Well. Whether we like it or not – the holidays (in my case, Christmas), is getting nearer.

This year I am actually looking forward to it – I get to spend Christmas at home and host the Christmas dinner on Christmas eve (which is when we celebrate in Denmark).

I haven’t tried it before. 3 years ago, we celebrated “Little Christmas” on the 23rd with the kids and my mother and bonus-dad (I wrote about it on my old blog), and that is as close as we ever got. Every other year the kids are with the other parents, and the other years, Dennis has been very keen on going to celebrate with his mother. So this the first time. I am a Christmas virgin

Crafting for Danish cristmas tree

The Christmas Tree from 3 years ago.

 

Naturally, Christmas gives plenty of opportunities to be creative and create stuff.

The HomeDec and Ornaments:

As soon as it was decided and confirmed that my brother, sister-in-law and little nephew would be here as well, I decided I needed to make a real tablecloth and some napkins. I hurried to the computer and ordered some christmas fabric at Stof2000.

The fabric I got for our christmas table.

The fabric I got for our christmas table.

 

The red fabric with hearts will be the tablecloth (I bought it in the right length, and I’ll just turn over the hem), and the striped fabric will be napkins, which I will embroider our names and 2010 on. They will double as placecards, and the guests get to take their napkin home and use again and again.

A few years ago, while at work, I came up with some crocheted hearts to decorate the tree with.

chroceted christmas hearts

Since I had no tree that year, the hearts decorated the rosemary plant.

They were simple and fast to make and I plan to make lots more this year (bonus: The cats can’t break them!). They’d also be great for decorating presents and as small gifts.

I might also do some embroidery ornaments, but otherwise, I’ll leave it to the kids to decorate the house.

 

Do you want to make the hearts, too?

Here is the pattern – note that I’m using the British terms for the stitches – see them and how they translate to US terms HERE:

  1.  With DK weight cotton yarn and 3 mm crochet hook, chain st. 6.
  2. Turn and beginning in 2nd st from the hook, DC  5.
  3. Turn with chain 1,  DC 5.
  4. Turn with chain 1, DC 5.
  5. Turn with chain1, DC 5.
  6. Turn. Make 9 TR in 3rd st from the hook, SC in the corner. Make 9 TR in the center “stitch”, SC in the corner. DC in each stitch till the corner (4 DC st total), ch 1, DC in each stitch till the corner (4 DC st total), SC in the first arc stitch.
  7. Make another heart, chain stitch a string to join them, weave in ends, and hang them on the tree (or the rosemary bush:-).
Lots of hearts. Will make more, though..

Lots of hearts. Will make more, though..

So that’s the house and tree taken care of. Now the gifts. Oh the gifts.. Especially for the men.. I’ll write about those tomorrow!