The Christmas tree is up, 35" Ideal Shirley Temple doll in her pink frilly party dress with a pink bow adorning her curls, standing beside it "decorating tree" with candy canes, a teddy bear, toy soldier and sock monkey sitting on the the tree skirt among the 3 already wrapped presents with giant red bows on each, Elf on the Shelf sitting by the standing Raggedy Ann doll across the room on the DVD antique cart. No poinsettias out yet but they're coming. I have lots of potted silk ones stored away in the garage - enough to fill the den if I want. But now, I'm tired and it's time to kick back with a chilled apple cider with cinnamon stick and a slice of fruit cake, Tibbe lying beside me on the couch(he's tired from supervising all the decorating and barking a lot when I got it wrong), watch the classic but colorized Miracle on 34th Street on AMC tonight! Best time of the year!

It's not looking at all like Christmas here, I pull the blinds each morning looking for at least a bit of snow but no a dreary winter morning that looks like it rained last night.

I'm all decked out with decorations however, it wouldn't be Christmas without them. When putting up an adorable Christmas Crib given to me in the late 90's by a gentleman I was engaged to marry, lots of memories putting that together each year.

I think we all take memories from our childhood at this time of the year and expect it to live up to then, it doesn't and really should not. Childhood is a special time.

Have any of you been watching the people who decorate the outside of their home that is on TV this year. They must have such big hearts to work as hard as they do to give children such joy. One couple had a law suit against them, so they moved cross country where they have no snow and needed something like that. Imagine selling one's house and moving away to be able to do it.

We hear about the bad people and what they do so often this time of the year however, there are many, many wonderful people who take their place and make us smile.

That's how I finally got the urge to decorate - watching some of those "extreme" shows. I've got the tree up but only the lights are on. I've got all those decorations to still go on it! Was going to do that today but it's rainy and all I want to do is just sit, look today.

But those decorating reality shows are something else, though, and some of them are truly OCD about Christmas and I cannot imagine the season being that special if you have decorations up all year round. I saw one show with this British guy who has Christmas every day, 365. Buys, wraps and opens a present to himself every day, keeps his tree and other Christmas decorations up all year and hardest of all to understand - cooks a Christmas dinner EVERY day, mostly making a turkey dinner daily! I truly wonder about that last part - surely no one is up to that much grocery shopping and cooking!

I love watching those TV shows with houses where there are a lot of lights but sure would hate to live on the same block where 300 cars a night or more are driving by as slow as they can and people parking, walking all about in yards to get better camera shots, views, etc. Still, they are so pretty to look at and I love being one of those who drives by and tours the lights! But we never leave the car during those times. Those people sure are devoted to decorating and I usually love decorating, too, though to a far, far lesser extent. I especially now hate the un-decorating part so now I keep the decorating leaner these days knowing how bum it is to have to dust/clean, disassemble and re-pack/store it all away once the fun is all over.

I'm not into the holiday's at all this year and I really resent being forced into it, especially the baking. There are 3 people in my house, we don't need 4 batches of cookies, pumpkin pies, custards, and cheesecakes.

Part of my problem is I have to get IV medicine every month and it knocks me out for a week and causes major pain. My medicine days fell on the day before Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve this year.

I didnt bring all my decoratiions out this year but I brought out enough to give me the Christmas spirit. I have my large troll girl dolls with their big eyes all dressed up for Christmas. I have my large nutcracker out and My other nutcrackers and I bought 2 more to add to the collection. I bought some glass snowman that light up different colors. I have one occasion tree up and one pencil cashmere tree My favorite addition this year I love this tree its just tall and real thin so you can put it anywhere. This year for Christmas day we are going to have prime rib and lobster so I cant wait just hope we get snow for Christmas.

Boy, it's hard to get amped up for anything when you're going through any kind of IV treatment that saps your energy or causes big hurt. This year maybe it's time to kick back and let others take up the slack and just watch as others bring home the food, already cooked and you take care of yourself. No one who loves you will force you into doing things you are too fatigued or in pain to do or enjoy; rather will want to take care of you in your time of need. I sure hope you get better soon. Go find a good Christmas movie on TV and enjoying sitting back and watching it all.

I have common variable immunodeficiency and I'm on ivig for it, so it's a lifelong thing (I can't make my own antibodies so they give me other people's). The really yucky thing is most people feel wonderful after the treatments.

The only thing I really have left to do is baking, and the part that bothers me is taking it to excessive levels. It'll all be done pre-infusion. I don't cook dinner, I usually help but this year I can't and my family knows that.

