Welcome to the weekend, my friends! Can you believe we have less than two weeks left until Christmas?? If you’ve been reading these newsletters or following Barefeet in the Kitchen for long, you might have caught on that I adore Christmas. This is my favorite time of year and I look forward to it with extreme happiness for months leading up to Advent.
I try my best each year to have all the shopping done before Thanksgiving so that I can enjoy the season without feeling pressure to get everything done in December. From the anticipation of Christmas morning, remembering and being thankful for Christ’s birth so many years ago, the joy of sipping my coffee by the Christmas tree each morning, and the little Advent surprises for the kids – I truly love it all and try to take the time to enjoy the little things that add up to our holiday traditions each year.
Today, for the eleventh week of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Giveaways, I’m giving away this Willow Tree Nativity Set. We’ve had our Willow Tree nativity for almost 20 years and it remains my favorite Christmas decoration to set out each year. We built up the collection slowly and each year as we unpack and set it up, it makes me smile.
To be entered, leave a comment on THIS BLOG POST telling me your favorite Christmas decoration. The winner will be selected on Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at 11:59pm EST.
Here’s the lucky winner’s comment:
I do realize that the nativity is temporarily out of stock, likely for the remainder of the year. However, I will place an order and ship it to the winner, just as soon as it becomes available again. I’ve looked forward to giving this away for a while now, so I’m not letting that stop me.
ON THE BLOG this week: Soft and chewy Oatmeal Cookies filled with the perfect amount of raisins are a classic that will never stop being made in my house. These have been Sean’s favorite cookies for so many years now I’ve lost count.
This creamy Smoked Salmon Chowder is filled with carrots, onions, celery, garlic, wine, and a hint of bacon. Thyme and dill are added along with the smoked salmon to create a memorably rich and flavorful chowder. If you enjoy smoked salmon, you will love this chowder.
All the flavor of classic gingerbread cookies in a chewy Gingerbread Cookie Bar generously topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting. I’m happy to tell you that these cookie bars trump every gingerbread cookie I’ve ever tasted in the past. So, not only do they win points for being so very easy, they win for being truly fantastic as well.
What I’m CRAVING: This Kentucky Butter Crunch Cake from Creole Contessa looks and sounds amazing. I’ve been craving it ever since I saw it last week!
My FAVORITE THINGS this week are these disposable pans that I bought for holiday food gifts. They’re a terrific size for small to medium food gifts. And (2) of the 9-inch round pans perfectly hold one recipe of the ever-popular Cranberry Christmas Cake.
What I’m READING: Holly and Ivy by Fern Michaels. While I enjoyed this book, it was admittedly predictable. Maybe not the best book I’ve ever read, but it was a nice distraction for a few hours. (I realize I’m not selling it here, but I did enjoy it!) The book starts in tragedy but doesn’t continue as a story of grief for too long. It felt hopeful and definitely made me smile in the end.
What I’m WATCHING: It Happened One Christmas. I have mixed feelings about this one. It’s A Wonderful Life is one of my favorite Christmas movies and I assumed I’d like this one. However, the description “In the spirit of It’s A Wonderful Life…A young woman has to give up her dream and remain in her small hometown as head of the family’s building and loan.”
In the spirit of? Well, this movie is almost exactly the same movie, George and Mary have just swapped places. Mary Bailey is the main character going through all of the same moments that George experiences in the original. While fun to watch, it was almost a miss for me as the original movie is simply perfect and will forever be a favorite.
“And we are better throughout the year for having in spirit, become a child again at Christmas time.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Wishing you a beautiful week full of little things that make you smile!
Mary
Carol Bennet says
My daughter is a teacher of 5th grade. This has been a tough year for children and teachers. She collects nativity scenes they are so precious to her. She has 5 kids, her husband a minster with little work and income. I would like to bless her with this set. Thank you for your blog and recipes. My favorite ornament is a nurse ornament I have had since the 1960. My daughter, granddaughter make cookies for neighbors, teachers and friends. I began this in 1958 and this is the first time we haven’t made them. Stay well. God bless.
Joan Knuepfer says
My mom would give us an ornament every year and she would write the date on it. She is gone now, but I still have some of those ornaments and each year they go on my tree in memory of my mom. ❤️🎄
Cindy Brazil says
SeeIng this nativity is a reminder to me of my Aunt, who is in poor health now, and I am not able to see this year. She has had a Willow Tree nativity that I have always loved, and I have bought her various Willow Tree over the years. I think my favorite decorations are my snowmen (people!) that I have collected. They all have such different character. I’m looking at them across the room and am smiling now! Thank you for your generosity of giving to others!
Marie Rollins says
My favorite Christmas decoration is my old Radio Flyer Sleigh outside my front door with a piece of garland, berries, twigs, and a few other “Christmasy” items attached to the top of it. It takes me back to my childhood and riding on it on this big hill in the town we were living in, in Germany (my dad was in the Army and we were stationed there when I was young), and my dad giving me a push down the hill, helping me bring it back up and getting on it with me and then with my brother on his. I miss my dad.
