i love seeing how people decorate their home for christmas–why they chose this ornament or that, what they put on the mantle and tables, if they eschew all decorations or make their house look like hobby lobby circa november 30th threw up nog-Flavored decor on every surface.  you know, festive things like that.

so, i thought i’d give you a little tour of our christmas decor around the old apartment-homestead-slash-fixer-design-and-sugar-cookie-making-headquarters, subconsciously inspired (mostly) by carols.

we also got one of our christmas gifts early — our first DSLR (thanks to the in-laws and uncle sam who required some business-related tax writeoffs) — so i wanted to give it a whirl.

note: these are the very first shots we’ve taken with senor canon t3i (he came with an instruction manual en espanol,  so perhaps he’s spanish?), so have mercy on me for any slightly out-of-focus or not-quite-lined-up whathaveyou on the photos; i have yet to become proficient.

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this one deserves an extra little note — this was designed & hand-lettered on our dining room chalkboard wall by my favorite husband, the boy.  what a gem.

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hope your lights are extra twinkly this year.