Decorating For Christmas

One of the things I love to do in preparation for Christmas is decorate my house. Some years I do more decorating than others and there were a few years when I was still teaching that I didn’t decorate at all, not even a tree. Kevin finally went and bought a fiber-optic tree for about $20 and it has turned out to be one of our favorite decorations. This year seemed to be especially frustrating. It’s always quite the chore to get the decorations down out of the attic. I climb up the ladder, go into the attic, slide the boxes over to the hole, climb back on the ladder and hand the boxes down to Kevin. After about ten trips up and down the ladder we finally have everything down from the attic and then have to bring it all in the house. We have a lot of decorations. Some that we have bought as a couple, some that I had before we were married, some that Kevin had as a child and some that I had as a child. As we were getting things out, we discovered that most of our decorations were on their last leg and this would definitely be the last year we could use them. I told Kevin we would have to make do until after Christmas and buy things after they went on clearance. This year we had trouble with the tree, tree stand, lights outside and lights inside. But I finally got everything out and displayed that I wanted to use this year and then got all the boxes put back in the attic. Now we can just sit back and enjoy the sights. One of my favorite things to do is turn off all the house lights, get me a cup of hot tea, turn on my Christmas C.D. and just soak it all in. I love doing that. Anyway, here are the photos I took of our lovely decorations.

This is our main tree in the living room. I usually have purple lights, but they would not cooperate, so I had to use some gold lights that I had on hand.

This is the pencil tree I put in the dining room. I use fruit and vegetable picks with a couple of musical instruments added just because.

The infamous fiber-optic tree that we have come to love. This year it is on the kitchen table.

The house from the street. We only decorate around the windows as the pitch to our roof is very steep and Kevin or I have the desire to try to climb up there to put lights on the house. We also put electric candles in the windows.

Last year I bought these lighted gift boxes. I thought they were much larger, but still like them. I just place them on the wicker table on the porch.

Our poor wreath. It was Kevin’s mamma’s and I know it means a lot to him, but it is just barely hanging and pieces fall off every day. Over the years I have added the musical instruments and song books. It’s probably about thirty years old.

Last year mother hosted a Christmas tour of her home and I bought this arrangement for her to use. I just love it. There are lights in the vase, but you can’t tell in the photo. I have them sitting on the fireplace mantle.

Last year when I went down to Littlefield to help Mother decorate, we went to a little shop that was going out of business. I bought these three trees for a dollar each. I just love a bargain!

Our stockings are hung by the chimney with care . . . mom made these for us before we were even married. They are about twenty five years old.

One of my most favorite pieces, Jolly Old St. Nick. Daddy bought him for me. He is animated and I have him sitting on the other end of the fireplace mantle.

That about does it for this year. Drop on by and we’ll share a cup of hot tea, visit, listen to the music and enjoy the lights.

Changing the subject, my older sister Darla is having retinal surgery tomorrow. She has been having a lot of trouble with the retina in her right eye and has already had two laser surgeries. Today her retina tore so she will be having the surgery tomorrow. I know she would appreciate any prayers you could offer. She and I are cut from the same cloth and are very active work-aholics, so I know it will be very hard on her to lie still for the recovery. I’ll keep you posted on her progress.