***It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like CHRISTMAS THREAD***

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by KimInMD

Your older set are retired pieces, and have grown very valuable. Many of my pieces are the brown earth tones too. The newer pieces are the brighter colors. Yes, they do make a 7.5 set, and yes, they are so beautiful. They are much more detailed than the 5" set. The time to shop for additional pieces on Ebay is usually in the summertime. I hope you find a beautiful set of wise men at a great price. BTW- we both have the same Ideal baby Jesus too. I just love that sweet little Jesus baby doll. He has the prettiest face and I love his eyes.

Yes, they are older and brown-toned, had them forever. I pack them away in actual cotton. That Mary is so exquisite, I look at her a lot each year. Truly a Madonna iconic look. She has both hands raised slightly as if in surprise and praise. I so wanted the wise men but they have always been quite pricey on Ebay. I do have a cow, lamb, rooster and I think a camel, water boy, milk maid and a piper in addition to the cherub and angel. I wish I could find more camels with my wise men. Oh, and I'd like a King Herod to roast! Just kidding. But I do love the Fontanini pieces and wish I could have gotten the larger size but they really are so hard to find and they didn't carry them at my Macy's (back then it was Sanger-Harris or Titches). They are lovely to look at and so graceful. My favorite piece is that fat Baby Jesus with his little arms outstretched. My very favorite Christmas carol is and always has been "Away In A Manger" and he just speaks that song to look at him.

But your Nativity is the most fabulous thing I've seen in a long, long time. Reminds me of that fabulous one in Italy? or Spain?!!!

Oh, I was so glad to find that old Ideal Baby Jesus! I wanted him for years and finally got one! He's very very very special to me - like I always had him.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Just got the way for Santa Claus cleared in the hobby room. Moved two big dolls and a box Raggedy Ann came in and the little dolly is ready for Santa to hitch a ride on it. He's too heavy to carry or scoot on the floor so he has to ride all the way down the hall, through the kitchen and into the den or living room. His Santa sack is all ready, too. Found a little white-headed toddler doll in bluefooted jammies back there I used to use in Christmas Eve scenes. I think he will come out this year, too, for Christmas. He's an old Cititoy doll about 25" tall, open mouth, very surprised look on his face as if he really did just catch sight of one of Santa's boots as he whooshes up the fireplace.

My sister knows I love Christmas so much she even had a South African teddy bear artist friend of her make me a jointed teddy-bear style Christmas mouse one year! She made him of the finest, thinnest of mohair and the most expensive, tissue thin pale pinkish ultrasuede for his paws, tail and big ears. Only thing is she had her make him white instead of pale gray, as most Christmas mice on the Hallmark cards and in cartoons are. hehe. He looks more like a lab mouse! So of course I named him Algernon as in Flowers For Algernon. He came in a sweet Santa Mouse suit and a sweet note from the artist. Jilly loved Algernon - was always trying to get him and did once. But she just carried him by the ear to her bed. Found a wet-eared white mouse in her little bed later! Tibbe doesn't seem that interested in Algernon. He's all about the big Santa Claus and highly suspicious of him.

My little Elf on the Shelf sure is smiling big tonight. He's so cute.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Went on Ebay and bought a donkey for my Nativity. Got my eye on a set of the 3 Kings mounted on their camels and a beautiful blonde angel in pink. Never saw her before.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Big Santa Claus arrived this morning and is standing in my den beside Shirley Temple and a lifesize Nipper, the RCA dog, is watching them. Santa has his big bag and even brought some wrapped presents with him!

(I am nearly dead from hauling that big thing and all his stuff down here, refreshing his fur, Santa Suit, doing his wig, beard, reseating his replacement head and the Santa Hat, putting his glasses on, finding his pipe, his mittens, getting The Elf on the Shelf positioned on the shelf beside him and then cleaning the floor and getting a shower/makeup/hair. Now it's time for some breakfast and a nap! I'm exhausted!) Tibbe is barking his head off!!!)

