23 Nov Old Becomes New When Used to Make Holiday Memories

At Snug Hollow Farm holiday shopping is a somewhat different experience than most. I shop the hills and cedar chests here at my Kentucky farm using natural treasures and collected memorabilia to decorate for the winter holidays

Our old becomes new as I set out my mom’s china, antique fine linens given to me as gifts, an eclectic selection of collected tea sets and more handed down riches.

Christmas jam cake with bourbon sauce from our Snug Hollow Cookbook makes quite a presentation served on the yard sale delft blue platter and Dad’s old fashioned apple stack cake is a holiday hit atop the antique wooden cake stand with the turned pedestal.

Snug Hollows 300 acres are as organic and eclectic as the farmhouse’s architectural design. The 2 story structure of logs, natural wood and glass, blends into nature with open vistas to bring in the outside light with no boundaries.

It is no wonder we choose our holiday decorations from natural forest treasures such as seed pods, berries, grape vines, ferny green moss, and a variety of aromatic evergreens. Pine wreaths with holly berries are fashioned for each room. Fragrance is a subtle way of decorating, reminding our guests of their childhood holidays.

A favorite decoration is our miniature moss covered packages . Moss is gathered from the forest floor and secured to varied size blocks of Styrofoam with floral pins. I tie them up with bright shiny ribbons and stack them in the center of the table surrounded by holly and candles.

The Christmas tree, a tall live cedar, sits on the front porch outside wide living room windows . Covered with old fashioned large colored lights, the tree glimmers when the wind blows and can be seen from all the rooms.

Each room gets its own natural creations of handmade baskets filled with cedar boughs, holly and interesting seed pods that we may spray gold or silver metallic paint to add an extra sparkle. Tables are adorned with a variety of holiday lace doilies, quilt squares and table cloths.

As our holiday spirits rise, we take pleasure in the many beautiful scenes that are set with memoires of the past as well as gifts from our farm and forest. Here is wishing you a memorable holiday.