When we first moved in to our house, we thought how great it was to have a fireplace.

And it is.

But the mantle that was put on the fireplace could be rented out as a bedroom.

It’s nearly 10 feet by 3 feet deep.

That first Christmas I put a tree branch that had broken off a tree on it with ornaments hanging from it. Really.

The second Christmas I think I tried to do some sort of arrangement with greenery and candles.

It just looked out of scale with the massive mantle.

By the third year, I was really annoyed with the bedroom sized mantle.

I think it was my husband who suggested we put a Christmas village on it.

Now, I’m not exactly the Christmas village type of girl. It’s a little tschotske for me.

At this point I was pretty worn down with ideas for the mantle so a Christmas village it is.

And I think we know my “Balls to the Wall” theory right?

And now I’m one of those crazy Christmas village people who are going to will the display down to a family member.

Just wait until they get my Halloween village display too……