Saturday, November 24, 2012

Let the Decorating Commence!


It is Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend.  The food is gone, the moment passed, it is now time to move forward, head on, into Christmas!  I am a bit more organized this year.  I have completed the shopping for my grandchildren.  My own children are all grown up and really prefer money so that is easy.  The Hubs usually gives me a list -- mostly mail-order things so that is good.  All in all, I think I am doing ok.

I was a bit annoyed yesterday, however.  I allowed myself to go to Target and Michael's late yesterday afternoon -- something I never do on the day after Thanksgiving and for a brief moment I thought I was   "late" with the holiday.  Naturally things were in a horrible disarray but that isn't what was so perplexing.  The problem that I was having was the complete lack of Christmas-y things to begin with.  Usually Target has an abundance of wrapping and decorations and this year there were only two aisles dedicated to the holiday.  Maybe the company should re-evaluate their huge remodel and go back to the days of less glitz and more merchandise.

I was also annoyed at Michael's.  I went looking for small beads for a cross stitch project and their needlework department in this particular store is appalling -- I could practically hold all the products in my arms! So, off  to Joann's I went and I realized that I really need to visit my cute little local needlework store which isn't so local.  It is The Stitch Niche in Arlington -- not far but not around the corner, either. Going there takes up a morning by the time you figure the drive back and forth with the traffic and then the time spent in the store which is never really short.  It is one of those stores that you can't walk into, pick up what you want and leave.  It lures you in.  It is one of those charming, magical places that is small, packed full of merchandise and, while it it is well organized, you still have to look through things to find what you what you want and that is like opening Pandora's box!
 
Anyway, I digress.  

Today will be spent decorating the house.  We put up the Christmas Village which has now become the Hubs project -- thank goodness -- he is much better at it than I am.  All that is left to do on that is the accessorizing and decorating the tree that is in the middle of the "village".  For the last couple of years I have been putting up a "big" tree in addition to the tree in the village but since we will not be home for Christmas this year I decided to dispense with that tree and just add a few little decorations around the house -- a few candles, some decorative hand towels in the guest bath -- that sort of thing.  I usually hang stockings -- a couple of generic, monogrammed ones made from blue velvet for Hubs and me and then I hang two handmade (from a kit) stockings that my grandmother made for my children on their first Christmas.  My son was only 20 days old when he first used his -- my daughter was three months old so these have been around for a while, used each year and are showing their age but each year when I hang them I remember my grandmother and smile and that is what it is all about.

So, now that the morning tea has been consumed, it is time to get busy.  I will be done with my part long before the Hubs is done with his -- he definitely has the more labor intensive job.  Perhaps photos will follow.

Have a wonderful Saturday!


4 comments:

Jane and Chris said...

We have a pared down Christmas. We decorate simply, eat well, and enjoy each others company.It suits us.I really don't enjoy the rampant consumerism at this time of year.
Jane xx

Boyett-Brinkley said...

I totally agree. In this year and a half of "retirement" we have had the opportunity to re-evaluate a lot of things and overindulgence in many areas is one of those things. We have pared down a lot of things, including celebrations, and we are much, much happier for it.

JLS Hall said...

I definitely would love to see photos! I love your Christmas village, but I'm glad I don't have to put it all out or put it all away.

Michael is getting the decorating bug now that Thanksgiving is over, but can't make up his mind if he wants a big tree or a small tree or an artificial tree or a real tree. Also can't decide where to put said tree. I'm thinking just some stockings for the fireplace, and that's about all. Hmmmm. I'm really sounding a little Grinch-y today.

Boyett-Brinkley said...

Joy -- well, one of our biggest adjustments to retirement has been Allen's tendency to take over my job. In some ways it has been ok and in other ways, not so much -- like when he told me how to make up the bed correctly. However, we are adjusting -- my "job" is helping that because I am gone before he is really out of said bed and he makes it up whatever way he sees fit. However, when it came to the village, I was more than happy to let him take over. The only tree we are putting up is the one in the middle of the village.

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