christmas in the kitchen

 Hello, friends and happy Friday! I thought I'd show you the simple touches of Christmas

that I've put in my kitchen this year...

The red glasses on this shelf were a gift from a friend who moved out of state

this past spring. They belonged to her grandmother. Aren't they beautiful? The Santa

mugs are ones collected throughout the years. 

 This grid ~ an old cooling rack ~ hangs on the wall above my stove. It's a perfect

way to hang measuring spoons and other small cooking utensils, but I changed it

up a bit for Christmas. I've had that little print for years. It was thrifted and is one of

my favorites. It says, "Gather 'round the table...all join hands in love."

 All that's missing from my winter beverage station is hot chocolate. I'll be making my

own mix this weekend. A homemade mix is so much better than the store-bought stuff

which is full of so many chemicals, hydrogenated oils, and corn syrup. And yes, that's a 

bottle of Bailey's in the back, for those who wish to add some to their coffee or hot 

chocolate. I've had that bottle for years...goes to show how much we use it! I'm normally

 not a fan of flavored coffee, but Trader Joe's Winter Blend is the only one I love and
 look forward to every winter. It's a medium dark roast lightly spiced with red and
 green peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon.

 The china cabinet...

mostly filled with cookbooks, but a few Christmas touches, too.

 Everything on the shelves next to the china cabinet are thrifted items I've

found over the years (except for the little air plant). The cups on the metal

shelves on the right are Bailey's cups! I think they're so cool and unique.

They were a Goodwill find from years ago.

The top of my fridge has a plate rack with my Debbie Mumm Snowman Portraits

plates, a cooking snowman, and a Christmas crock dated 1981 from Marshall Fields.

I found that at Goodwill several years ago, too. Man, I miss that store. I actually worked

there when I was a teenager. I loved shopping there, especially with my grandma. Such

a classy store with high quality merchandise and excellent customer service. And who

remembers their Frango mints? I certainly do! My dad loved them, too. I remember one

Christmas where I wrapped up a box of these mints and put them under the tree for my

dad. Our little Pekingese dog smelled them through the wrapping paper and tore into

the box and ate them! Yes, he got very sick but at least he had good taste. 

Thanks for visiting me in my kitchen. What are you up to this weekend...Christmas

decorating, shopping, or baking? Or, are you done with all that?