Christmas Decor - Vintage Style.

It must seem odd to those of you in the Northern Hemisphere how we celebrate Christmas in mid-summer. Christmas lunch is often served outdoors in the shade, and a lot of New Zealanders are off camping, so have Christmas at their tent, or at their bach (beach house). 
Yesterday Derek and Katie chose our Christmas tree, and after slicing a thin sliver off the end to help it take up water, we spent the evening decorating it. 
More tips here for keeping a real pine Christmas tree green for 3 - 4 weeks in the heat of summer.
This year we decided to go with a vintage theme for the Christmas decor. I found this dear old Santa ornament in a charity shop for $1. He's showing a little wear - but hey, aren't we all, and he's probably as old as me.

Actually, don't you think he looks exhausted?

It was a good excuse to use some vintage cream glass baubles that I picked up for a few dollars some years back, and I whipped up a little batch of cardboard houses after finding the pattern in the latest Your Home and Garden Magazine.

Sheet music glued over cereal packets, a little teabag staining added.

This is the pattern I used.

And a little view of some cushion gifts I have been making. I think I am safe putting them on here, knowing that the girls are very unlikely to read my blog!

I finally feel like I am getting somewhere ! I hope your plans are running close to schedule too.