What's New. What's Not.

I have an incredible amount of Christmas stuff and I seem to add to it all year long every year.  I'm also very limited on space so everything has a place and has to be in that place in order for it to all get put out on display.  But, putting it out exactly the same year after year wouldn't be too fun, so I try to mix it up a bit. 

The village always goes on top of the TV wall Unit.  I usually mix it all up, but this year I noticed that I had acquired a lot of glittery churches over the past few years, so I put them all together on the top shelf and then only put out my Grocery Store Village on the second shelf.  *For anyone new reading this, I only collect grocery stores for my village since this is where The Breadman and I met. 

Raggedy Ann and Andy are front and center on the tree where they have been since I was seven years old.  That will never change.

The elves are on the shelf where they always are too, but in a different arrangement as last year. I don't think I found a new one this year.  I am on the hunt for a thrifted copy of Elf on the Shelf. 

This is new this year - I gathered up all my vintage bottle brush trees and some old German houses and made this vignette. I got the old dump truck this summer and thought is just had to hold a tree too.

The huge four foot tall Rubber face Santa is in his usual spot.  I love him so much!  I bought him for $2.00 about fifteen years ago. 

The Christmas Annalee collection has shown a huge growth spurt this year.  I found five new mice at Goodwill a few weeks ago.  Then, about a week ago, I went to an All Christmas store that is sponsored by the local thrift.  I had bought a local deal for $20.00 bought $40.00 worth of goods.  Plus, when I got there, everything was 50% off. So, I got $80.00 worth for my $20.00.  It was all new stuff and I was having trouble spending my money until I spotted a display of Annalee's!  I got six different ones plus a ton of other stuff that day.  Every Annalee I own cost me less than $1.00 each.

The Gurley Santa's are in their old clock cabinet.  I've never found a better place to put them that I like any more.

The Santa's are on their usual shelf.  I did try to mix it up a bit.  I like all the little stuff in the old candy jar on the top shelf.  And the wire crate full of my Great Grandmother's Santa face cups.

The Bean's Nutcrackers have taken over the top shelf.  He only started collecting them a few years ago and man, he has a ton!  He's got him Mom's collecting gene, that's for sure!

The old window got a shock of bling.  It looks better in real life - lots of sparkle with the wreath, glass beads and picks.  I have a ton of old marquee letters, so I made the HO HO HO this year. (*The camera was crooked, the shelf is straight.)

I found these four pots of Mercury Glass flowers this summer.  I waited all summer to use them! 

The Christmas Countdown Snowman is on the front door as usual.  The best part?  I still find my kid, even though he is sixteen, moving it over day to day first thing in the morning.  I guess you never get too old for Christmas, right?

So, have done things differently this year?  Or is the same old, same old? I don't think it really matters, because I love it all the same, new or old!

Coming up: My tour of the new American Art Museum, 2011 Christmas Candy making and an Estate Sale in an Historic Home.