Christmas Decorating: Candy Canes and Gingerbread

So I finally have wrapped up the Christmas decorations. This year with my one year old’s personality blossoming, showing excitement and feelings, I dropped the pretty, and gawdy and went for the simple, fun, and festive!

The day started out with me telling my husband, that Annie and I were going to Hobby Lobby for a few things. Before leaving I promise I wouldn’t get anything glittery. (It kills him because it gets on everything.) Well…. I accidentally found those huge candy canes that I couldn’t resist. Full of glitter, of course. 🙈😂 And there started my inspiration. In the living room starts with candy canes, transitions to the dining room with gingerbread and candy canes, then finally to the kitchen where I have gingerbread pieces! *peep a little Mickey Mouse in the kitchen. I just had to.🙈

My favorite part of it all the is the garland I hung above the stockings since we do not have a fireplace. On that is in order every ornament that has been purchased since the year my husband and I started dating. Every year is a new ornament that represents that year; engagement, first house, the birth of Annie, adopting our cats, etc.

Moving on to how and what! A lot of my stuff was purchased at Hobby Lobby and Kohl’s! So many great deals so I didn’t have too spend much! This was also my first year using battery operating lights with timers. I will never go back. It has made everything so easy. – I don’t have to fight Annie over cords or electrical sockets. And it’s so pleasant when the sun goes down they start coming on one by one.

I hope when Annie grows up, she can always look back on her childhood and remember that mommy tried her best to create a festive Christmas spirit that lasts a lifetime.

Also a huge shoutout to Bare Candles! In this video I’m burning Christmas Tree. But this season I go between that, Apple Cidar, and Pumpkin Vanilla. Any scent I’ve ever had is incredible!

These candles do not have phthalates, paraffin, Prop 65 chemicals, or dyes. Most candles (and yes the popular ones) when burned release and produces numerous toxic carcinogens and emits harmful vapors into the air and can be absorbed by the skin. These toxins are very unsafe and are linked to asthma, cancer, changes in sex hormone levels, altered development of genitals, and low sperm count and quality.

When looking for candles, you want to make sure the company is clear in stating they do not contain these ingredients. – Soy and beeswax are the safest. Also found some companies state they use soy wax on the actual candle but when you look it up they mix that wax with vegetable or paraffin wax. Marketing manipulation at its best.