• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Collaborate
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Children’s Parties Ideas
    • Holiday Parties
    • Adult Party Ideas
  • Holiday Ideas
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Spring
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Seasons
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Good Ideas
    • Tutorials
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

December 10, 2022

Nostalgic Christmas Home Tour

When we were little girls, my sister and I knew that it was important to my parents that Santa not get the credit for our ‘big’ Christmas gift. The hand-crafted doll house, the white leather roller skates with purple wheels (still one of my favorite childhood gifts), the Schwinn bike, the Cabbage Patch doll, and so much more. All of these items were saved for and chosen carefully at a time when money was tight. So, to allow jolly old St. Nick to take the credit was a bridge too far and my mom couldn’t bring herself to put his name on the gift tag.


But, one year, we were informed of a new tradition that my parents decided to introduce into our festivities. My dad had realized that many a Christmas morning found him not being aware of what was inside all of the brightly wrapped boxes. As is typical in many a household, my mom did the bulk of the gift shopping and he was often as surprised as we were by what was under the tree.

So, he made the decision that he would pick out a special gift for his girls that would just be from him and that he would give it to us on Christmas Eve.

I still remember the joy we felt when we were told we would be allowed to open a gift on Christmas Eve. And, when we saw the gift tag signed ‘Love, Daddy’, the significance of knowing that he had personally selected something for each of his girls was not lost on us.

Over the years we received beautiful hard-cover books, perfume in bottles that made us feel oh so grown up, pajamas, ornaments and so much more. I’m sure he had some help from my mom. But, unlike Santa Claus, she was more than happy to let my dad have only his name on the tag.

To this day, it feels almost sacred to go into the cold attic and open up the bins to pull out the beautiful Christmas books and place them on my coffee table. I can’t resist opening the front cover of the Nutcracker and reading the inscription written in my dad’s handwriting. In an instant, I find myself in that inexplicable emotional state where I am both little girl and grown up mom in my forties.

This year, the word ‘nostalgia’ was running through my mind as I began to decorate my home to welcome the season. I think it’s one of the most perfect ways to describe the feeling that rises in us this time of the year.

Nostalgia is defined as “a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations.”

Sentimental longing or wistful affection…doesn’t that just perfectly capture the complex emotions we experience this time of the year? There’s so much joy and yet, at the same time, so much that feels incredibly bittersweet.

Holidays have that unique ability to serve as a very visible reminder of the passage of time and to have us thinking back and reflecting on the past while also looking forward and wondering what the next year will hold.

They are mile markers on our life journey.

Living in that tension between the two emotions hasn’t always been something I’ve done well and it’s often led to me missing out on simply enjoying the moments unfolding right in front of me. After all, they will be the memories we look back on someday, right?

This past year, more than ever before in my life, I’ve come to realize that perhaps our lives are always meant to live in that tension.

Built into my soul is a longing for a home I’ve yet to see. For now, I reside on this side of eternity.

So, I set out with intentionality to make my home one that pays homage to the home of my childhood and reflects the home that waits for me someday.

The treasured items I pull from the attic blend seamlessly with the newfound pieces that will become treasured items to my children (and maybe even grandchildren!) someday.

If they can find a way to happily exist together in that space between the past, the present and the future then I guess I can do it too.

Because, the best part about that tension is that it reveals to us how finite we really are and reminds us of our need for the One who was born in a manger and died on a cross.

 

My hope and prayer for you this Christmas is that you will be able to experience the joy that comes from being truly present in each moment. And, that you will simply embrace the bittersweet emotions that rise up in this season, allowing them to turn your hearts towards the Savior who is called,

“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Merry Christmas, dear ones, from my home to yours!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Comments Filed Under: Celebrations, Christmas, Decorating, Good Ideas, Holidays Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas decor, Christmas home tour

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « Vintage Inspired Hot Cocoa Bar
Next Post: Winter Decorating Ideas »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carol Reddin says

    December 11, 2022 at 9:29 AM

    I’m feeling nostalgic just reading this post and seeing the beautiful photographs (especially the much-loved Nativity). Your Dad always wanted to be a big part of your lives and share in your joys and sorrows.

    Merry Christmas. I love you.

    Mom

    Reply
  2. Jo says

    December 12, 2022 at 9:50 PM

    I know exactly what you mean about the nostalgia. And I hope someday my own children will look back to their childhood home and especially at the holiday season with the same emotions. You wrote it so beautifully. And also about our future home!! What a joy to serve the one true God and worship a risen Savior. Blessings to you and yours!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      December 15, 2022 at 1:07 PM

      Thank you so much for your kind comment Jo! I’m so glad this resonated with you. Merry Christmas to you and yours during this sacred season!

      Reply
  3. Marilyn says

    December 15, 2022 at 4:26 PM

    Thank you for sharing this lovely post. The house is beautiful. Christmas is a time for nostalgia. We can still see our dad reading the Night Before Christmas to his daughters. Wishing you and yours a Blessed and Merry Christmas. God Bless.
    Joan,Marion and Marilyn

    Reply
  4. Nana Diana says

    December 18, 2022 at 2:36 PM

    What a wonderful, wonderful post. That was such a special thing for your daddy to do for you. My big nostalgic moment is always on my birthday, Dec 12, when my father and I would go into the woods and bring home a Christmas tree. That was always so special.
    God bless you and your family during this precious Christmas season. Hugs- Diana

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Stay updated!

