The Little Things Newsletter #237 – Week 11 Giveaway

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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.

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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

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Mary Younkin

Mary Younkin

Hi, I’m Mary. I’m the author, cook, photographer, and travel lover behind the scenes here at Barefeet In The Kitchen. I'm also the author of three cookbooks dedicated to making cooking from scratch as simple as possible.

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108 Comments Leave a comment or review

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  1. Nancy Shumaker says

    My favorite Christmas decoration is my collection of Snowmen and Santas. I line them up above the fireplace with a few little trees.

  2. Kathy E. says

    Oh, I’d love to add the Willow Nativity Set to my holiday decor! It’s beautiful!
    My favorite Christmas piece is a shiny red musical bell. My mom brought it back from Switzerland when I was about 10 years old. It plays Silent Night so sweetly! I always looked forward to hearing it and admiring it’s beauty every Christmas season. After I was married, Mom gave it to me. She’s been gone 11 years, but I can still feel her nearby when I wind it up and listen to its magic.
    duchick at gmail dot com

  3. Janie Mirtes says

    My favorite Christmas item is our tree. It is filled with a hodge podge of ornaments. I have ornaments that our children and grand children made hanging next to Hummels, Lenox, and Wedgewood. Decorating it
    takes a long time as I reminisce about each one. Some bring smiles and others brings tears. I love doing
    this each year.

  4. Claudia Barker says

    Merry Christmas! We were married on Christmas Eve, 32 years ago, in front of our Christmas tree, surrounded by family. On our first wedding anniversary my husband gave me a beautiful Christmas snow globe. It is my favorite and most prized Christmas decoration!

  5. Ms. Donna Gradert says

    Love your video about the Willow Tree Nativity.
    My favorite Christmas decoration is the Nativity set that i purchased as a child. I got the first 3 pieces, Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus the first year They were purchased from Woolworth’s Five and Dime in Wichita, KS. I was so excited. The next year I bought the 3 wisemen. The next the shepherds, angel and a few animals. It had a cardboard “creche” and I put a little straw in there every year
    As an adult, I found a man who had torn down a barn and he made me a wooden Creche. Very nice touch- – I put it under my tree every year.

    Donna Gradert [email protected] Topeka, KS

  6. Patricia Caulder says

    My favorite Christmas decoration is handmade Christmas balls that open for small presents or candy to go inside. My neighbor gave them to me about 50 years ago when I was in high school, and I have always treasured them. Merry Christmas everyone!

  7. Vellana Sorensen says

    This year my favorite decoration is the vintage sled that our adult children bought and surprised us with for our anniversary. It’s a long story but so sweet. Our Christmas tree is standing on top of the sled.

  8. Peggy says

    My favorite Christmas decor is lights. Lots of twinkling lights to brighten even the darkest of nights. This year I even had a few days of just lights on the tree before decorating. And I plan to have days of just lights after the decorations are removed. Jesus is the Light of the World! Merry Christmas!

  9. Kel says

    What a beautiful nativity set. You are sweet to offer it! My favorite decoration is the wreath a patient made for me about 25 years ago. It is getting worn, but I still hang it on our door each year.

  10. Starla says

    Oh, what beautiful nativity sets they have. This reminds me so much of my precious Nana whom I lost in 2016. My favorite holiday decoration is definitely an extremely old set of 3 snowmen who actually still light up. My Nana had this in her home every year while growing up. Goodness, do I miss her!

  11. Lorrie Carey says

    My favorite Christmas tree decoration is the one that is a full Christmas tree on one side and a cross on the other. The inscription reads, “When you strip away all the tinsel and glitter, God’s real truth shines through.”

  12. Henriette Hall says

    I have a Clear Glass Ornament with the Red Ribbon suspended inside. I have had this since the 80’s when AIDS was SO prevalent. I hang this each year knowing that we have several medications to now help with this Disease..I look forward to the day I hang it knowing AIDS is Gone…for good and we on to the total eradication of Covid 19.

  13. Barb E says

    My favorite Christmas decoration is my Clothtique Santa’s. I collected them for years, each one has it’s special “place” and it’s special meaning. Thank you for this generous giveaway! Wishing you and your family good health and happiness this Holiday Season!

  14. Patti Bishop says

    Patti B

    My favorite Christmas tree ornament is a toilet paper roll angel with doilies for wings that my now 36 year old son made in preschool. It sat on the tree top every year since he made it and after last Christmas I gave it back to him for his tree.

  15. Wendy R Cathcart says

    My favorite Christmas decor this year is our nativity set with a new addition: the Chick Fil A cow, that found a place around the manger! 😀