“Sunday in the South” Book Signing & More

This Saturday, October 29th, from 1 to 4 pm, Christmas Place hosts author and chef Ginny McCormack for a signing of her book, Sunday in the South.

More than just a cookbook, although it is filled with delectable recipes, Ginny’s book includes 350 photographs of  food, gorgeous table decor, and beautiful Southern imagery.  Complete dinner menus; quotes, stories, and humorous anecdotes; and tips and techniques fill each chapter, making this much more than a simple cookbook – it’s a story about incorporating food into the best times of our lives with Southern  grace, hospitality, and congeniality.

Chapter topics and recipes cover a range from ”A Formal Sunday Feast” to ”A Comfort Food Family Dinner,” “A Seafood Lunch on the Porch,” “A Hearty Outdoor Dinner,” and “Ten Southern Classics,” and include breakfast and other meals.  I’m going to check out her recipe for Southern Key Lime Pie – it’s my personal favorite, and I’ve been gathering ideas for making the best!  In the mean time, can I interest anyone in Southern Home Style Meatloaf with Sweet Chili Glaze,  Creamy Corn Pudding, and White Cheddar Cornbread, finished with Peach Bread Pudding?  (I would just choose today to write about this, when I left my lunch sitting on the kitchen counter at home!!)

Ginny is a cooking instructor, speaker, author, food columnist, editor of an online magazine, and host of GinnyMcCormackCooks.com.  She has appeared regularly as a T.V. chef.  She lives with her family in Marietta, Georgia, and enjoys writing and teaching about the art of Southern hospitality and new Southern cuisine.

This is Ginny’s first visit to Christmas Place, and we are looking forward to meeting her.  Her book would make a fabulous Christmas or special occasion gift!

Also at 1 o’clock on Saturday, our Floral Department will be demonstrating  how to assemble and decorate the mesh boxes that are such a favorite for holiday decor – and especially since they can be themed for any occasion, not just Christmas.

We’ll see you Saturday!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

P.S.  Two more signings on Saturday – you can take care of all your Christmas at one time! – Ne’Qwa Inside Art Ornaments, painted on the inside of glass ornaments – Trieste will be here once again demonstrating her amazing painting technique – sometimes she brings brushes you can buy to try it yourself.  I have painted on glass – it’s a very mental challenge, because you have to think about the image in reverse order from traditional surface painting.  (This iconic snowman & cardinal image is my personal choice – I got mine signed when it was first released in 2008.)

R. J. McDonald is back with us for the weekend to sign his wonderful Santa prints and giclees – some of which can be personalized by adding your family names to Santa’s “nice” list!

Come see us!

Fall Sweepstakes Time

Admittedly, we prefer selling things, but we do enjoy giving things away from time to time, too!  Check out our two current sweepstakes:

Just for fun and creepiness – a Department 56 Halloween house, the Retching Pumpkin Diner!  I don’t know about you, but it’s awfully wretched-looking to me.  Please, someone, win it and take it home with you.  Enter once a day through Friday, September 30th, and we’ll award it to one lucky creep winner on the first of October.

If something on the sparkly side is more your style, be sure to enter our 25th Anniversary giveaway, celebrating both Christmas Place and Snowbabies turning 25 this year!  The happy winner will receive a “Joy for You and Me” SnowDreams figurine from their glittering anniversary collection and a beautiful, red Christmas Place 25th anniversary t-shirt.

Any time we are having a giveaway, you’ll find it in the “What’s New” column on our home page.

Also going on right now, a 20% off sale on almost 3,000 ornaments – both in the store and online – including lots of your favorite styles for personalization.  Remember, ornament personalization is free.  We carry a broad selection of family ornaments, for personalization of up to 15 names!

Just to get you excited, let me remind you that Christmas is less than 100 days away!  Yippee!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

P.S. More newly-decorated Christmas trees coming next week!

Two for Tuesday

Is anyone else diggin’ these mugs – I don’t know, do they qualify as ‘retro’?  It reminds of the graphic style of the George Jetson era ~ and I love the colors and faux antique finishes.  Santa’s Diner, open 364 days a year; Buck’s Peak sleighs and skis; and Fresh Firs Tree Lot.  I love this collection – there are funky plates and trays available in the group as well.

 Ornaments – yes, we have a few around here….in this collection, you can put together the nativity story, or just select a couple in the series that best fit your Christmas sensibilities.

I can’t resist that little sheep face!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Two for Tuesday

If you enjoy spending time in the kitchen with the kids at Christmas, decorating cookies and generally making a mess, wouldn’t it be a treat to preserve the memories of those delightful times in a cute picture frame like this?  These dough frames have a home-made style that will add a splash of color and warmth to your kitchen – especially when showing off your favorite little ones.  The bows on the frames and the gingerbread people, along with the Gingerbread Girl’s pinafore, are fabric.  {hint – with that red, they’re also appropriate to display around Valentine’s Day!}

Gingerbread Man Picture Frame

We carry a beautiful collection of enameled metal ornaments that are intricately detailed and brilliantly colored.  Styles range from teapots, birdhouses, and pianos to bumble bees, hummingbirds, owls, and cardinals.  This brilliant, bejewled Christmas tree caught my eye.

