Who doesn’t like to take a walk through their neighborhood, during the holiday season, and see cozy adorned doors and porches, with all types of greenery?!!
We’ll start with our front porch in Massachusetts…
This is a pot filled with fresh greens cut from our bushes around the yard, pines, rhododendrons, and holly and accented with a red plaid bow, which I reuse every year!!
I have lots of great memories, from years ago, using this sled and ice skates…not even thinking I’d be using them to decorate my porch one day!! I decorated them with the same greens from our yard, and rusty bells tucked under the bow.
Every year, we get the biggest wreath that will fit on our front door. The weather is usually cold in the northeast and these fresh wreaths will last until Valentine’s Day, however, it has been unusually warm this year, fingers crossed that it will last!!
A house in our MA neighborhood…I really like that they used bells instead of a wreath, even though they used fake greens around the door, I think it looks perfectly natural with the weathered pots and plantings!!
The Train House front door is more understated, since we’re not there a great deal of the time.
Also, it is warmer in Virginia, so I try to use real looking fake greens, then they won’t dry out. This wreath is a lambs ear wreath, which looks and feels like real lambs ear leaves. Between the leaves I tucked real sprigs of pine from our yard in MA and also tucked in dollar store red berry sprigs, and again the bow is from Christmas past!!
We pass this building on our Virginia neighborhood walks, they always do a wonderful job decorating at Christmastime!! I love the natural greens they use to line the railings and windows!!
A close up look at the window garden, isn’t it inviting with the pineapples, pomegranates, apples and lemons?…A very southern style of holiday decorating!!
Continuing on our walking route, another pretty holiday entryway!!
One of many churches that we pass…what beautifully simple wreaths that adorn these impressive doors and stained glass archway!!
🎄
Both the following recipes are so very easy and would impress the fussiest sweet tooth!!
This is a Christmas Cake!! A very old recipe I pulled out, to use with my mother’s old Christmas tree cake pan, that I have fond memories of when I was a little girl!! This recipe is meant for a bundt pan, but since this pan is much smaller, I was able to make mini cupcakes to bring to a party!!
Christmas Cake
1 pkg. white or yellow cake mix
2 pkg. Instant pistachio pudding
1 cup of club soda
4 eggs
2 cups of cranberries – halved
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup walnuts – chopped
Mix cake, eggs, pudding, oil, soda, beat 2 minutes. Fold in cranberries and nuts. Pour into well greased and floured bundt pan. Bake 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool and frost.
Note: When you remove your cake from the oven, don’t flip it out of the pan right away! Instead, let the cake cool for ten minutes in the pan. Then, placing a wire rack over the base of the cake, invert the pan. It should come out!!
I used store bought frosting and red and green sprinkles.
I usually like to drip frosting down a bundt cake…Just heat icing in micro wave for 20 seconds, spoon it on top of the bundt cake and it will drip down nicely!!
These are the mini cupcakes, already to go to a party!!
🎄
The next recipe is so easy, it doesn’t require a recipe!!
It’s chocolate covered Oreos!! I used regular Oreos, you could use double stuffed or even Holiday Oreos!! Also, any type of chocolate will do, I chose white because they matched my sugar snowflake cookies.
Simple heat the chocolate in the microwave until it all melts. Then dip the Oreos in the chocolate with a fork, and cool them on wax paper. They cool fast so put sprinkles on them right away. I used sparkly clear sugar!!
I boxed them up with my snowflake cookies, for gifts.
🎄ENJOY🎄
I remember, when our kids made faces during a formal family photo, we would get so made at them…but now-a-days, being grandparents, we embrace the silliness and fun with our grandchildren!! After all, they’ve been through a lot the past two years, and we have too!! If a little silliness can bring a smile to all of us, then let’s make a card out of it…and so we did…
❤️Love and best wishes to you all for Happy and Healthy Holidays❤️
Visions of My 70s 
This was lovely! I’m in the middle of packing for a move to NC so no decorating for me this year. So I truly enjoyed yours! Thank you.
