It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Around this time of year, I start to get itchy for all things Christmas. I am the one you see who squeals with delight when I see the Christmas displays up in the stores back in October or hears the music starting on 93.9 in mid-November.

Oh sure, I usually grumble along with friends when they complain about how “commercialized” the holidays have become but inside I am giddy with all things silver, red and green.

I was raised by two women who love(d) the holidays and equally loved to decorate for them: my mom and my grandma. So when Christmas comes around each year and it is acceptable to play Christmas music (in my house that is the second week in November when my husband starts teasing me about whether I am gonna get a nervous twitch if I can’t start playing the music), I start reminiscing about Christmases past, present and future.

I loved Christmas in my childhood home, but not only for the presents.

What sticks with me are the memories we made getting ready for Christmas: making cookies, the great holiday parties, going for a drive to look at the lights in the neighborhoods, caroling with my 4-H troop, eating spaghetti and meatballs on Christmas Eve, going to church and driving past the luminaries afterwards, mom making a taffy pull for my friends and me.

The list goes on and on and I only hope that I am making those kinds of memories for our two girls and they keep the traditions going as well. The decorating at our home started a little early this year for many reasons but I am kind of liking the idea of getting it done early and when the weather is nicer. (It was 65 degrees in our neck of the woods this weekend!)

It took Mike and me about seven hours to get everything up inside and outside of the house. We took our time, ate some lunch, had a beer or two and talked about all sorts of memories while hanging wreaths, stringing garland and lighting candles. Then after we put the tree up, I made appetizers for dinner (a tradition) and the four of us hung ornaments on the tree while listening to our beloved Christmas music. It was really special this year because it was the first year Ellie was able to join us since she was not sleeping.

Setting up for the holidays isn’t always pretty.

I love this next decorating tip.

See the branches in the vase? Those are from my backyard and I spray painted them red.

I love this look and the great thing about this is that I can keep this up all winter not just for Christmas.

Here is that great Southern Living At Home centerpiece I talked about in September’s “Falling in Love” blog post. All I had to do is take out the fall picks and put in the Christmas ones and voila again!!