I love the way the house looks when I decorate for Christmas. I love the lights, I do. But I’ve been known to have everything down and stored away by Christmas night. Done is done, right?
As I sit in the silence looking at the glow in the office/family room, I realize I’m not ready yet. And I’m already a day late.
Have you noticed how rooms grow in size once the decorations are gone?
Funny that when I put up my Christmas trees (I have 3 inside this year), I don’t feel like it makes the rooms look smaller. But the second they’re gone and packed away, rooms instantly get a lot bigger!
It’s supposed to turn colder mid-week so I should bring in the outside stuff. But even that is staying put for awhile. Having a loft storage room that’s about 600 square feet is wonderful. No more making Perry pack boxes up a rickety ladder in the garage and through a small opening to find a spot in the attic. 🙂
Someone may get coal next year.
Both puppies had packages under the tree shaped like big candy canes filled with toys. ONE of them has already destroyed a couple items beyond recognition. Guess which one?
I hope the Pesky neighbors miss today’s post…
The Pesky neighbors bought me a beautiful poinsettia just after Thanksgiving. I promptly killed it — all the leaves fell off. I didn’t tell them and just before Christmas, I bought another one with the same colored foil around the pot. No one mentioned it during Christmas and the only way they’ll know is if they read about it today.
It’s a test. 😉
Now you know: Myrrh, one of the Three Wise Men’s gifts, is a medicinal herb still in use today.
It’s not often you can go outside on Christmas Eve in Indiana without a coat. This year was the year!
The winter wheat is coming up nicely giving me some Christmas green as a view. Y’all know I wanted snow, but the chances weren’t that great — and it was certainly a fail this year. Guess I could move to Michigan — they had 18″ last year?
Perry’s looking for employees and a new job. 🙁
Poor Perry had to work last night on Christmas Eve. We’d planned to have a few people over and play cards, but that was spoiled when his assistant manager didn’t show up or call in. Yes, he also has to work today on Christmas, and his relief person is… guess who!? Yup, same one that was a no show last night. He may be pulling a double. Again.
Heartfelt Christmas wishes to you and yours.
May this season be filled with the warmth of love, the joy of shared laughter, and the magic of cherished moments with family and friends.
Now you know – 5 fun Christmas facts:
It’s a tradition in Japan to eat KFC for Christmas. Orders must be placed two months in advance.
1 in 3 men wait until Christmas Eve to do their shopping.
Bing Crosby’s version of “White Christmas” is the highest selling single of all time.
The abbreviation X in X-mas is not really an abbreviation. It stands for “Chi”, meaning Christ in Greek.
The city of Vancouver, Canada claims to be the birthplace of the first “ugly Christmas sweater” party.
The Pesky Neighbors gave me a light to shine on the garage door. I’m going to have to work on it in the daytime because it’s distorted and a bit sideways. The fact that the light’s stake has to be pushed into the ground doesn’t help when it’s a gravel driveway.
Right now, it says, “Let it Snow!” I’m wanting that 100%.
I tried to take a photo but it looked like a white blob using my trusty iPhone. Since it’s supposed to be almost 60° tomorrow with rain, this is as close to snow as I’m gonna get for awhile:
I’m pretty sure I’m finished with shopping except for one person. At least I hope I’m close since I’ve already spent a fortune. Two people this year are receiving gifts that have a clue (or clues) wrapped and under the tree. For one recipient, Carl is bringing the gift with him so we can haul it in once the clue package is opened.
In the meantime, I’m sure enjoying the lights and decor. I might be tired of it by January, but for now it makes me happy. 🙂
Now you know: XT11 was the name given to a severely disabled infant chimpanzee that exhibited Down syndrome-like symptoms and other congenital birth defects. Her mother and sister took care of her anyway, and her social group did not reject her. She survived in the wild for 23 months.
I’m always teasing the Pesky Neighbors about spending my inheritance. For example, Mom wanted new socks and I told her she could go barefoot. 😉
Good thing they know I’m joking…
Otherwise, they might not have brought me home this…
It’s me. I’m a last minute shopper.
Usually, I wait until the last minute to buy gifts. There’s been many years I didn’t even start shopping until mid-December.
Not this year! I still have a few things to pick up, but for the most part I’m done. I have a ton of stuff arriving next week and for the first time ever, I’m wrapping as I go instead of cramming it all into one day. Not gonna lie, I feel pretty darned proud of myself. BAM!
Now you know: Kate Winslet broke Tom Cruise’s underwater filming record while filming Avatar 2. Winslet held her breath during a scene for seven minutes and twelve seconds beating the mark of six minutes Cruise set while filming Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation.
I read a post on FB and I can only share an overview because I can no longer find it. It pertained to Christmas giving and was written by a Mom trying to think what else she could buy for her kids for Christmas. She felt like what gifts she had weren’t enough.
We’ve all been there, right? Even as a Nana, I’m there right now.
The story continues as she reflects back to Christmas gifts received as a child, and how she couldn’t remember a single thing opened at Christmas. She remembered the food and the magic of Santa. She remembered reading about the birth of Jesus and the excitement she felt leading up to Christmas morning. She remembered the presents… but not what was inside of them.
While I agree with the concept, I do remember a bit more. 🙂
I remember Nanny and Pappa always bought me one gift… but it was a big gift and always the one thing I wanted. It was usually a doll. (As old as I am, if I had them now I’d be rich!) I remember getting a birthstone ring one year. Another year, I got one of those hair dryers you sit under (that Nanny was still using after her 95th birthday). I remember Scott getting a chemistry set and a “high gear” game. I was jealous over both those things.
I remember that my parents owned a grocery store that was open on Christmas Eve — when we opened our gifts. We always got started late and Mom made everyone eat chili before we could open anything. I remember Mom ate soooo slooooow. I also remember many of our presents were in brown bags or whatever bags they came in from the store. Mom would disappear and reappear by the tree with something else she’d purchased and hidden away.
I also remember Christmas Eve nights where Coco got tired of opening her gifts because she had so many… and I’m sure even then I wondered if it was enough.
The story closed with the author’s suggestion to stop worrying about gifts to purchase and instead focus on making memories.
When Christmas is over and years pass… everyone will only remember the way they FELT and not what they GOT.
Now you know: Alabama was the first state to officially recognize Christmas in 1836.
