decorating for Christmas
I always feel like I can face the day once I’ve had a cup of coffee. Strong, with a touch of cream. For a while I got a little heavy handed with the pumpkin spice creamer. It was crazy! But good. And so creamy, too. I scaled back on that, and although I almost don’t want to admit it, I think I feel better without it, or significantly less of it. No more sugar dump first thing in the morning.
So, Christmas. I’m feeling pretty good about it this year. In the past, I’ve often felt stressed, frazzled- you name it, but it’s different this year. I’m making a point to observe Advent, to think about what kind of Christmas I want to have, and to slowly prepare. It’s nice to have a chance to gather my thoughts. I’m no purist. I want to put up a tree this week, but as fast as I’m moving, my tree might be going up on Christmas Eve. :)
I finally decorated outside, the first time in several years, with white lights wrapped around the dogwood accompanied by two animated grapevine deers. The dogwood was about four or five feet shorter the last time I decorated it. I used a small rake to reach the higher branches. The yard is taking on somewhat of a winter woodland theme which I like. No, I love! I’m striving for simplicity this year, and so far I’m sticking to it. I do plan to string up some lights on the Hinoki cypress. The same Hinoki cypress that I came very close to cutting down this summer. It’s too close to the house, and I’ve just taken a dislike to it, but maybe I’ll have to keep it since it looks nice with the buck.
Here’s a video I took with my phone the first night I turned on the deer. The quality isn’t the best, and it’s a little shaky because I had heavy groceries in one hand, and the phone in the other. Also, I'm just really awful at filming videos. Since then I've moved the doe and buck further apart.
Something new this year is our Christmas dinner. We’ll still be having it over at my grandpa’s house, but I’ll be organizing it. In the past, well since Grandma’s decline with Alzheimer’s, anyway, my aunts have done the organizing. Thanksgiving week Grandma had to be moved into a home, and there was just a lot of chaos, and everyone was tired. We had a nice dinner, the food was delicious, but it was totally unorganized. For example, dessert was never announced. One of my cousins helped himself to some cheesecake, and then some of my uncles ate some, and that was it. We used to always have a “time for dessert” call. I like tradition. I’m flexible, so long as there seems to be some sort of structure. So, I’ll now be running the show. I’m looking forward to it because it gets me out of socializing for an extended period of time; I’ll now have duties to see to. ;)
At the moment I’m looking to order some sealing wax, but seeing as this post is already on the longish side, I’ll make a separate post for that.
So, Christmas. I’m feeling pretty good about it this year. In the past, I’ve often felt stressed, frazzled- you name it, but it’s different this year. I’m making a point to observe Advent, to think about what kind of Christmas I want to have, and to slowly prepare. It’s nice to have a chance to gather my thoughts. I’m no purist. I want to put up a tree this week, but as fast as I’m moving, my tree might be going up on Christmas Eve. :)
I finally decorated outside, the first time in several years, with white lights wrapped around the dogwood accompanied by two animated grapevine deers. The dogwood was about four or five feet shorter the last time I decorated it. I used a small rake to reach the higher branches. The yard is taking on somewhat of a winter woodland theme which I like. No, I love! I’m striving for simplicity this year, and so far I’m sticking to it. I do plan to string up some lights on the Hinoki cypress. The same Hinoki cypress that I came very close to cutting down this summer. It’s too close to the house, and I’ve just taken a dislike to it, but maybe I’ll have to keep it since it looks nice with the buck.
Here’s a video I took with my phone the first night I turned on the deer. The quality isn’t the best, and it’s a little shaky because I had heavy groceries in one hand, and the phone in the other. Also, I'm just really awful at filming videos. Since then I've moved the doe and buck further apart.
Click to viewSomething new this year is our Christmas dinner. We’ll still be having it over at my grandpa’s house, but I’ll be organizing it. In the past, well since Grandma’s decline with Alzheimer’s, anyway, my aunts have done the organizing. Thanksgiving week Grandma had to be moved into a home, and there was just a lot of chaos, and everyone was tired. We had a nice dinner, the food was delicious, but it was totally unorganized. For example, dessert was never announced. One of my cousins helped himself to some cheesecake, and then some of my uncles ate some, and that was it. We used to always have a “time for dessert” call. I like tradition. I’m flexible, so long as there seems to be some sort of structure. So, I’ll now be running the show. I’m looking forward to it because it gets me out of socializing for an extended period of time; I’ll now have duties to see to. ;)
At the moment I’m looking to order some sealing wax, but seeing as this post is already on the longish side, I’ll make a separate post for that.