Peg, Welcome. I'm glad you decided to join in. I have an old semi-ranch style home also. My open shelves are on the ends of my cabinets.

If you want to decorate your shelves how about little vignettes for the different holidays? It probably wouldn't take too much to do the small shelves.

Here's a link to Karen's (Purplemoon) inspiration Christmas inspiration album. She has other albums also. Lots of beautiful ideas in them.

Your Irish music boxes sound very nice. I know everyone would love to see pics of them. Pretty please?
http://s91.photobucket.com/albums/k302/sangaree_KS/Holiday%20Decor%20Inspiration%20Albums/Christmas/

Hi and Welcome, Peg. I'm glad you decided to join in.
Shelves....oh how I love shelves. For all my STUFF. LOL.
But endless possibilites for holiday decor too. My daughter has ones like you around the kitchen sink. She puts a garland swag over the window, the various figurines or mini vignettes for the holidays on her shelves. You should have a lot of fun decorating yours, and hopefully our Inspiration Album will give you even more ideas.
(it gives me too many, LOL. I see so much I wish I could do but WHERE or WHERE could I do it?)

hugs, Karen

Welcome to the forum, Peg, I'm glad you have decided to join in. Cute shelves around the window sound cute to me. Like Karen says, more room for our STUFF! I think even just little figurines or a bowl of ornaments along with some greenery and berries would make them look festive. I like the idea of a garland swagged around the window too. Have some fun with it and see how it comes out. I agree with Sandi, I'd love to see your Iris music boxes. Maybe you could keep them there and just add some greenery or some puffy batting that would look like snow.

Luvs

I'm glad you posted about this. I, too, have a 70's house, not a ranch but I do have those half rounded shelves on the cabinets near my kitchen sink. I usually have some of my chicken collection there but I love the idea of mini displays of Christmas things there. Thanks for the idea!