are placed in the same room every year and I know that this is not what most Decorator's care for but to me, it like seeing old friends again when I decorate each year for Christmas as many of my decorations were gifts from family and friends...........
The majority of my Christmas decorations are placed in the same room every year and I know that this is not what most Decorator's care for but to me, it like seeing old friends again when I decorate each year for Christmas as many of my decorations were gifts from family and friends...........
I do try to add a few new things and change up things a bit but for the most part, these decorations are part of my Christmas Traditions and bring back a lot of treasured memories.....
I post 3 TIMES A WEEK on MONDAY, WEDNESDAY and FRIDAYS!!!!
As always, click on each picture if you would like to enlarge it....
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WELCOME to the Christmas Holiday Season of 2023 here on my Christmas Blog, A Debbie-Dabble Christmas!!!!
I will now be posting here on this blog regularly, 3 times a week.....
I will be linking all the posts here to my regular Blog..
Today, I want to share more of my New Buys for Christmas and a few Packing Tips that I have learned over the years.......
In my last post, which was over on my regular Blog, Debbie-Dabble Blog, I shared a Bit of Late October This and That....
In a post that I did to celebrate October Rudolph Day, I shared some recent Christmas Buys....
Click HERE if you missed that post!!
Happy November!!!
Halloween was another BUST!!
NO Trick or Treaters....
I really miss those days when all the kids in the neighborhood came around when my sons were young but there are no longer a lot of children here and most of them attend those Trunk or Treat events.....
I vowed I would always be ready for Trick or Treaters no matter what and I would not turn into one of those people who turn off all their lights and hide in their houses on Halloween so no one will know that they are home.....
First off, I want to share another Christmas Haul with you!!!
I went to Dollar General last Saturday as I had a $5 off $25 coupon.....
I was looking for a few things that I saw in one of the "Shop With Me" You Tube Videos that I watch....
This is a yard stake for only $4......
The rest of my Dollar General Haul
All of these were only $1......
These were $3 each.....
And so was this cute mug with it's own spoon.....
Look how cute it looks with one of the bottle brush tree in it......
Next, we went to Ollies as I had a 20% off one item coupon......
I bought this using that coupon, taking it down from $15 to $12.....
I plan on using a few of these metal yard stakes in pots, surrounded by some greenery that I cut from the trees on the side of our road.....
The rest of my haul from Ollies.......
These were not there the last time we were there.....
This was $5.99....
I may put this away and use it for Winter.....
And this was only $2.99.....
These aprons were still in boxes.....
It was $5.99.....
I loved the embroidery around the bodice area.....
Two plain pockets but we will get to that a bit later in this post......
These were only $2.99 and are small enough to put in arrangements in mugs.....
On Sunday, after Mass in the morning, I made my annual Christmas trip to Walmart....
I am NO fan of Walmart and I do not care for the one that is not far from me due to it's clientele but there is a nice one up the road a bit from our church so we went to that one....
After watching the "Shop with Me" You Tube Videos that I am addicted to
no, love to watch, I knew exactly what I was looking for and found most of it.....
These were only $6.44 a piece....
I may use these on the refrigerator after adding magnets to the back of them....
Ornaments for a small Tree in my Kitchen or as embellishments on signs.....
$1.98
98 cents!
This is a yard sign for $3.48 that I will use somehow in the Kitchen, maybe removing the stake.....
There was only one of the $5.98 Gingerbread Houses left and that is okay as I do have others from past years.....
I always buy a set of lights for my village as they are double the price in Micheal's......
Then I had coupons from J.C. Penney's.......
This towel set was $20 (outrageous) but marked down to $10 and I had a coupon for $10 off $10 so it was FREE!!!!!
He was $34, marked down to $20 and I had a 35% off coupon so he came out to $13.77.....
The ornaments were 40% off and since I was able to use that 35% off coupon 5 times, they came out to around $15 for all 3......
Now we will go back to that apron I bought in Ollies......
I did a bit of "Dabbling".......
I added a red and white trim around the top and a few red buttons.....
The buttons keep the strap from moving around .....
Remember those Gingerbread ornaments from Dollar General?????
I took 2 of them and added them to those 2 plain pockets!!!
Only after I added some red bric a brac trim to them and a vintage red button!!!
I also added that red and white trim to those plain pockets....
Much better, I think!!!
Since it is going to be used as a decoration, hanging on my Kitchen wall as i do not use aprons, I glued everything on with a hot glue gun......
Now I want to address a question I am frequently asked.....
"Where do you put all your regular decor when you decorate for the different Holidays?"
Now that is easy.....
Into the Holidays tubs after removing the Holiday decorations from them....
However......
Since I pretty much change out several rooms from regular decor to Holiday decor and then go on and do it for a few holidays after one another, I devised a plan to make it much easier for me......
I pack up my regular decor in small boxes and label them according to what area the things inside are from......
All of my Holiday, no matter what Holiday, tubs are labeled with where everything inside of them goes.....
Instead of packing individual wrapped items in these large tubs, I simply put these small boxes in the corresponding tubs labeled with where they go in the room.....
Along with any florals used in that area.....