The bigger issue will be Christmas eve dinner, my cousin does the feast of 7 fishes. I basically just have to show up and try to manage the pain, fatigue and deal with the noise level. I can leave if I have to.
I usually just sleep and watch tv the day of my infusion and the day after, if I don't I pay later.

Oooh! So excited to see this thread up and rolling again Jeanie :santasmile: I am sure I saw it floating about last year but I Forgot and excitedly threw up my own thread of Christmas anticipation when we got our Christmas tree thanksgiving weekend this year :xmastree: we have paper snowflakes hanging from the ceiling and on our kitchen windows but have honestly not done as much tree decorating yet this year- a little but of popcorn an cranberries an some minimal blown egg decorating but the kids ate all the oranges intended for cloving, lol...suppose we better knuckle down with only, gulp...ten days to go :eek:

I have most of my shopping done, I do a lot online. It is hard to balance out all of the kid presents though to make sure everyone has an equal number of equally valued presents. Also I am doing some knit gifts this year and alas I am a hat and a half away at least from goal- oh dear and a pair of socks. Seems I will have to change those plans a bit or really buckle down there too.

We have a lovely Christmas card display thanks to the Yorkie talk holiday card exchange- that has really brightened my spirits! I think watching some christmasey movies sounds like a great plan :gbhouse: I'm putting that on the list. I can't beleive we are so close! :snowflake:

Oh, the more Christmas threads - the better! Why doesn't everyone have their own Christmas thread? You sound like you have loads of Christmas spirit and really got the jump on many of us. I had the spirit early on but the body just couldn't get going to carry it all out. Oh, if I only had a professional decorator to do my bidding this year, I'd take full advantage this year!!! :D I've still yet to put my ornaments on the tree but I took a full day to just fluff out its branches so today is ornament day - the day they all go on.

Tibbe mostly only gives the tree a sniff or two but stays away from it. I've yet to get one of my two life-size Santa Clauses out - one is a sitting figure that has to totally be padded up, dressed, wigged, Santa head applied, is so much work but the other is a standing figure and pretty easily trucked down the hall into the den from the hobby room, his head applied and he's ready to roll. I replace the standard head that came on him with a genuine retro 50's Coca-Cola type Santa head made of hard vinyl with a great Santa-face/expression, great paint, cherry cheeks, smiling eyes, wide nose, smiling/open mouth just right for a corncob pipe(yes, I have one for him), wig/beard him and he's just great looking.

A picture of that Santa is on this thread farther back. I've tried to find another head like that on Ebay and elsewhere online ever since I found that one at an antique barn out in Forney, Texas one day years ago- on a big Santa plush doll of all things - but never have been able to even see another like it anywhere. I have no idea where it came from as there are no markings on it anywhere that I can see. That face/head just takes you back to those old Coca-Cola ads as it was obviously modeled after Sundblom's Santa paintings for Coke. haha - I've even tried to recreate some of those Coca-Cola Christmas paintings using my Santa and plush dogs and big dolls. Was lots of fun but also lots of work!

I've still got ALL but one shopping to do but I find if I run up to Best Buy close to my house the last few days before Christmas on a Tuesday morning, there are few shoppers, great deals and lots of electronics for the picking. I mostly do audio books for my sister and all hers are all ready to go. Oh, just remembered the family dogs have still got to be shopped for, including Tibbe, but I'll pick those up during my next Walmart run to stock up on TP, paper towels, etc.

Yesterday I found these cute Christmas eve PJs for Jewels. They are red and say santas little helper on a pocket on her butt. I was bummed they didnt have any in Chachis size I will just have to look for him some at Petco

Oh the dog shopping! Lol, that I may have overdone! :) I bought the stockings and glitter glued my family's dogs names onto them (Molly and Bella) and to my girls jealous excitement filled them with fun treats and toys then packed them each a present box too, so much fun! And of course lilah has her own presents coming too (may have even snuck her a few treats while we wrapped ;) ) it's hard to stop since I work in pet retail :yorkieg: so much fun- it's actually ms lilah's birthday on the 22nd as well so I suppose I am not totally done shopping for the pups either...

75 degrees right now in San Antonio, so not feeling too much like Christmas even though it's only 10 days away. Though I do love my favorite Christmas movies like It's a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, and Bad Santa coming on. I guess I have to wait until Christmas Eve to see Ralphie shoot his eye out though.

I can't help but watch Ralphie shoot his eye out every Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Here's "A Christmas Story" trivia question: Is that fudge that is lying in a plate on their coffee table on Christmas morning? I never can decide if that's chocolates or fudge or what.

