????? from China! Welcome to our home. Please come in and enjoy a cup of chai from our homemade chai concentrate. Even if you’re stuffed from all the other homes you’ve been visiting, we’ll still offer you a shortbread cookie.
This year is Baby’s First Christmas and we are so joyful we might just pop. In order to contain some of Schäfer’s cheer, we’ve placed a table in front of the tree to encourage looking not climbing.
Our tree is unfortunately fake, but we’ve got a Tannenbaum Woods candle to fill the house with the fragrance of a fresh spruce. Apparently, we’ve been saving this for quite some time because it’s no longer sold by Yankee Candle!
Every year we have a big star outside our apartment building to spread some holiday cheer in the neighborhood. A friend once put it best, “I followed the star to your house just like the wise men!”
Since there’s no Hallmark, Target or even a Wal-Mart, I decided to make “memory ornaments” for our tree using photographs from every Christmas past & special events. I used The Gimp (free software) to write the occasion and date on each photo. This frame came from the Guangzhou Ikea, but have no fear – it’s available worldwide thanks to those creative Swedes.
I also made a Baby’s First Christmas ornament.
We made our first gingerbread house log cabin completely from scratch. It was a lot of fun and now we are ready to eat it.
We love holiday cards and proudly display them on our brick wall.
This is my holiday plate collection which I’ve grown over the last 3 years. These are normal size plates for the states, but they are quite large to the Chinese so we use them as platters. I first found these plates at a little whole-in-the-wall shop in Wuhan. It’s one of those Made In China, but not readily available in China things.
We have the sweetest manger scene made from clay.
Schäfer loves the mistletoe. The first time Hubs and I were enjoying some mistletoe time, I thought Schäfer would be a little lonely and crawl over so he could be held, but he didn’t. He just watched and clapped. Don’t children love their parents in love?
These mini-balls are the only ornaments we brought from the states. It made a sweet first Christmas in China tree. The tree skirt is made from a base of red paper with green trees cut out using a cookie-cutter as a stencil. It was laminated to help make the firm shape.
Thanks for coming all the way to China just to view our home! To continue on the tour click here:
I loved your tour!!! Loved the homemade ornaments – so neat! And the collection of plates! You manage to make everything look so pretty without hitting Target or Wal-Mart – amazing!
Your blog caught my eye, as we went to China in February to adopt. You have a very festive home, great pictures!
I loved your photo ornaments, what a wonderful idea! Merry Christmas!
Wow all the way to China! I’m really happy you are spreading the Christmas blessings there. We have friends in China, too. Your photo ornaments are great. Merry Christmas to you and yours…
Love the gingerbread cabin….and our little host at the beginning….adorable!!!
Mine’s posted. I have two versions.
A thumbnail short version
and
a
slide show long version.
I LOVE your hand made ornaments. Too funny about the table in front of the tree.
Everything is so festive and pretty! Merry Christmas!
Your decorations are lovely! I love the ornaments you’ve made for your tree!
And I laughed at your friends comment about the star on the window!
Merry Christmas!
SO beautiful…I love all of the personal touches in your lovely home! And I especially loved the photos of you and your family!
Merry Christmas,
Andrea
What a lovely, lovely home!! I thoroughly enjoyed my visit, and I didn’t even have to get on a plane! Your baby is so so cute; first Christmasses are the best.
Your tree is lovely, and I adore the ornaments you made! How clever are you? I love the clay nativity also. And your mistletoe story is just so true and tender…thank you for sharing all of it!
Merry Christmas!
I love the photos on your tree (great idea!!) and your nativity. And I am picturing what a fun time you’ll have with that cutie pie Schäfer on Christmas morning!
Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas!
I’m so glad you opened up your home around the world for us–I enjoyed the tour! Your nativity is so sweet and unique! Love the plate collection and the card display (I’m so sorry mine is going to be way late!) I think the star out on your balcony is so neat…I like the comment your friend made about following it like the wise men.
Merry Christmas to you all!
Loved the tour. What a cool place. You did a great job with your picture ornaments and Baby’s First Christmas ornament. Thanks!
Super cute! You did an awesome job decorating for Christmas in a foreign land! I hope you have a merry one.
I love the baby feet. That’s a wonderful idea.
Hi I work with your mom at FES. She was teling me about the Christmas pics of the baby and I had to check them out. I love to hear the stories she shares about you and the baby. Merry Christmas, Amy
You are very crestive. Have you made those stockings yet? Just curious? I will be back! Blessings!
Renee
Thank you for the tour, it’s all so lovely. And the nativity is darling:)
Thank you so much for having me over! How delightful it’s been to visit China! I really like your star outside and your friend’s comment about it! I understand about putting the table in front of the tree because it’s my nephew’s first Christmas and his parents and mine have been debating the same thing. He’s adorable. I can’t wait for our first Christmas with my little nephew. Christmas with a child is so much fun, isn’t it? Your red and green tree is wonderful and I especially like the star at the top. I also like how you have your cards displayed! Thanks so much for sharing! Merry Christmas! Kelly
A very beautiful home away! I love the photos and your clay nativity is adorable!
Hi. I noticed I am the first one to comment. Perhaps people couldn’t get tickets on such short notice! ha ha This is my first time to visit China. Your home looks lovely decorated for Christmas Love your plate collection too. I’ll have to come back later and read some of your other posts to se how you came to be living in China. How interesting it must be! Merry Christmas. Rhondi
Your home looks great! Good job on the log cabin–mine was prebaked and pre-assembled because I am lazy! You are very creative! Have a wonderful Christmas and thanks for the tour!
Your home is so gorgeous, and your little son is too cute! Thank you for your tour of all your wonderful Christmas touches. Merry Christmas. Karen
Thanks for your comment! I am going tomorrow (Wednesday) to make the stockings. Wish me luck on finding some fabric that’s workable!
I love your tree, especially your homemade ornaments! what an awesome idea! and i really love the way you have your cards hung!
Great decorations. Really like your plates and the clay nativity!
Your blog caught my eye. I love what you have done with your decorations. We are in the same part of the world. Enjoyed my visit. Merry Christmas!
Great site, darling son, fabulous decorations. You are very creative and resourceful!!! Blessings!
What a great idea using photos to decorate the tree! I love your plate collection!
Love the card display!
Lovely to visit your blog. Looks like you will have a wonderful christmas with your son. It is a special time of year, but even more so when seen through the eyes of your kids.
Merry Christmas to you and yours from Northern Ireland.
Merry Christmas! What a special Christmas for you this year with your sweet baby! Your home looks inviting and festive. Thanks for the tour. (I remember you from last year!)
That’s too funny about the star leading your friend to your house. Good luck while abroad and Merry Christmas!
Love the nativity…I have ours packed away in a box in the States and definitely miss it.
I love so many things about your decorations, but I especially like the way you’ve got your Christmas cards displayed. Happy first Christmas to your baby!
wow! what an amazingly beautiful house… i mean, everything! you so know how to put a girl to shame!
p.s. thanks for sharing your ideas with the rest of us “blah” crowd!
Thanks for the tour. Your little one is precious!
“Thanks for the tour…Your home is quite remarkable and beautiful. Grandmaw and I enjoyed seeing all the rooms and the Christmas decorations. Love the footprints for Schafer and all the other special pics. Schafer is going to have so much fun going through 23,000 pics and learning about everybody in your lives. Nanamaw
Thank you for sharing! I love the ornaments you made! I hope your son had a great first Christmas!