#AMonthofFaves This is How We (Interfaithfully) Holiday

Honestly, this post stays pretty much the same from year to year but I still like showing you our holiday decorations. I love seeing what becomes a tradition after a few years and what changes. (I'll give you a hint: not much changes!) When I saw that today's post on #AMonthofFaves, the blog party hosted by Kim and Tanya at GirlXOXO (link here) and T of Traveling With T (link here), was "how we holiday," I couldn't wait to "invite you all in," as it were.

First up, we start with smelling the Christmas potpourri. I got this idea from my blog friend, Alison, and it has been a staple at our house ever since throughout most of December. It's basically a couple of orange slices, a handful of cranberries, a couple of cinnamon sticks, and a sprinkling of whole cloves. Add water and simmer away, adding water as necessary.

A big change this year is that Rachel has basically taken charge of making the potpourri. She loves it and I LOVE that she has taken on this tradition.

 

For those of you who are new, my husband Dave is Jewish, I am Christian, and we are raising the kids in both faiths. So at this time of year we are celebrating all the things! This year Channukah starts this coming Sunday evening and the last night is December 29 so it will completely overlap with Christmas. It will be busy times.

While we are in the kitchen, smelling the Christmas potpourri, please note the cute driedels on the cupboard handles. We tried a few different places for these, before settling on the cupboards.

In the office hangs our Channukah star banner which Dave made out of origami. Yes, we have a window in the middle of our house. Yes, this is where the Christmas cards also hang out.

Entering the living room, you see the handmade nativity set I bought in Israel-Palestine. I originally gave it to my parents but a few years ago they gave it back to me so we could enjoy it. I LOVE this set.

The piano is perfect for the "Happy Chanukah" banner I made a few years ago. I love this banner. I also love that Sam was inspired to make his own "Happy Chanukah" banner. Yes, I've kept it for about six years. Yes, I will probably never throw it out. And yes, we always hang it where four year old Sam originally hung it :)

Back in the living room you can see we found a new place for one of our banners. We always hang this in the kitchen, and then complain because it interferes with opening the cupboard doors. I told Dave, "Not this year" and we found a new place for it. And Rachel's menorah, which she made at Religious school, when she was about three, always hangs on the living room window. I think we lost the flame for the shamash though.

I asked Sam to arrange our Channukah books on the living room shelf. We have accumulated quite the pile over the years.

I acquired some random Christmas fabric and used it to make my light garland in the dining room. I then made the rest into this really long irritating string, which I hang on our stair railing. It's random and sort of ugly, but hey, it's tradition. Ha!

Welcome to our dining room. We have Channukah garland strung and a whole bunch of Christmas happening in here.

For the past couple of years, we've done a Food Bank Advent calendar with the kids. We use this one here. I love this way of counting down until Christmas.

Also, for the past few years, we've gotten our tree from our neighbourhood association. We walk to a local park to pick it up, drink hot chocolate with our neighbours, and I love it. This year, sadly, we had to decorate our tree twice.

We decorated it the first time, went to buy skates, and when we got home, the tree was lying on the ground. Thankfully only three ornaments broke, but one was easily replaceable and the other two were mine and Dave's which we bought at Target in Canada. While I'm sad to lose my red teapot, at least I didn't lose some of my ornaments from when I was a kid.

Dave took the kids out to pick up pizza while I redecorated the tree.

Our Advent wreath is nothing to write home about. Ha! It exists and we light the candles almost every night at supper.

Sorry, for the blurry photos, but the dining room, with its light string over the window and the Christmas tree in the corner, and the Advent wreath on the table, is just so pretty.

We also have a Christmas wreath on the front door and the kids each have a miniature Christmas tree in their room (Sam's is blue and Rachel's is red) and that is about it.

I love our interfaithfully decorated house and I hope you've enjoyed the tour!