Marianne
Sent from my iPad
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Thank you Marianne!! There is nothing more stressful than moving at our age, we have so much stuff…I’m glad I could give you a little enjoyment!! Good luck with your move, wishing you happiness and joy in the year to come🙏❤️
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Mimi’s Christmas tree baking pan!! Great recipe / memories & post Mom!
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Thank you, VJ!! I know, Mimi’s cake pan, love using her things, I think she loves it too😇 So glad you liked this post🙏💚❤️
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Beautiful post Carol. Merry Christmas to the Servello family !
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Thank you, Denise❤️ It makes me happy that you liked this post🙏🏼 We need to catch up one of these days!! Love to you and your family for a wonderful Christmas💚🎄
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Loved the blog. It makes me want to redo my boring front door. The cake was great, even the left overs I had this week.
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Glad you enjoyed the post💚! I think just putting a wreath or decoration on the outside of the storm door, makes it much more special!! I tried to take picture of a beautiful wreath on the inside of a storm door, but couldn’t see it clearly!! Also, lining the front door with greens, whether they’re real or fake, makes it special too. Buy some good fake ones after Christmas, for next year!! I wish I had taken a picture of the cake, after we cut it, so it showed the green cake and red cranberries!!
I’m glad we got to spend time together before leaving for VA, hopefully we can FT on Christmas Day😉💚❤️💚🎄
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As usual, you have outdone yourself with this blog! I love the pictures and the many places decorated for the season! You do such an awesome job on your homes! And, your recipes look so yummy. Art has been the busy one this year making cookies, fudge, and cannolis for our neighbors. I told him he better not make any for us! I don’t need the extra weight, though they’re so yummy!!!!
Wishing all the Servello’s a happy, healthy, and blessed Christmas!💚🎄
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Glad you enjoy my blog, Nancy!! You are such a faithful reader…I always ask myself, what would Nancy say about this?!!😀 Thank you so much for your loyalty🙏🏼❤️
Art makes cannolis? What lucky neighbors and you too!! I know what you mean about not wanting the baked goods around!! I have been able to keep away from the chocolate covered Oreos, but it’s hard!! I polished off that Christmas tree cake after our company left…OMG, did I just say that?!!😂 That’s the silliness coming out in me!!🤪 Happy baking Art!!
Love and best wishes to you, Art and your whole family for joy and laughter, during the holidays and beyond🎅🏼💚
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You know we go back a long way. I smiled when I saw your sled and skates. Remember all the times we went sledding on the hill by your house and skating at Grew’s Pond? Ah, the good old days. And, you know I so enjoy reading what’s going on with you, and also getting decorating, cooking, and fashion tips!!!! 🤶💗
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Carol, you always amaze me. I love reading your blogs. It was great having an “early” family Christmas this year before you left for Virginia. That may be going forward in the years to come because we will probably be going to San Jose to be with Johanna, Elliott, and Josh. Wishing you and Victor, Gina and Tom, and the boys a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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That always amazes me, that I amaze someone, thank you!! Yes, so wonderful to get together, I guess that happens as we get older…to spend Christmas with our children and grandchildren, especially where they are spread out around the country!!
My thoughts are with you as you go for your operation this week, I’ll be in touch!! Peace and comfort at Christmas🙏❤️
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Carol,
Thank you for taking me on your walk through your neighborhood and
the Train House neighbor to view the festive holiday decorations. I really liked your front door and porch decorations, brings back fond memories.
Warm wishes to you ,Victor and your family for a Blessed and Merry
Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year from Dee and Me.
With Love
Lucille
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I’m glad you enjoyed our walk!! We love the historic neighborhoods, and seeing how they decorate their homes during the holidays!!
Sending you and Dee love and best wishes for peace, comfort and health during these holidays and beyond❤️💚
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