I definitely will post some pics, Kim :)
BTW, when I lived in Maryland..it was in a small town called Ashton. It was right between Columbia and Olney. I loved it up there!

Kim, I've seen Home Alone multiple times but until your post about your lovely Nativity, I never knew of the other sizes larger than 12" until I went to the Fontanini website. Oh, what work they do. Gorgeous artwork. I love the old and new figures!!! Then I saw those lovely 70" and was just blown away. Wow!!! I would love to see a Nativity of those in person! I wonder if the Disney set was used for Home Alone or they just purchased a set for the movie and then the director or somebody got it! That's lot of $$$.

I did see all of the pictures!!! That was so darling to see him placing the Baby Jesus. My Danny used to like to do that when he was small. Such memories.

I usually display my Nativity under the tree the last week before Christmas and until then, on a table, coffee table, the hutch or the ledge between the kitchen and the den. My Ebay older Fontanini donkey came yesterday! I am pining for a set of the older, brownish Magi mounted on their walking camels!!! A tad pricey! I've looked for them in summer on Ebay 2 or 3 times but the Magi sets usually aren't sold summers that I have looked. I guess those savvy sellers know they can get more if they just wait to sell closer to Christmas. Those 12" figures are perfectly lovely but are large and I imagine a set with Magi and shepherds, angels, a piper or tradesman included with some animals would take up a big chunk of space. You might just set up a special table in the center of the living room for a set as special as that!!! It would warrant it!

Even minimalist Christmas decorating is fun. I used to go way overboard and decorate the entire house - all rooms throughout - and then found out the dusting and packing away all of that wasn't so much fun in January and it took forever so now I keep my decorating confined to one room and possibly a little in the living room and okay, a thing or two for the baths and door wreaths.

I can't wait to see your pictures!!!

Growing up, one of my bestfriend's dad owned a hobby shop. One place he displayed his trains at home was in a guest bedroom. He built two tables (with folding legs) that stradled a full/queen size bed and the two tables locked together underneath with a latches, to make one big flat surface for his tracks to be set up on. When the tables were folded up, they were stored under the bed.

Boy, I'd have loved to see that. I have always been fascinated by toy trains and the large sets with villages, etc.

We had a little Christmas Miracle I think! I walked over to my new Christmas tree with some of the lights out on one branch and pulled out one of the lights that was not burning. More lights went out when I detached it, though it says on the box and instructions that additional lights won't go out when one light is out! Anyway, I replaced that bulb with one of the extras and on all the lights came - even the ones that had been out - those 6 or so that wouldn't light!!! I swear they are all burning. I got a flashlight and looked all around in the limbs and couldn't see any bulbs out! I think we had a little "miracle" (haha) and I think my second rate little tree is not going to have to go back to the store. I still may call the store manager and see if I can bring it back for another after Christmas just in case it has a short or something, IDK. But it seems I have this little memory flitting around that I've had trees before that one certain bulb being out did control the strand or part of a strand if it were an anchor bulb or something like that - that there was one bulb in a strand that controlled the strand or something. I may just be dreaming that and "misremembering" all that but anyway, we'll see. I did go ahead and put the red ornaments on it yesterday after those bulbs all seem to light. It looks very nice now. Very bright - sure glad I didn't get all white or all clear lights on it. I think I'd have to wear sunglasses. It puts out a lot of light for just a 6.5 foot little tree.

Well, our tree got delayed until this coming Friday night (boo lol). But, I did take Mandie to get her very first Santa pic done today..see below.

I'm so happy that you got your lights on! Lights are like the best part! :D

Even getting it then, you'll have plenty of time to really enjoy it. Lots of time left until after New Years and that's how long most of them are up! I used to want my tree down ASAP as Christmas was over and I was always kind of sad seeing it. My sister said she likes the week after Christmas better than any week December as the stress and rush of the Christmas holidays is over, the pressure is off and you can just sit back and enjoy the decorations, the pretty tree and the expectations of NYE, etc. They even still watched Christmas movies that week so I started leaving mine up, too and now really enjoy that after-glow of Christmas even longer. I can't wait to see yours! Got to put that tree picture up soon as you can after it's up!