[yorkietalkjilly]

Here is a picture. I need to work on their head positioning so they are both looking at the same point and bring the Toy Soldier out some so you can see him. That little golden herald trumpet he is holding will automatically raise up with his arms, the mouthpiece touching his lips at appropriate times when his music is playing. He plays many Christmas Carols and they sound like mandolin music or something. A very pretty sound, strong and resonant. The Hermann teddy was a Christmas present from me to me one year in the '80's.

Now all we need is a Christmas Tree.

Should I get a green, pink or white Christmas Tree to look best with this group? I wish I could get my tree out of the garage storage. It's covered with about 500 candy ornaments plus multicolored lights. Shirley would look so good next to it.

[JMuedog]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Here is a picture. I need to work on their head positioning so they are both looking at the same point and bring the Toy Soldier out some so you can see him. That little golden herald trumpet he is holding will automatically raise up with his arms, the mouthpiece touching his lips at appropriate times when his music is playing. He plays many Christmas Carols and they sound like mandolin music or something. A very pretty sound, strong and resonant. The Hermann teddy was a Christmas present from me to me one year in the '80's.

Now all we need is a Christmas Tree.

Should I get a green, pink or white Christmas Tree to look best with this group? I wish I could get my tree out of the garage storage. It's covered with about 500 candy ornaments plus multicolored lights. Shirley would look so good next to it.

Too cute!

I would get a green tree just to stick with the classic color. I think it would really set off the Shirley doll.

[yorkietalkjilly]

I probably will as I am a traditionalist but this year as so much is different and I can't really enjoy all the Christmas things because of this hip, I may get quirky and go pink or white just this once in my life.

I was looking on Treetopia yesterday and they have this absolutely fabulous huge pink tree with actual pink lights, was $298.00, now $98.00, it said. It is way beyond my physical limits to decorate so I'll have to get a much smaller one this year. With Danny working out of town this year and unable to help, my ex unable to help due to his injured shoulder(in a sling - he's one-armed now and sorry for himself) and Tibbe being the lazy butt that he is and not pitching in AT ALL to help(), it's up to me!!! I thought my pretty fiber-optic tree was the answer and it was just gorgeous but I couldn't get over those cloudy ornaments and the faint old appearance of it so it's going back. They are due to pick it up today - finally. Tomorrow I hope to get my pre-lit tree, a few dcorations for respectability and up it will go. Won't be much but I'll be happy to have a year where I don't kill myself overdoing the tree and decorating for a change. Then just finish my shopping, wrap and I'm ready. We're doing potluck for Christmas dinner. No telling what we'll wind up eating....hehehe. I could go for some of little Kevin's cheese pizza maybe! Ever since seeing Home Alone, pizza is now forever associated with Christmas to me!

Are you all decorated or still working at it?

[yorkietalkjilly]

Got a new tree and put it up last night. Sigh. Several lights on one strand are out and replacing them doesn't help. Other lights on that plug are fine! But all the lights on one limb and part of another are out. It's a good thing I didn't go ahead and decorate it last night!!!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by KimInMD

Ok- I want to jump in on this fun thread. I have one of the largest Fontanini (5" scale) Nativity displays in the USA. We belong to a "mega church" that has a huge Christmas cantata, so I get to share our family's 33 year Christmas tradition with thousands of people each year. It takes my crew of 8 several days to finish the assembly. This year I am entering an international competition, and I think I have a good chance at winning or placing. Here's the best part. Our 3 yr. old grandson was finally old enough this year to have the honor of placing baby Jesus in his manger. It was tearful "Nana moment" to see the family tradition continue with the next generation.

Kim, I was watching "Home Alone" last evening and saw what I think might be a Nativity of the 70" Fontanini figures in the two church scenes, now that I know they do the lifesize figures. Those things are thousands of dollars each, $7,500 and up!!! Do you think that Nativity Kevin hides in and then later on Christmas Eve we see in that second church scene is all Fontanini's?

[KazzyK810]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Got a new tree and put it up last night. Sigh. Several lights on one strand are out and replacing them doesn't help. Other lights on that plug are fine! But all the lights on one limb and part of another are out. It's a good thing I didn't go ahead and decorate it last night!!!

