The First Christmas Tree is UP

I don't know why I always start my Christmas decorating in the kitchen     maybe it's because it's the heart of our home.

Now that the tree is up,     I can start adding some Christmas touches to the kitchen counters.   
 I decorate the counters,   but leave the big island  in the center of the kitchen free of clutter so we can do all our cooking there.      Everyone gathers in the kitchen and we all do meal prep around the island  as a family.

By rotating my Christmas decor in a different room each year,   it makes pieces that I've had for 20 years seem fresh and new.      This tree was on one side of the fireplace in the family room last year.

I took plenty of pics of the ornaments on the tree......hope you don't get bored!

I've had my collection of Santa heads for years,    but this is their first year to take center stage in the kitchen.

In addition to the Santa heads,   the tree has pink sparkly poinsettia's and mercury glass mason jars.     

I have white enamel farm animals scattered around the tree

Here's a close up of another Santa and a white enamel pig

The tree has white frosted roses and pale pink rose buds.......

I'm not crazy about the look on this Santa's face,   but I've had him so long that I guess he's beginning to grown on me

This is my smallest Santa head......

This Santa is my oldest one.....

I "planted" my tree in a stack of rusty wagons.     I don't know how I came up with so many rusty wagons,   but there's a tall stack of them out back in my junk yard.

Next to the tree,   I have a weathered twin foot board leaned up against the wall.     I have it decorated with pink bells,   rusty bells,   and white enamel numbers.

At the bottom of the foot board,    I have a pink pig.      She is a regular in my year round decor in the kitchen and I wouldn't think of putting her away.....especially at Christmas!

The roosters are also a regular in the kitchen year round.....maybe I should tie a red ribbon around their neck for the holidays.       

The final touch is Santa's mail box .   

 Santa has left one of his most trusted elves sitting on top of it to make sure all the mail gets delivered on time!