Great Christmas Tree Tour 2015: Brenda Mazur

This is my friend Brenda's tree and a few of her decorations. Brenda is a talented seamstress, making tree skirts and many beautiful items, besides being a great cook and a collector of all things Mickey. She loves purple, can you tell?

Great Christmas Tree Tour: Pam Crooks

This is the third time I’ve participated in Cheryl’s Christmas Tree tour.  The first one was for my new slim tree that we bought for our just-built sunroom in 2008.  The second time was in 2012 when I showed off my very old, but very beautiful flocked tree.  I explained how my husband complained about that tree because it was so darned big and took up valuable storage space.  Finally, last year, I caved from all that complaining and sold it (which, by the way, the new owner loved it as much as I did and even sent me pictures of it in her living room.)

So this year, I’m showing you our newest tree.  This has all the modern convenience of being pre-lit and, of course, gracefully slender.  Best of all, it revolves, which is just so cool. 

For forty Christmases, I’ve either had a star or angel on top.  But with a new tree, I was ready for a new look, and after much angst, I settled for something completely different.

Whimsical. 

Best of all, my husband (who is very happy with this tree, I must add) fashioned the perfect box for storage of that whimsical tree top, saving me from untold frustration from trying to reproduce the same look as last year.

Thank you, Cheryl, for letting me come back yet again!

I’m happy to announce my newest release, The Brewer’s Daughter, which is Book 2 of my Secret Six Series.  You can pre-order it now from Amazon.  Release date is 12/15/15.

To learn more about me and my books, visit my website:  www.pamcrooks.com.

I have a brand new food blog, too.  It’s called the Swanky Kitchen, and I’m having fun ‘making the past taste good again’ with recipes we knew and loved.  www.swankykitchen.com

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Great Christmas Tree Tour: Cousin Diana

My cousin, Diana joins the tour nearly every year. Her trees are always beautifully decorated. She made all the ornaments on her living room tree, and even gave family ornaments she made. I treasure mine. Thanks for showing us Christmas 2015, Diana!

 

The living room tree is decorated with about 200 handmade beaded ornaments.  The tree in the foyer has ornaments that were given to us over the years by Mom and Dad and other family members.  It also features my 12 Days of Christmas ornament collection.

Great Christmas Tree Tour: Purple Tree at the General Crook House

Purple lovers unite! Alexis, *lizzie starr, Donna Kaye, Brenda Mazur, Tina Ayers will love this tree. I was thinking of them when I took these pics. This tree is in one of the main front rooms in the General Crook house, a room which was once used for entertaining.

As a matter of fact the historical home is often still used for entertaining. It can be rented for a day or evening. My writers group once rented it for a party, and it was a lovely occasion.

ROCKEFELLER CENTER CHRISTMAS TREE

The Rockefeller Center tree is located at Rockefeller Center, west of Fifth Avenue from 47th through 51st Streets in New York City. The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree dates back to the Depression Era days. The tallest tree displayed at Rockefeller Center came in 1948 and was a Norway Spruce that measured in at 100 feet tall and hailed from Killingworth, Connecticut.

The first tree at Rockefeller Center was placed in 1931. It was a small unadorned tree placed by construction workers at the center of the construction site. Two years later, another tree was placed there, this time with lights. These days, the giant Rockefeller Center tree is laden with over 25,000 Christmas lights.

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is a world-wide symbol of the holidays in New York City. The 2015 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will be lit for the first time on Wednesday, December 2, with live performances from 7–9pm. Tens of thousands will crowd the sidewalks for the event and hundreds of millions will watch it live across the globe. The Tree will remain lit and can be viewed until 8pm on January 6, 2016.

Great Christmas Tree Tour Memory Edition: Barb Hunt 2011

As Christmas approaches many of us are missing loved ones. I wanted to share this tree from the 2011 Great Christmas Tree Tour. One of my dearest friends, Barb Hunt participated with a couple of trees that year, but this one exemplifies who she was as a person.

The things that meant the most to her were family ornaments and those her nephews had made her. We hold our memories close and remember our friend/daughter/sister/aunt/niece with love. I lift prayers of encouragement and comfort to all who mark the passing of this first Christmas without her.

This is the tree in the den.  It may be smaller than the tree in the living 
room, but its every bit has important to me.  The majority of the ornaments 
haven't made the 'cut' to go on the big tree for several years.  But how can you 
throw away a Christmas ornament.  Each holds a special memory.  This little tre has in years past been decorated with just Coca Cola Ornaments, Santa ornaments and one year all the ornaments were ones I had received as gifts. This year its kind of a catch-all theme.  Marvin the Martin, Garfield, a couple of Santas, a couple of CocaCola ornaments and three of my most cherished ornaments.  (Up 
close in the middle of tree) 

In the front there is a snowman with Daniel, my nephew who is now 26, and a rocking horse with Andrew, my other nephew who is now 22. 

Twelve or thirteen years ago they thought aunt Barb would like an ornament with their names on them. On the left you can just see a pine cone decked out in globs of glue and red glitter. Andrew made that at church when he was sevenor eight. 

I realized this year's incarnation is what makes me laugh, lets me dream, and those I love that are my world.

Merry Christmas!

Celebrate National Bundt Day!

Celebrate National Bundt Day!

Buy yourself a cookbook.

Bake a cake.