What colour tree did you end up going with?

Bummer about the lights...especially on something new! Did you get them fixed/replaced yet, so you can start decorating?

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by KazzyK810

What colour tree did you end up going with?

Bummer about the lights...especially on something new! Did you get them fixed/replaced yet, so you can start decorating?

Got the first thing I came to a 6 1/2 foot prelit green one. Set up and bending all those branches out in all directions took forever! I lit each section as I came to it but just didn't notice there were a few out until I lit it today. Ugh! My second tree this year and not a perfect one among them. No, with Tibbe's dental today, I didn't do anything about it today but discover the lights out. I'm going to call the 1-800 help number to see if they think it could be a fuse in the plug or something. It is so pretty with all those lights, I almost hate to start covering it with ornaments and block them, even a little. I got a whole box full or new red ornaments to go on it. It's lights are multicolored, feared all white or clear ones would make it too bright as it is very near the TV. Can't believe I've gotten 2 bad trees in a row.

[KimInMD]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Kim, I was watching "Home Alone" last evening and saw what I think might be a Nativity of the 70" Fontanini figures in the two church scenes, now that I know they do the lifesize figures. Those things are thousands of dollars each, $7,500 and up!!! Do you think that Nativity Kevin hides in and then later on Christmas Eve we see in that second church scene is all Fontanini's?

Good eye, Jeanie! It sure is the 70" Fontanini. I've only seen one set in person at Disneyworld's Hollywood Studios. It was so beautiful. I could have stood there all day gazing at it. After I started putting my 5" set up at our church, I was sad to not have a set for my home. I started a 12" set, and it is so pretty, but now that we have downsized homes, it's very large, and there really isn't anyplace to display it. I really need to get it out for the grandchildren and find a special place for it this year. Did you see the picture of my grandson putting Jesus in the manger? We'll let our granddaughter put Jesus in the one at home. I'm looking for ideas. Where do you display your 7.5 set? Anyone else have any ideas?

[KimInMD]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

Got the first thing I came to a 6 1/2 foot prelit green one. Set up and bending all those branches out in all directions took forever! I lit each section as I came to it but just didn't notice there were a few out until I lit it today. Ugh! My second tree this year and not a perfect one among them. No, with Tibbe's dental today, I didn't do anything about it today but discover the lights out. I'm going to call the 1-800 help number to see if they think it could be a fuse in the plug or something. It is so pretty with all those lights, I almost hate to start covering it with ornaments and block them, even a little. I got a whole box full or new red ornaments to go on it. It's lights are multicolored, feared all white or clear ones would make it too bright as it is very near the TV. Can't believe I've gotten 2 bad trees in a row.

Oh no, you sure have had tree troubles this year! I hope the company will exchange it for you. They best do it soon too. Time is a tickin', and Christmas will be here soon. Poor Shirley needs a tree to hang her pretty new ornaments on, and Tibbe knows Santa won't come until the tree is up.

[MandiesMom]

I'm so far behind on getting ready. This is our first Christmas in our house (we moved in back in June) and it's really our first Christmas out of my mother's house in 5 years. We moved in with her back in 2007 after living in Maryland from 2001 - 2007.

Anyway, long story "shortened"...I am starting from scratch this year with the decorations. So, it'll probably be a minimalist scene around here. We are getting our tree (real..always real trees for me) on Saturday. I can't wait to see Mandie's reaction to it! I'm also taking her to PetSmart to get her Santa Paws pic made.

Her big brother will settle for some scene I can concoct around the tree and snap a pic fast of him. (he absolutely hates cameras...you aim one at him and he's barking like crazy and trying to jump up at you lol).

Merry Christmas everyone!! I am really looking forward to it this year...even if it will be minimalist. (I plan on hitting those after Christmas sales for decorations on the 26th, though! hehe)

[KimInMD]

Terri- can't wait for you to share pictures with us. I'm sure the house will be beautiful.