  • A New Look for the Family Room

    A New Look for the Family Room
  • Honey Tea Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze

    Honey Tea Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze
  • The Slow Exit

    The Slow Exit
  • Honed Quartzite Kitchen Counters Reveal

    Honed Quartzite Kitchen Counters Reveal

Sign Up and Never Miss A Post!

Must Reads

Latest Recipes

Honey Tea Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze

Apple Bread Pudding

Grandma’s Banana Bread

view more recent recipes

Recent Posts

  • Winter Decorating Ideas January 27, 2023
  • Nostalgic Christmas Home Tour December 10, 2022
  • Vintage Inspired Hot Cocoa Bar November 21, 2022
  • Autumn Home Decor Tour October 7, 2022
  • Built In Shelving Makeover in Family Room August 31, 2022

Footer

Stay Connected!

Instagram

I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake a I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake and grabbed a banana out of the freezer and was about to put it into my shake before I realized it was a frozen egg roll. Sooooo that's how my day is going so far! 🤪How about you?

It's honestly fairly representative of my state of mind these days as I can't seem to make the date on the calendar match the date in my spirit because it feels like it should be January 45th. Every year this month drags on and every year it seems to surprise me for some reason. In addition, my heart just feels heavy as I witness a lot of darkness and sadness around me. So, I'm choosing to control what I can control by making my house feel as cozy as possible, relishing the sunshine whenever it dares to peek through the clouds, gathering inspiration for warmer weather projects and, most importantly, resting in the comfort of the sovereignty of my Father.

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone he has made may know his work..." Job 37:5-7
What if you could do something at the beginning of What if you could do something at the beginning of your day that would be a gift to yourself later on? That’s what we’re talking about on this week’s Tip Tuesday! #tiptuesday
The sun decided to make another appearance today! The sun decided to make another appearance today! It’s been such a lovely Sunday. Chocolate croissants for breakfast followed by church then naps/football/reading/etc and soon we’ll be heading out to dinner with friends. These are my favorite kind of weekends. Hope yours has been lovely too! 🌿
Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshi Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshine is breaking through the fog and my house just seems happier. We definitely needed to see that light streaming in through the windows and it’s a gift I don’t take for granted.

And yes, there are still twinkle lights on my mantle because those help when the sunshine goes away again. ✨
Happy weekend! The rainy and gloomy weather here i Happy weekend! The rainy and gloomy weather here in the Willamette Valley has me feeling less frustrated about my migraine forcing me to just snuggle up indoors and these flowers in my kitchen are lifting my spirits. What are you up to on this holiday weekend?
It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offe It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offering a gentle reminder from my own parenting experience after feeling my heart pricked with conviction about what was waiting for my daughter every day after school. I hope it will encourage you! 🌿#tiptuesday
The day after Christmas I found myself laundering The day after Christmas I found myself laundering and folding all of the linens we used the previous night as we hosted my husband's side of the family for dinner and other festivities. As I laid out each cloth napkin and folded them one by one, I couldn't help but be struck by what a simple, yet meaningful, task it was. It's such an honor and privilege to be the hostess and, at this stage of my life, I realize that this has almost one hundred percent become my role now. Our parents are in their 70's and have either downsized significantly or simply don't have the energy to take on hosting duties for a large group. I could resent this. I could feel overwhelmed by it. But, instead, I'm choosing to embrace it knowing that, someday, I too will pass the hosting torch and I hope that I will be welcomed with love and attentiveness. So, I fold the linen napkins, taking pleasure in the way all of the creases line up and how neat and tidy they look in the drawer of my dining room buffet. These seemingly simple chores are part of the lifeblood of homemaking and my attitude towards them can either be one of gratefulness or grumbly-ness (yes, I'm making up words now). 

And I’m choosing gratefulness. 

“This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness.” (Elisabeth Elliot⁣)
Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kic Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kicking off the year with a brand new series! Each weekly installment will feature a tip for everything from your home to faith to parenting to family life and so much more. My goal for 2023 is to have far more personal interaction with this community while continuing on with the mission of weaving together all things heart and home. I hope you enjoy this first tip and I’d love to hear from you about whether or not you decorate for winter! 
#tiptuesday #organizing #winterdecorating
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. H “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” 

Here’s to beginnings. Happy new year friends! May you experience the majesty and sovereignty of the Lord in 2023 like never before! ✨
Oh how I love this week each year! It’s my favor Oh how I love this week each year! It’s my favorite for sure. Everything is still festive and decorated but there’s none of the stress of the cooking and wrapping and making preparations. It’s the week where we get to take everything slowly and simply enjoy being together while the house still has twinkling lights and we can just be cozy.

What about you? How will you be spending this week? ✨
Load More... Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2023 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2023 At The Picket Fence