So now when I will be taking down Fall and Halloween, I will put the corresponding tub by the area that I am un-decorating, remove those small boxes and put the decorations for that area back in them.....
I then stack those boxes filled with my regular decor up and will repeat the same process when unpacking my Christmas decor......
Once the Christmas decor is taken out of the tub and put on my Dining Room table which I use as a staging area, then those small boxes will go into the Christmas tubs.....
I have found that this makes it so much easier when packing and unpacking up decor!!!
Another tip is storing things in plain site......
It takes me around 30 days to decorate the ENTIRE house, both inside and out , for Christmas so I need to start early......
I start the upstairs October 1st and like to have the whole upstairs done and the Den by Halloween.....
I am happy to say that I finished the Den yesterday on Halloween......
Now I have 2 of these book boxes that I use in my decor in that room......
When packing away regular decor for Christmas, I pack away items from the area where I display these boxes inside of them.....
This one is from on top of the computer armiore.....
And here it is now, filled with regular decor from that area, but used as part of my Holiday display.....
In front of and underneath the China Cupboard in the Den are 2 vintage suitcases and another one of those boxes......
I use the suitcases to store away regular decor......
Along with that book box.....
And here is the area now decorated for Christmas, storing things in plain side.....
I also have several round tables with tablecloths that go down to the floor.....
These are also great for hiding away decor that you are not currently using......
I utilize the space I have to the MAX!!!
Like this area under my steps in the house where my water heater is.....
And how I had my entire attic floored close to 40 years ago with a set of pull down steps installed and use the truss system as sections to organize my inside Holiday decorations.....
And that we do rent a storage shed for all outside decor and other items like outdoor furniture and all of my son's toys....
Click HERE if you would like to read that post!!!
And yes, I am still buying Christmas decor and decorating my entire house even though I am retired....
I am NOT interested in downsizing because right now, I feel better than I have in many years and can physically do more ....
Plus I do not have the stress of having to go to work so my imagination and creativity seems to be overflowing!!!!
I will continue to decorate with reckless abandon until I can no longer do it physically.....
Because after all.......
"If
this was to be your last Christmas on Earth, would you have wanted to
spend it in a house where you didn't do the thing you loved?"
I LOVE this quote.....
In my next post on FRIDAY, I will be starting my annual Christmas Home Tour for 2023!!!
Since I have the upstairs decorated already, that is where I will begin.....
First up will be the upstairs hall........
There are a few changes from lat year....
So I hope you will stop by to visit again on FRIDAY!!!!!
Stay safe, healthy and most of all, HAPPY!!
Thanks to those who took the time out of their busy day to spend a little bit of time with me!!
Thanks to those who took the time out of their busy day to spend a little bit of time with me!!
If you do not have a blog, PLEASE give me some way to reply to your comment, maybe by including your email in your comment. If I can not find a way to reach you, I will reply on the post where you commented so please check back......
I am linking up to these parties:
THURSDAY
TUESDAY
Inspire Me Tuesdays
Lou Lou Girl's Linky Party
All About Home Party- on Summer Hiatus
Tuesdays with a Twist
Tuesday Turn About Link Party
Team Creative Crafts Linky Party Inspire Me Tuesdays
Lou Lou Girl's Linky Party
All About Home Party- on Summer Hiatus
Tuesdays with a Twist
Tuesday Turn About Link Party
Please take some time to visit these terrific hosts and all those joining in on the fun!
I say if you love it, do it! I'm still amazed at your storage because it's not just Christmas but the whole deal! Your house is bigger than mine but still..... and those bottle brush trees in the mugs are just darling!
ReplyDeleteHi Debbie it's so fun to see your holiday decor starting. Love your latest finds!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking the time to stop by and for your kind words!! Glad you enjoyed seeing my new buys!! I hope you are having a great week!!
DeleteHugs,
Deb
Great finds, Debbie. I love how you updated that apron - so much better! As for storage - you have proved that if you love it, you'll find a place!
ReplyDeleteI recognize some of your finds! I want to set up a Hot Cocoa Bar in my dining room and I went to Ollies and Big Lots. I also went to Target where I found some items for my Curiosity Cabinet next Halloween 50% off and some beakers at Michaels for 70% off. I never seem to get as good of deals as you do, though. Can't wait to see your rooms this year.
ReplyDeleteLots of fun stuff! I can tell there will be some great vignettes coming our way when we visit again. We did not have any trick or treaters either, but we are 16 miles from the nearest town.
ReplyDeleteWow, great items! All the Christmas colors made me smile.
ReplyDeleteI love all of your finds this week Deb but especially the apron and the hot chocolate sign. So cute! Thank you for sharing with us as the Senior Salon Pit Stop link party.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
Maria
Hi friend!!! I'm so glad you found me after the ending of the HHM party! I have moved my blog to another landing place, http://www.seekingsimple.blog/ if you would like to still follow!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your Christmas haul! I really believe that gingerbread men are my favorite! But as always, you never disappoint with your fantastic decor! Thanks for sharing storage tips as well! I'm glad to have found you again!
Stacy,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by!! I tried the link and it does not work so I hope you stop by again and give me the link again so I can find you!!!
Hugs,
Deb