HYACINTHS FOR THE SOUL

Monday, December 7, 2015

Christmas in Texas - Blog Hop

Christmas

My Friend's Texas Longhorn Mount Decorated For The Season

Ho, Ho, Ho,

Y'all!

Store Window in Georgetown, Texas

It's Christmas in Texas,

or more specifically,

Christmas in Longhorn Country.

Unique Door Wreath In My Neighborhood

I'm joining my Texas blogging buddies for a

Christmas in Texas Blog Hop.

A Texas sized "Thank You" to our hostess,

Stacey @ Poofing the Pillows.

I'm honored to be included in this group of

talented Texas bloggers.

Looking Down To My Friend's Basement

We are still in the process of

decorating for Christmas here, so

I thought it would be fun to share some of the

more uniquely decorated homes of

my friends that live in and around Austin.

My Friend's Antler Tree

This antler tree certainly isn't for everyone,

but it makes a festive display downstairs in a friend's basement.

This mount is on the back porch of a Texas home.

Love the festive touch for Christmas.

Thanks, Erin, for sharing this image.

A Friend's Mantel

Another friend decorates the mount over her

fireplace with gold Christmas balls.

Friend's Breakfast Room

Her breakfast room table is set

with a Santa theme so her grandchildren

can enjoy meals and special treats with Santa.

Hand Decorated Cookies ~ Sweet Sugarbelle
Image Used With Permission

Speaking of treats for the grandchildren,

Sweet Sugarbelle of Lubbock, TX created these

darling Texas themed cookies specifically for the holiday season.

Sweet Sugarbelle - Image Used With Permission

She is one talented baker and generous blogger.

If you want to make your own cowboy snowmen,

you can find a complete tutorial here.

Image Used With Permission ~ North Pole West

One of my favorite holiday traditions is Christmas stockings.

Ours are traditional stockings, but often one will see

cowboy boot stockings hung on a mantel here in Texas.

These are from North Pole West, a cowboy Christmas store.

The rope garland with barbed wire stars is very clever

and would be perfect for my friends who have ranches.

Boot Stockings Available Here

Texas Boot Stocking ~ Linda @ A La Carte

When my friend Linda @ A La Carte

read this post, she sent me a photo of her own boot stocking.

Though Linda now lives in Georgia, she was born in Texas.

She fills this stocking for her grandson every Christmas.

A Friend's Rusty Star Tree

A common sight in homes around Austin

is a metal tree from Mexico that holds candles.

Many of us bought these metal trees in

the 1990s and decorate them for the

different holidays throughout the year.

This one is decorated

with rusty stars.

Each one a tribute to

Texas, the Lone Star State.

"The stars at night are big and bright

Deep in the Heart of Texas"

Deep in the Heart of Texas, written by June Hershey in 1941,

is a popular song that elaborates on the merits of Texas.

The song is a favorite of Longhorn fans

played at pre-game performances

by the University of Texas Longhorn Band.

Friend's Needlepoint Ornaments

This grapevine tree features only

Texas themed needlepoint ornaments

lovingly stitched by a friend who lives in the Texas hill country.

"Deck them halls, y'all!" and the

cowboy Santa on the side chest let everyone

know this home celebrates Christmas Texas style.

Capitol of Texas Annual Christmas Ornaments

Beginning in 1996, an annual ornament representing the

Texas State Capitol has been produced and sold.

Each ornament, finished in 24k gold plate, is dated with the year.

These special ornaments are sold in the gift stores at the

Texas Capitol and the Bullock Texas State History Museum.

You can read more about the Capitol ornaments here.

A friend who lives in an historic Texas home began collecting these

when she became a docent at the Texas Governor's Mansion.

She shares her beautiful collection on a

special tabletop tree in her entry hall.

Milagro Wreath

The same friend hangs this special milagro wreath on the door

to her husband's library. She adds a milagro

each year that represents something significant for their family.

Milagro in Spanish means surprise or miracle.

These religious folk art charms are traditionally used for healing.

Here in Texas, they are often used in jewelry or

ornamentation, such as on this wreath.

Christmas Tree 2015 ~ Texas Governor's Mansion

The main Christmas tree at the Texas Governor's Mansion

this year is decorated with a Texas theme in red, white, and blue.

Beautiful glass ornaments in the shape of the Texas flag

and bright stars are the standouts on this tree.