Enameled Christmas Tree Ornament

Let me just say that the store looks rather like a wasteland right now – the designers are tearing everything apart ~ so they can put it all back, even better than before.  I can’t wait until the new merchandise starts arriving ~ I’m sure there will be plenty of glitter just for me!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Two for Tuesday

From the “Ho Ho Ho” tree, take a look at Santa’s beautiful blue eyes and soft white beard!  This over sized ornament has been a shoppers’ favorite.  The tree in which it is displayed is really cute – there are reindeer on ladders and playing in the tree, helping with decorations…

And again, her she goes with the green!  A very whimsical bobble, bright green glass on top, trailing a wispy collection of feathers and ribbon.

 Today, I took pictures of all the completed Christmas trees around the store.  Tomorrow I will list some of the centerpiece items of those trees ~ have you yet considered using a fire hydrant in the top of your tree?  Well why not??  Of the fifty trees we decorate each year, there are only about four left to be completed.  I’m in glitter heaven!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

P.S. It’s only 114 days til Christmas – how are you coming on getting your list together and beginning your shopping?  It’s not too early to plan a party – be the first on everyone’s calendar this year.

Overheard in the store today…

A little girl walked in the front doors of the store, and her eyes quickly grew to the size of saucers on her precious little face.  After surveying the scene for a moment, she turned to her mother and declared,“Mom, we’re in Santa’s house!”

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Two for Tuesday

Here is a funny little ornament – Santa peaking out of his tent – not worried about the bear that is keeping him company!  I guess that old black bear is on the Nice list this year.

I think we have about 28.14 miles of ribbon around here, give or take a yard, not counting all that has already been incorporated into our amazing trees and arrangements - how about some red, white and blue styles for the 4th of July?

  

Counting an ornament as one and ribbon as two, here are pics of more gorgeous ribbons:

    

We have every shade under the sun, from sunset purples to sunrise golds and every color of the rainbow in between!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Two for Tuesday

We’ve got a huge selection of groovy stuff for that marvel of childhood, Thomas the Train, here in our Toy Store.  In addition to gear like this hat, we also have lamps and trains and tons of tracks, games and books, pails and snack containers and whistles, and I could keep going but you’ll want to look for yourself!

 

On a nearby tree I spotted this glittering reindeer ornament standing out from amoung the branches.  (Go for Glitter!)  Isn’t he elegant?

 

 

 ~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Celebrate Mother’s Day

I think I’ve heard that, next to Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day is the biggest flower-giving occasion of the year (and I may have even that backwards), and the day of the year when more people dine in restaurants.  Of course, food and flowers, while vital to existence, and I include flowers intentionally in the vital category, are ephemeral by nature.  Along with such passing pleasures for moms, consider a more lasting gift for those that you honor on this day.

There is a lot to be said for the humble macaroni necklace and the hand pressed into a circle of clay.  A hand-made card with a personal drawing will always be treasured (as in, moved from house to house and attic to attic throughout Mom’s life, never to be disposed of no matter what without penalty of ‘you don’t love me anymore’).  Photos are always an excellent choice, too – framed, even better.  How about this delightful frame styled with buttons, bow and tag in a collage style – great for a scrapbooker.

Among the thousands of ornaments here, you know we’ve got you covered for Mother’s Day, too – Mother, Mother-in-Law, Grandmother, get your ornaments here!

 If you’re in the Pigeon Forge area, pop into the store and look over our collection of Crabtree & Evelyn luxury skin care items, too - absolutely lovely for gift-giving.

 

 

 

One of my favs is this angel figurine line (I told you about them earlier) – delicate pastel colors, a dusting of glitter, and a lovely message for Mother.  This one will be a year-round reminder of your love.

Here’s a good article on “green” ideas for Mother’s Day gifts, from Judy Weinstock.

 “My mom is a never ending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being.  I may sometimes forget the words, but I never forget the tune.” ~ Graycie Harmon

“On Mother’s Day I have written a poem for you.  In the interest of poetic economy and truth, I have succeeded in concentrating my deepest feelings and beliefs into two perfectly crafted lines:  You’re my mother; I would have no other!” ~ Forest Houtenschil

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Oh, one more that you’ll enjoy – “Setting a good example for your children takes all the fun out of middle age.” ~ William Feather, The Business of Life, 1949

Two for Tuesday

Two things in the store this week:

Hand-painted on the inside of the glass, an incredible ornament from Ne’ Qwa.  Each of these unique ornaments is signed by the artist, and packaged in a velvet box.

Crafted to look like wood, this resin angel has wire wings and holds a twinkling star.  From the Willow Creek line, she will surely enhance your Christmas tree ~ and you might want to keep her on display all year long.

Have a beautiful day!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place