Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Disney Holiday Decorations at Home

This last weekend I announced to my family that I would not be putting Christmas decorations up this year.  We're currently in the middle of 2 weeks of state testing at work, and then we'll only have one more week before we get out for Christmas Break.  That means I won't be home much to enjoy the decorations before Christmas.  On top of that I felt like it was a lot of work to do just for me. I find that decorating for the holidays is much more meaningful with someone to help me do the chore of getting it all out. My awesome brother-in-law informed me that my announcement made him sad and that I had to decorate and immediately made plans for the family to come over on Sunday evening to help me decorate. (Side note: when I told people about this at work today, they said, "YOU not decorate?! If Joanna doesn't even decorate, what hope do we all have?! Besides... glitter... all that glitter! It's a holiday made for you!" Did not realize my creativity effected people so much!) So without the help of my brother-in-law, this post would have been very different!

I live in a fairly small apartment, but I do decorate a 4 foot tree (made of green, glittery tinsel), hang a sliver, glittery lit tinsel garland around my bar, and put out various candles, ceramic Santas & snowmen, and small Christmas trees. The Disney decorations in my home can almost all be found on my Christmas tree, and each decoration holds a special memory for me.  Remember how in my shopping guides I've stressed buying meaningful items? Well, I try to buy a Christmas ornament every few trips to hang on my tree. Looking at each one is like a walk down memory lane. Want to join me?

I bought this ornament on my 10th grade band trip to WDW in 1999. I'm amazed
it made it back in one piece and has made it through countless moves! Little did
I know back then how much it would mean to me now. 
I believe I got this "Best of Mickey" set of 4 ornaments during my first
adult visit to WDW in January 2009 (almost 10 years after my trip in high
school).  I've always been a fan of this series. I thought I had another
Disney ornament! If you look in the top left corner here & on the photo below,
you can see the Castle peeking out. It's one I got during my December
2011 trip with my friend. How did I miss it?
Found this image of the web of my ornament I forgot to take
a photo of. It was in celebration of Magic Kingdom's
40th Anniversary at Walt Disney World. I was super happy
to make a trip to the parks after the 40th anniversary.

Mickey's Pants!
Mickey's Glove!
Hidden Mickey on my tree :)
Thanksgiving 2010 I finally visited all 4 parks (up until then I'd always
skipped Animal Kingdom). To commemorate the occasion, I bought a
Four Parks, One World ornament. Never bought this merchandise before
because it felt like a lie since I didn't visit the 4th park.
Thankfully during my 2010 trip I realized this ornament would be
too heavy for my tree, and I bought a Mickey shaped ornament
display stand. Many Disney ornaments are large and heavy, and
a display stand can be the perfect tool to showcase your favorite ornaments!
Since fragile ornaments are hard to transport, I took a break from ornament
collecting until my trip last month. We went on a Disney Cruise, so I bought
this ornament to remind me of the trip. Easy to transport and striking on the tree!
I think this is technically the back of the ornament, but I love the DCL logo!

I collect Jim Shore Disney Traditions pieces. Last Christmas my sister and her family gave me a gorgeous Eeyore piece. He does have reindeer antlers, jingle bells around his neck, and a giant red bow, but I couldn't imagine putting him up right after I got him! I kept him out all year, and no one seemed to notice he was a Christmas decoration (or at least they were polite enough not to point it out). He'll continue staying out year-round as part of my collection. (I also have a very small non-Disney figure of two mice baking Christmas cookies that I keep on my stove all year since I am a baker... perhaps keeping Christmas decorations out all year can be my bit, and I won't have to pack up my tree! I kid, I kid!)

Jim Shore Disney Traditions Eeyore - isn't he sweet?

Be sure to tell me in the comments what Disney Christmas decorations you and your family like to enjoy!