Lilly says
This would make my year to win the Willow Tree Nativity! Currently I’m loving a variety of wooden/white porcelain houses nestled in evergreen and Christmas lights. I love all the cozy Christmas decor!!!
Donna Greer says
My favorite decoration is my Santa face egg ornament my Mom gave back to me years ago to put on our tree. He’s a blown out egg with a face I’d drawn on with some felt for his hat and cotton glued on for his hair and beard. Then some string glued on for a hanger. He’s got a crack now, and he’s quite yellowed, but still my favorite. I made him at age 5, and am now 74!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!🎄
S. Cummings says
My favorite Christmas decoration is one that can’t be bought. My son made a ‘grape figure’ when he was in grade school. He is grown now, but that stuffed figure has been out for every Christmas for 30+years.
Kate says
My favorite Christmas ornaments are the Hallmark numbered trains 1-6 from 2009-2014 that my mom got my son from the time he was born until my mom passed. I cherish these ornaments more every year and they will be passed down to my son when he has his own family tree.
Sheyenne says
My favorite Christmas decoration, is hands down, the pinecones I gathered with my Mom and hand painted the tips white and hot glued a hook to the top. I have minimialized our family Christmas down to white lights, candy canes and these pine ones 😍😍😍
P Lafuente says
Many years have passed, but most of all I enjoy placing our photo ornaments on the Christmas tree. They include photos of my husband and I, and each child’s first Christmas. There are a few others handmade with school photos as well. 💕
Cheryl Garcia says
My husband and I were given a set of Gingerbread, scented ornaments 45 years ago for a Christmas gift. Every year we unwrap them, they haven’t lost the gingerbread scent, he hands the gingerbread boy and I hang the gingerbread girl and have fond memories of his grandparents who gave us the ornaments.
Jacqui says
One of my favorite Christmas ornaments is one that I grew up with from my parents tree. My mother gave it to me a few years ago. I am one of 5 kids. It is a plastic cylinder with a little propeller in it that spins when you blow on it. Sometimes the heat from the Christmas lights would make it spin also. As kids we would all fight over who would get to blow on it first to watch it spin. I now hang it on my tree and it brings back so many happy childhood memories.
Pat says
My favorite Christmas decorations are the ornaments that my now grown children made when they were little. The tradition continues with their children yet today. Thanks for the giveaway. May you have the merriest of Christmases and God bless.
Kim Schartner says
My favorite Christmas decorations are the applesauce and cinnamon ornaments I made wen we were first married.. thats 20 years ago this summer.. the spicy cinnamon aroma reminds me of the festive season we are in.
Beth Beaty says
What a beautiful nativity set! I would love to win it :). I love the ornaments our kids made but I think the plate we have with Isaiah 7:14 is one of my favorites. I love to keep the focus on Jesus and His birth.
Chris says
I was blessed to have a second chance at living happily ever after 12 years ago. My husband and I intentionally decided to make our Christmas tree each year a reflection of what is important in our lives. Over half of the ornaments on the tree depict the Nativity story in some fashion. We also have Jesse tree ornaments telling the story on our tree as well. Advent is my time to share calendars and devotionals with my family and friends. I, too, try to have all my Christmas shopping, wrapping, and cards complete by Thanksgiving so I have time to enjoy the sights, sounds, aromas, faith, food and fellowship sharing of the season.
Beth Beaty says
What a beautiful Nativity set – I would love to win it! I love the ornaments my kids made for clearly sentimental reasons. But I think my favorite is a beautiful Christmas plate with Isaiah 7:14 on it. I love to keep the focus on Jesus and His birth, the reason for the season!
Connie Gallagher says
My very favorite ornament is the Angel I put on the top of our tree. My mother-in-law gave it to us when we first got married, 45 years ago, and now that she is gone it means even so much more, she’s our angel. It wouldn’t be Christmas without it!
Ann Cummings says
My favorite Christmas decoration is a candle in the window. I have candles in all my windows, and when they come on at night, the glow they give off just makes me feel so peaceful inside. Many years ago, my mom had seen a picture in a magazine of a beautiful house with candles glowing in each window. She looked high and low to find candles for windows like that for our home, and she finally found some the following year. Every year since, my parents’ home has had candles in each window. Even though my mom passed away 15 years ago, my dad carries on her tradition. I have also followed her tradition with candles in my windows as well, and I know she smiles down on us when she sees our lights shining from each of our homes. Merry Christmas to all……
Angela Fischer says
As a child, my father didn’t allow religious decorations…he did not believe in God and I was forbidden to participate in any of that “mind control”. My favorite ornament is one of a set that my mother purchased the first Christmas she and my father were married. Over the years they have broken but my favorite one survived. My parents divorced and my father died in 1988 and Mom gave me that ornament. This ornament has a star in the middle of it. As a child I imagined it was the star of Bethlehem. That ornament stands for hope for me.