Advent Calendar Blog Hop

Hello stitchers. Welcome to Day 21!
Thanks to Jo of Serendipitous Stitching for giving me a later date so I can finish up two recent WIPs.

So now I have four Christmas finishes to share this year... 

I See Trees of Green
by Heartstring Samplery
14ct. vintage country cream aida

I loved that the chart also includes this trivia: "What a Wonderful World," released in 1967, intended as an antidote for the racially and politically charged climate of everyday life in the US. It was initially not a hit in the US because the ABC Records head didn't like it and did not promote it, but was a major success in the UK. Went on to later grow in popularity and ultimately became a Christmas Classic.
Next we got, not one but four Prairie Schooler Santas which I decided to stitch together to fondly call a Needleworker's Christmas wishlist:

 Prairie Schooler Santas (2004-2007)

14ct. natural Aida

And here are my latest finishes which haven't been posted yet:

 Christmas Eve
by Prairie Schooler
14ct. blue blizzard opalescent aida

I changed the colors for the words, chose darker and cheerful ones. I also changed the word Noel to Hope. Lastly, omitted that one behind Santa's sleigh. Can't figure what it is... an elf left behind? a toy robot that fell from the sack? or a naughty/stalker kid wanting more. So a snowflake gladly took his spot. Here's the original pattern:

My latest finish:

Remember my tiny tree...

and my reindeer...

put them together and we got...

Mischief-making Reindeer

from BHG's 101 Best-loved Designs fr.

Cross Stitch & Country Crafts

14ct. light blue aida

Major change: this is 80 lightbulbs less. It's not that I wanted to save a lot on electricity (just a bit maybe), but it's because...

I can't find my sweater size, LOL.

To answer this year's question. Growing up it was usually store-bought decorations. But I remember when I was in Elementary, my dad's aunt gifted me and my sister felt-stockings with our names on it and both were stitched using a lot of ...beads and sequins! Of course anything that glitters was a hit, mine was a snowman, hers was poinsettia. They couldn't hold anything heavy. But it was a favorite of mine... even though my name was misspelled, haha.  

Thanks for visiting. Be sure to check out the whole Advent Calendar Blog Hop. Just a few days more... MERRY CHRISTMAS and a BLESSED NEW YEAR!!!