Oh, Mandie looks darling in that picture. What a precious little sober face! Don't you know they wonder, just like little children, what in the world that strange-looking man in red in the big chair is or why he is so different-looking? And we give them to him! I love the expressions of children and dogs handed over to Santa's!!!! LOL. Some of those looks are priceless!

I'm very familiar with the area. We lived in Howard County for 25 years before moving to Baltimore County a couple years ago. Come visit us sometime! Oh, and I'm sure your decorating will be lovely!

What a great idea! I like Jeanie's table idea too. I need to decide something soon.

We finally got the tree up (a small one) and a wreath on the door. That's as good as it's going to get this year. We'll have Christmas with the children and grandchildren on Friday the 21st when our grand daughter arrives from West Virginia. We leave the next day to go back to Florida, so there is no sense in getting much more out, since no one will be home. Oh, and we did find Ideal baby Jesus. He had to be set out. It's not Christmas without him. :D

I agree with your daughter. That week between Christmas and New Year's is the best. Mandie was shaking from the time we walked into the store, but I hope it will help her..she's not used to going places. And, on the 21st, I'm taking her to the "better" Santa.

:thumbup: Love your last sentence :)

Yes, since I finally got my Ideal Baby Jesus, the decorations and all in the room finally look complete. I wanted that little doll for so long but just never saw one anywhere or any doll show, antique mall or anyplace. Finally, it dawned on me I could find one on Ebay but the times I looked before, he wasn't for sale. Last year there were about three at the time I was looking and right after I got mine, another popped up on Ebay that included the whole set with the backdrop, etc., for about the same money! Still, glad I missed that one as I would have never used that old background and box, etc., as I am not that kind of collector. But he is so cute and yet has that wonderful look for old, traditional and classic religious art of old. He looks right at home under the tree.

With my sternum injury, I've hesitated to get out my Fontanini Nativity as it is in a large drum under a heavy table I have to move to get to it. It will hurt to get it out but I have to this week. I miss seeing it!

Did you post his pic last year?

Here's little baby Jesus by Ideal. Was it '58 he was produced? He's old. First saw his picture in a doll collector book back in the '80's and started to look for him but no finding him until last year on Ebay. Once or twice I saw him listed in an old collector's newspaper pre-internet but by the time my letter got to them, he was sold. Every time I would look on Ebay, no soap. Finally, last November I think it was, I found him. Now he fits right in with Shirley, who I wanted for so long and my big Santa. I never thought I would have a full-sized, authentic elfish-50's looking Santa but finally when I got that old Santa head, it all started. Then, last year, I also found my Elf On The Shelf!!!

Last night I was watching "Rudolph", "Yes, Virginia", "Elf On The Shelf" and there was my tree with the gold star on top, Shirley standing beside it in her pink party dress, Baby Jesus, Elf on the Shelf, Santa Claus and some presents and it was like a dream come true.

Today when I went to pick up a prescription and get my walk in, I bought a big pink Teddy Bear to sit under the tree, too! I will get a picture posted a little later. That pink teddy is so cute that the store could have sold 2 or 3 more as I was carrying him around in it, kept getting stoppe asking where I found him. He was the only one though. I saw this big shelf of mostly huge teddies up high and among them I spied a smaller pink top of a head and ears. A guy got out the ladder, climbed up and got him down for me. Oh, he's so cute! And so pink! Looks like a Sugar Plum. He looks so whimsical sitting under the tree.

Anyway, all I need to do is move that table, open the old tin drum and get out my Nativity this weekend and I'm all set except for wrapping presents.

Betty, do you have both of your Shirleys standing next to your tree?

:xmastree1::xmascand::santa::grinningelf::candyc1: