It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...

Finally!

I got a really late start on my holiday decorating this year. A really really late start.

 Typically, my goal is always to be finished decking the halls (and railings and trees) by Sunday night after Thanksgiving, have the tubs put away and the house clean so that I have a good month to enjoy it all without having to constantly work on it while climbing over bins and boxes. For the most part, whatever isn’t finished by the end of Thanksgiving weekend doesn’t happen. I prioritize the most important things—the tree, outdoor decor, staircase and dining room; those seem to be the tasks that are doable in 3 days. Sometimes, the weather doesn’t cooperate, and I may have to work on the outside lights after the weekend is over.

This year, too many things got in the way—a family wedding Thanksgiving weekend followed by a 4-day work trip, followed by a 3 day weekend in Memphis. Never mind my very Grinchy, un-Christmas like attitude in general. I was tempted to not decorate this year, but Brandon is coming home for Christmas. Brandon is coming home for Christmas!!! Since it will be the first Christmas he has been at home since 2011 as well as the first Christmas we have all been together in 4 years, not decorating wasn’t a real option. The last time we all spent Christmas together was in a hotel room in Great Lakes, IL when the boys were in boot camp. While I have known in my heart that I wanted to decorate, it sort of felt like more of a burden than the fun task I always enjoy and look forward to.

So, I took a vacation day on Wednesday, put on my Santa hat, filled my travel mug with coffee, took my boom box and Christmas CDs outside, and spent a freezing cold day trimming the porch with greenery and bows and baubles and stringing lights through the bushes and trees. There may or may not have been a little bit of dancing around while singing Christmas carols, too. There may also have been a few horn honks and amused looks from passersby.  I wonder how many people went home that day and told everyone about the crazy old lady dancing around her front porch wearing a Santa hat?

That sounds crazier than it really was. I sang quietly to myself, and the dancing was pretty calm, but I guess I still made somewhat of a spectacle out of myself.

I also nearly fell off the roof. And a ladder. (I wasn’t dancing then!)

I was sort of dancing when I tangled my feet in a strand of lights, fell and banged my knee on the brick retaining wall. (Thankfully, I was on the ground when that happened).

I also ended up with a hand that looked like I got into a fight with a cat after I made the very unwise decision to put lights in my very large rose bush.

Yeah, I think I am too old for this outdoor Christmas decorating. Or perhaps I shouldn’t combine outdoor Christmas decorating with dancing and singing.

At the end of the day, in spite of all the mishaps and my frozen hands, by some Christmas miracle, a smattering of something resembling holiday cheer had warmed my Grinchy heart, and my house had been transformed into a winter wonderland.  The only thing missing is some snow. (But, I gotta admit, I’m not missing snow all that much).

This treat at the end of the day may have had something to do with warming my heart, too. J

 

 

 I always treat myself to a bottle of Bailey’s right after Thanksgiving. I am not a boozy sort of gal at all, but I do enjoy a splash (or 2) of this creamy yumminess in my coffee on cold winter mornings when I have the luxury of staying home on the couch bundled in a blanket while I watch cheesy Hallmark movies. And on frosty evenings when I have spent the day outdoors decorating…

I am 2 weeks behind schedule, but I am thrilled to be finished, both indoors and out. (Except for the dining room table; I need to find my Christmas dishes that are still in some hidden box down in the basement).
 
I found a fantastic sale on plastic ornaments on sale at Michaels, and I thought they would add a fun touch to my porch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Can you tell that I just love, love LOVE decorating the outside of my house? It is usually the very first thing I do, sometimes, even before we put up the tree. On Wednesday when I was outside, three different people stopped to say they wondered what was going on because it was the first time they had seen my house not decorated. One person, who I didn't know, said he'd been living here as long as we have, and every day, he drove by wondering why I hadn't decorated yet. My next door neighbor came over when he got home from work to tell me that he and his wife assumed I must be sick. I didn't realize how much people notice things. 

I don't typically decorate much in the kitchen other than putting a few flowery things and a candle on the windowsill and a Christmasy tablecloth on the table. But, I am rather tired of looking at the unfinished frame around the new door that Tony put in, so I decided to hide its ugliness with greenery, bows and lights. And wow, I am so glad I did! Honestly, I think this is one of my favorite decorations this year. It doesn't totally disguise the mess that the wall still is, but it sure helps. Rachel came home yesterday and said, "Mom! That is sooooo CUTE!" That is high praise from a teenager. I don't know how "cute" it is, but I am smitten with it.

 

 

 

 

Pretend you don't see that large hole that is STILL in my kitchen ceiling. Tony did bring us one step closer to being able to close up that hole this weekend--I think he finally got the plumbing problem fixed. The hole will remain a bit longer just in case, but I really am hoping that very soon, that hole will be gone. I won't miss it looking at the upstairs bathroom pipes every time I am in my kitchen.

 

I know, this is very picture heavy, but I'm not finished yet! Part of my problem is that I am still trying to figure out my camera, so I take lots of photos with different settings trying to get the perfect shot. I have a long way to go! (That is why the walls in pictures of the same room look very different. I clearly have not mastered my camera after more than a year!)

 

My second favorite thing to decorate is the stair railing. Even when the lights are not on, it makes me smile to see it first thing when I walk in my front door.

 

While you are pretending you don't see the hole in my kitchen ceiling, keep those rose colored glasses on and pretend you don't see my STILL unfinished stairs. There is probably dog hair on them because they are rough and hard to vacuum, so pretend you don't see that as well. :)

 

 

 

 

Remember that basket I filled with fake fall leaves and pinecones? Well, I developed quite a fondness for it, so I decided to keep it for Christmas and fill it up with holiday-ish fake stuff.

 

 

 

 

I have saved the best for last.

 

My dining room and my new silver tree. I never thought I was a metallic tree sort of person, but I was inspired by my super duper Christmas decorating extraordinaire brother in law who has the most amazing and beautiful gold tree stuffed to the brim with only metallic ornaments. I loved it and couldn't get it out of my head.

 

 

 

 

Soooo...I purchased a silver tree at Hobby Lobby a month or so ago. It's tall and skinny--the first time Tony saw it, he asked me why I bought a Charlie Brown tree--but once I put a few metallic ornaments on it and wrapped it with silver polka dot ribbon, I think he likes it. 

Even if he doesn't, I do! It's not quite as spectacular as my brother in laws tree, but I really do like it tucked in a small corner of my dining room. Most of the ornaments on it were ornaments I already had, including all of my angel ornaments, but I did buy a few new ones, including some sparkly icicles. I wanted to put a small angel on top, but I haven't been able to find what I want.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More photos of the dining room:

 

 







Clearly, I do not believe that “less is more” when it comes to Christmas decorating, do I? J

My house is festive, and my heart is finally feeling festive as well. Mostly, that is due to knowing that by this time next week, all of my children will be safe and snug here at home. My heart will truly be happy then!

 My wish to make this holiday season extra-special for my family, most especially Brandon, inspired me. It sure looks like I have found some Christmas cheer, huh?

Everything looks and feels homey and cozy, just how I like it. I am now sharing one last photo...of my Christmas tree. I took this last night when I was snug as a bug on the couch watching yet another corny movie.

 

Now, it’s time to make it smell as wonderful as it looks, aka, the time has come to pack away the decorating supplies and let my kitchen be taken over by sugar, flour, chocolate and candy-dipping tools. My next post will be titled, “It’s beginning to taste a lot like Christmas.”