Christmastime in Colonial Williamsburg - Days 15 & 16

This past Saturday our family got up at 4:30 am and headed down the road to Colonial Williamsburg. We started going to Williamsburg when I was around 9 or 10 years old. Its a magical place. I really believe that these early visits to Williamsburg is where my love of costuming and history stems from. I loved dressing up and talking to all the interpreters. I couldn't get enough of this place. Fast forward 15 years and I still love the costumes (though, I don't dress up anymore) and the history, and the houses, and the magic of it all.

For as long as I can remember my mom has been talking about wanting to go down to Williamsburg for Christmas. If its a magical place the rest of the year its especially magical at Christmas time. There is something about the holidays that brings out the best in people and in the places that they inhabit. Everything is dresses up in beautiful greenery and twinkling lights. There is hot cider and fat gingerbread men. Its a great way to get into the holiday spirit.

We stayed at the Williamsburg Inn, which was awesome. Its where the Queen Mum stayed when she visited back in the day. The service was incredible and the building and grounds was beautiful. I got lost a few times trying to find my room because all the hallways looked the same, but it was totally worth it. The Inn was originally built by the Rockefellers in the 1930's as a place for their friends and family to stay in luxury while  they visited the newly opened Colonial Williamsburg. The Inn is just a block from the main street of the museum of Colonial Williamsburg.

We spent the whole weekend walking around the small museum town taking in the decorations, eating the amazing food, and enjoying the atmosphere. One of the unique things about Colonial Williamsburg is that its not just a stagnant museum, the people who work for the foundation actually live on the campus and in the historical houses. Some of the original out houses, such as the kitchens and barns have been turned into houses and the people who live there take decorating for Christmas very seriously. 

Every year the foundation has a wreath decorating competition. There is a cash prize and a ton of bragging rights on the line. This competition insures that the buildings are all decorated beautifully. All the wreaths are unique and hugely creative. The wreaths are decorated with fresh and dried fruit, dried flowers, feathers, shells  vegetables and other items that would have been available to the original occupants of the town. Just Google "Williamsburg Wreath Photos" and see what comes up. Its amazing. 

One of the highlights of the trip was witnessing one of the coolest innovations in live theatre that I've seen in a while. Its not even a new concept, but its something that pretty much one on is doing anymore. Street theatre. Virginia Theatre Machine is a two man show out of a traveling trailer that is set up and broken down every weekend in the town square of Williamsburg. 

Their Christmas show is a 30 minute version of a Christmas Carol done with puppets and clever gimmicks. Its a bit loud and silly for my usual preferred style, but that is what is required for drawing and keeping an audience who is standing in the street in the cold for 30 minutes. I was really impressed with the production quality and the script (which is reworked every year to keep things fresh), and the acting of the man who played Scrooge and did all the voices for the other characters which were portrayed by puppets.

I can't recommend Colonial Williamsburg at Christmastime highly enough. Its completely worth the trip. You can find plenty to for everyone in the family to do. Learning about the history of Christmas in the country and enjoying the festivities is such a great way to get in the holiday mood! 

Happy Christmas everyone! God save the King!

Christmas Tree Decorating on the Cheap! - Alternative Christmas Trees - Lots of DIY ideas

I am blaming yesterday's lack of a post on the fact that it was the 13th. I had a plan for what I was posting and it just never ended up happening. Anyway... Here is my make up post!

We are trying to save as much money as we can (we want a house!), therefore Christmas is a time of homemade gifts and paper chain decorations. I thought I would share a little bit of my Christmas tree decorating cutting-corners ideas.

I love these ideas! I really hope you try some of them and that they help you save some money this holiday season!

Christmas Trees:
Last year we got a mini tree from Whole Foods (about $25), added a string of lights, a bit of silver rick-rack, and I made ornaments from paint chips. I used a paper punch (a medium-sized circle), then punched holes in the circles and added ornament hooks. The whole thing cost me about $30-$35 dollars. I think its so cute! Very home-made chic.

This year, I didn't spend any money at all on a tree! I used the lights from last year and a picture frame I found on the side of the road (I used it for Jude's birthday party, that's when it got spray painted silver). I nailed in some nails in the shape of a tree, one at the top and seven across the bottom, and just strung the lights from nail to nail. I love the way it turned out, very modern and streamlined.

 

Here are some other ideas I have seen around the interwebs.

On The Wall

These doesn't take up any extra floor space, perfect for an apartment!

Hang up small paintings and pictures, empty frames, and other little nick-knack in a tree shape. This one doesn't take up any extra floor space, perfect for an apartment!

From Home Spun Threads - link

Just paint an outline of a Christmas tree on a piece of plywood or even on cardboard and then stick all those holiday cards on the tree.

From Materialicious - link

Cardboard

These trees can me made from leftover boxes. Talk about inexpensive!

This one is kind of crazy awesome! It would take a good bit of time, and honestly I don't think I would ever put that much time into a Christmas tree, but it is an amazing piece of art that would last you years (and would earn lots of complements)! Its stacked layers of cardboard that have been carved into a swirly tree shape.

From Inspiration Green - link

I love this! you could paint it or just leave it that lovely cardboard brown. Instructables has all the directions so its not a guessing game. Add some lights to this baby and you've sold me!

From Instructables - link

These are just cut and mini, perfect for a tablescape, or to have a tree in every room of the house! Just cut out various sized squares and rectangles, paint them and glue to a foam tree base. Add a stick and a pot and you are done!

From Shelterness - link

Trimming The Tree

Spending $10 or less to decorate your whole tree!

Garland - 

• Popcorn and Cranberry Chains - use waxed dental floss to string plain (no butter) popcorn and fresh cranberries. This is a classic! I loved watching White Christmas while stringing these up with my mom and sister.
• Snow - string different sized cotton balls on clear fishing line. Make sure to space the cotton balls a different intervals so it looks like snow falling naturally. 
• Paper Chains - cut strips of colorful paper and loop them together using glue or staples to secure. 
• Mini Pinecones - use clear fishing line to string up mini pinecones. Just wrap the fishing line around the pinecone to secure, add a dot of hot glue to make sure the fishing line stays in place.
• Paint Chips - cut circles out of colorful paint chips and sew them together, one right next to the other. 

Ornaments -

• Paint Chips - cut paint chips into ornament shapes (Google it) or just circles and decorate with glitter glue. Poke a hole in  the top and add a hook. Its nice to glue two paint chips together so that there is color on both sides.
• Christmas Card Recycle - save your holiday cards and make ornaments out of them. Cut out the pictures (simple shapes, such as squares and circles, look best) and add a hook. You can also add felt to the back so you don't have just a plain back.
• Snowflakes - Cut snowflakes out of white paper and hang everywhere! Check out Google and Pinterest for patterns.
• Mini Tree Party Hats - get cheap party hats from the dollar store. Spray paint them green and add glitter glue to look like lights and ornaments. Glue a circle of green felt to the hat to cover the opening. Add a ribbon to the top and hang on your tree.

I love these ideas! I really hope you try some of them and that they help you save some money this holiday season! Let me know how you save money during Christmas.