“A Tiny Christmas Story” or “How the Hell do you have a Christmas tree in There?”!!!

Christmas Under the Stairs
Sophie Santa Hat
Sophie peeking around the Santa Hat Newel Post on the steps

We love the Holiday Season and love to dress up our tiny, but it can be a challenge. The first year we lived here, we wanted to put up our silver, sparse, vintage, aluminum tree complete with decorative color wheel ~ So we did. After the cats killed it, and we tripped over it about 50 times in the middle of the living room, we gave up after that first Christmas.

Charlie Tree
Vintage Santa Waves Hello by the Tree

My Mom got us this awesome little Charlie Brown tree a couple years ago, and we not only use it because of its diminutive size, but we love it just like Charlie did πŸ™‚ We also love vintage and decorate almost exclusively with things we’ve found over the years at auctions and antique markets. We never paid more than a few bucks for them, and they have so much more meaning when they have been loved by someone for 50 years or more. The best ones, though, are the ones passed down from family.

Angels and the Fightin' Clauses
Space can be found on the sides of cabinets with simple little shelving

When I built Shiny Tiny, I made sure to have some spaces for Sue to decorate year round. In a small house you need to work smarter and find places normals don’t think of, like under stairwells and on top of cabinets. Sue does a great job and although this year she toned down a little (because of time), it still has a great warm feel and always includes the very first decorations she cross-stitched for us 29 years ago!

Christmas Under the Stairs
I built out little shelves underneath the steps to hold books, but they never saw that. Sue keeps them filled with awesome tchotchke’s.

Everyone talks about how AWESOME it is to live small, and honestly, we can’t imagine living large, but there are down sides. You ain’t havin’ a big ole family get together at the house, and you are not having a great big beautiful tree with all the trimmings. There are trade offs to every choice we make in life, and these are a couple that sink in at this time of year. That said, you can learn to love a 10″ tall Charlie Brown Christmas tree. All they need’s a little love! And you can always find a place for cherished family ornaments. Speaking of family, go to their normal house to visit and spend time with them at Christmas if you can – there just isn’t enough room at the Tiny Inn here πŸ˜‰

How to Dress a Curtain
Vintage Holiday Table cloths look great over a curtain when you don’t have room for a table!

~ Please take time away from the big overbearing rush to have a Wonderful Tiny and Joyful Holiday Season
~ Please remember to drink just the right amount and
~ Please remember to spend just enough time with your family to love them and then leave right before the fights break out.
With Holiday Love From Sue and Ron here at Shiny Tiny Mansion ~ CHEERS!!!!

Our First Santa
We bought this old boy on our honeymoon in June 1986 knowing we both were excited about our first Christmas
The Fightin' Clauses
This Vintage Christmas couple is FLocked and are supposed to be dancing, but we find it hilarious to make them have a boxing match, LOL!
The Tiny Christmas Mirror
Mirrors are a great way to make a tiny feel a little larger. Sue decorates the Heck out of it at Christmas
Early Susan Corl Cross Stitch
Sue made all the cross-stitch ornaments our first year together. We lived in a small upstairs apartment then, maybe 600SF.
Big Head Santa and the Choir
Sue and I live in a fantasy world where huge headed Santas are sung to by choirs of angelic ceramic boys and girls.
Flower Christmas Girls
C’mon, how can you not love these little girls. They look a little like a baby Sue!
Christmas Under the Stairs
What can we say except Merry Christmas
Happy Holidays
May your New Year be Crazy Cool!!!!

6 thoughts on ““A Tiny Christmas Story” or “How the Hell do you have a Christmas tree in There?”!!!

  1. I love your home; it is so magical! The colors are so uplifting…..you have such a unique place, you have to be proud of a wonderful accomplishment!

    1. Thanks so much Jeanie. I think relieved is more the word, LOL. It was a TON of work with all the tiny custom things we did from the tiled shower to Sue’s Mr. Limpit bath curtain but we do love it!
      Thanks, Ron

  2. Merry Christmas to my pals. We are spending Christmas in our very own Shiny Tiny motor home, on another education camping trip. NASA with the boys in Houston, then the boat tour of the Port of Houston. We’ve done educational camping trips for 4 or 5 years now, instead of gifts that they forget in 2 weeks. It’s perfect. Had to put it on hold last year due to the breast cancer that stole Christmas. But back to it this year. πŸ™‚ Sending love, love, love. XO

    1. P.S. Your home, your style, your direction(s) are amazing. I am envious and am paying attention. We are beginning the task of downsizing for many reasons….heading toward retirement (in a few years), both with health issues…..We may not get to Shiny Tiny but we need to get to “smaller, lighter, less” for sure. You are an inspiration AND a lot of fun. Thanks.

    2. What a wonderfully cool thing for the boys. What are they now, like in their 20’s? Could get awkward as they marry and have families and you still try to fit everyone in a Tiny on wheels, lol! You all have a wonderful Holiday and drive safely . We will visit again someday, I know!
      PS. ~SBC~ (Screw Breast Cancer!!!)
      :{~ pprrrffftttt….. you win!!!!! And we are So HAPPY about that :)))))

      1. πŸ™‚ Ben is a Junior; Morgan is in 8th grade. The days of these trips are winding down, for sure. The boys are gifts we knew we didn’t get to keep. We love these trips. We still talk about the first ones. I’d love if we did them in the future but trying to be more mindful of the present moment. You get that warning shot of “cancer” and those lessons are good ones. Now. Do it. πŸ™‚ Love you. Would surely welcome a visit but I’m grateful that we can visit here. LOVE Shiny Tiny. πŸ™‚ XO Happiest everything in the new year to you guys.

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