Holiday Nests–Christmas Tree Tours

Hi! Lisa here. Holiday season is in full swing at The Brick Nests, and I couldn’t be more excited! I just LOVE this time of year. We celebrate Christmas here at the Mackie household, and putting up the Christmas tree is an event for our family. Growing up, my parents would have a tree-decorating party, complete with eggnog, Christmas carols, and lots of laughter. But what stands out most about those merry gatherings was hearing the stories behind the eclectic collection of ornaments that were handed out one by one to be hung on the tree. Many of the ornaments had been gifts from family and friends, and my parents would tell us about the giver. Many had been purchased as mementos from special trips or reminders of favorite destinations, and my parents’ faces would light up as they recalled the memories. There was a whole group of gorgeous, special ornaments–the fragile kind that find a spot on the higher boughs out of reach from tiny grabbing hands–given by my parents to each other over the years, and I always marveled at their beauty. And then there were the handmade ornaments created by my sisters and me, messily painted and glitter-glued, that were not hidden in the back of the tree, but given a place of prominence, which always made my younger self feel very proud. After all the ornaments had all been hung, red and white ribbons were hand-tied into perfect bows all over the Christmas tree, as a final signature touch. Then once the decorating was complete, we would sit on the ground and run my father’s vintage childhood Lionel electric toy train and watch it circle around the base of the tree. Oh, how I loved my childhood Christmas trees! Those trees not only were a holiday decoration, but a monument to so many years of joyful memories for my family. Here is my parents’ beautiful Christmas tree.

As soon as Stew and I got married, I knew it was time to start building our own collection of ornaments, so I could share this tradition with my family and eventually create our own Yuletide masterpiece. I began stopping in artisan shops to pick up ornaments here and there when something caught my eye. My parents started giving them to us as Christmas presents–many of them the colorful, light-catching traditional German glass ornaments that I love, crafted into subjects that reflect Stew and my individual interests. And of course we always got one to commemorate important moments in our lives, like the births of our children, or special trips. Now that the kids are of the age where they love arts and crafts, you can imagine how many adorable handmade creations we acquire every year. So in not that long of a time, in the grand scheme of things, we have enough ornaments for a gloriously chaotic, colorful, sparkling, and very full Christmas tree. Here are three of my favorite ornaments: a dazzling, light-catching star, a hand-made glass ice cube, and a delicate, crystal-encrusted butterfly, all nestled among the glittering metallic glass ornaments to which I am partial.

We always make a big deal of decorating the tree with our kids, and it makes my heart glad to see them unwrap an ornament and hear them exclaim “I remember this one!” and then share the memory. Then every evening until Christmas, we turn off all the lights except for the twinkling strings of lights on the tree and the fire in fireplace (having a gas fireplace makes a nightly fire so easy!), sit at the base of the tree, sing a few carols, and then run our own Polar Express themed Lionel electric train before bringing the kids up to bed. What a thing of festive beauty and magic that tree is! Here she is, in all her holiday glory.

My fascination with Christmas trees means I love looking at other people’s Christmas trees too. Some people have themes. For instance, I’ve seen trees perfectly decorated in just red and white, or silver and gold. I’ve seen precious trees frosted in delicate glass icicles and hand-blown glass bulbs. I’ve seen curated coastal-themed, nature-themed, and vintage-themed trees. I guess if I had to choose a theme for our tree, it would be Mackie-themed. It’s ordered chaos, vibrant and fun, and definitely not perfect–but it’s a perfect reflection of us. We love a nostalgic, colorful, and sparkling tree, full of memories. However, I think there is no wrong way to do a Christmas tree, and that’s what I love about seeing how other people interpret this centuries-old holiday tradition. So let’s go on a photo tour of trees around town and get in the holiday spirit!

Let’s start with Jillian, of course! Just like her home, her tree is crisp, light, bright, and family friendly. A coastal influence is ever-present in Jillian’s home, including in her Christmas decor. Check out her adorable ornaments inspired by the sea.

Next stop on our Christmas tree tour is our friend Lauren’s house. Her family’s Christmas tree is best described as warm and cozy–the kind you want to sit next to with a cup of hot chocolate and a glowing fire in the fireplace. I just love her rustic-looking but glittery star tree topper.

On to our friend Meghan’s house. Meghan shares my love of nostalgic trees, and so many of the ornaments on her family’s Christmas tree have meaning attached to them. The wonderful vintage stocking ornament has been passed down in her family–how charming! Meghan’s tree skirt is also a showstopper. A tree skirt isn’t typically what draws my attention when looking at a Christmas tree, but the beautiful, intricate pattern of this one really caught my eye.

Next stop is Kathleen’s house. We have visited Kathleen’s house before on our blog, back when she was repainting her dining room. But this time, I visited her living room to see her family’s Christmas tree. Her collection of colorful and cheerful ornaments just made me smile! Come back the week of Christmas to see a picture of Kathleen’s unusual wooden crèche.

The final stop on our tour is my friend Jaimie’s house. She and her family live in a house with soaring living room ceilings, and they chose an equally soaring tree. Their magnificent specimen must be at least eleven feet tall, and I had to get creative to capture the entire tree within the frame, even shooting from the second floor corridor balcony! For many years Jaimie has been collecting stunning, sparkling crystal snowflakes, and I had a hard time narrowing down which of them to show you. They are scattered throughout the tree, among other charming ornaments, including some delicate embroidery ones made by her grandmother. An impressive large-scale train set around the base completes this lovely holiday scene.

I hope you have enjoyed this Christmas tree tour, and that it has gotten you in the spirit to decorate your own holiday masterpiece. For me, Christmastime really is the most wonderful time of the year–brimming with magic, love, joy, and goodwill. I wish all those things for you and yours this holiday season! I leave you with this picture of my parents’ gorgeous painted pewter Christmas decoration. Fa la la la la, la la la laaaaaaaaa!