Thanksgiving weekend brings with it not only family and food but it also starts the Christmas season.

I have always grown up decorating for Christmas on Black Friday, and I’ve continued doing so in my own home. I put the family to work – the boys put the lights up outside, the girls do the Christmas village and the mantle, and as a group we put the ornaments on the tree.

2013 is the “Year of the Snowman”. My mother-in-law always puts a theme to her gifts. Our first Christmas she made stockings for everyone, the year after that aprons for the girls, last year gifts were made with buttons – ornaments and Toomer’s Tree art. This year we agreed to do the “Year of the Snowman” and spent the year planning on gifts. (I’ll share my gift tutorial later this season!)

That long story was told because my family surprised me with a second Christmas tree! In my craft room there is now a beautiful tree decked out in snowman and snowman-related ornaments and topped with a top hat!