I hope Its a wonderful life is on Christmas eve evening. I was on ebay today and found a vintage looking elf and a annalee reindeer and Im bidding on them. I may not even get them in time for Christmas but I leave my Christmas up untill the 2nd week of Jan so I will get to enjoy them. I just happen to be finding everything right now I was working alot untill Dec 8th so I really wasnt looking for stuff then

Haha. I just made an offer on a vinyl-faced Elf On The Shelf a couple days ago on Ebay and I might just go back and buy it if the seller turns me down. Need to check my Ebay or email to see. The one I have is cloth-headed and pretty big but I wanted one of the more routine-looking ones. I have a whole collection of knee-hugging elves of various sizes stored somewhere in my Christmas closet - haven't seen them for over 4 years! It's just easier to get another Elf than to search through my jam-packed closet.

Lol you sound like me I dont like searching through my jammed packed basement. I have tons of christmas decor down there and here I am buying new when I could be using them. My favorite things I keep at the top of the basement so they are easy to get to so I use those lol

I know - it's easier to just buy more than unpack that Christmas closet or worst of all - go into the garage stash - both are a nightmare - got some wonderful stuff stored away but it means taking out boxes upon boxes that are packed in there like jigsaw pieces in the closet or unstacking still more of them from along one side of the garage and going through them until I find what I want. New Year's decorations are in the Christmas closet as well! Hobby room also has my standing Santa in it, covered in his dust cloth head down to toe, where it's secured, so dust doesn't get in by his feet. I can't stand my decorations getting dusty!

I just bought the new Elf On The Shelf from Ebay and hopefully will get him B4 this Christmas to go with my other, plush one, that same with the book. He's a cutie! Still need to get out the Fantanini nativity and my Ideal Baby Jesus doll in his "manger" basket. One day I'm going to have one heck of a Christmas decorations sale. :)

Just think - Christmas is a week from Thursday!!! Best time of the year. My neighbors have just about all shamed me and decorated the outsides of their houses and their lawns this year and the block looks so pretty.

I know I cant wait. I just found out my Husband is off work Xmas eve and day and New years eve and day he thought he was going to have to work christmas eve so this is going to be a joyish christmas for me to enjoy with family

It's so great when everyone is off work together and you get to be with the ones you love at the best time of the year. Have a wonderful holiday season with that man and family of yours! :)

You too Jeanie I hope you and Tibbe have Happy Holidays with the ones you love!

Just a few more gifts to go. Hubby and one for my sister - then I am officially done.


been pulling out my Christmas linens, and candles n things. So I need more candles.... Tree is half decorated. House is half cleaned. If I keep on going by halves can I add them together and say I got things mostly all done?:D:D

Playing now with my menu plan. Finally we are having something different for Christmas meal - Cornish Hens!

Now to make up the rest of the menu plan for the week !

Where are pics of decorated trees and such? I'm here for inspiration. December 18th and I dont have a tree up yet!

LOL. Going "halvies" is how I get a lot of things eventually done lately! It's easier on the body but harder on the mind as you are always thinking of all the rest you need to do! But you're getting there. Love Cornish hens but never had the guts to make them back when I cooked a lot - always thought mine would wind up too dry.

Somebody mentioned they were going to start a thread for this year...but now I wonder if they still are....?

Now Im past christmas decorating Ive been on ebay all day looking at valentines and st patricks decorating. I still have a anna lee reindeer and a knee hugging elf coming in the mail from ebay and the day after christmas Im going to go buy a couple of nutcrackers from pier one. If they are marked down enough I may get them this weekend. Still have to buy a couple things for my daughter and she has to buy a few things for her boyfriend and then we are done Christmas shopping. On tuesday I have to make peanut butter fudge and cookies then wednesday we are having prime rib and Lobster. I cant wait Im so ready for christmas. It has been alot of fun getting ready for it this year

Well my shopping and wrapping are done except for my mom, idk what to get her. Lola bought her scrunchis to replace the one she chewed.

I'm probably going to mix the cookies this weekend, cook them on monday, make pies on tuesday, and I get my infusion on wednesday.

Well, I've got the tree up and the lights on it!

Now I have to haul the ornaments up from the basement...am kicking myself that I didnt pack things away in the order I need to pull them out. As I've decluttered and organized the mainfloor, it looks like its time to do the same in the basement, after the holidays. I treated myself to a label maker. Cant wait to use it on all the storage totes.

[QUOTE=KazzyK810;4514734]Well, I've got the tree up and the lights on it!

Now I have to haul the ornaments up from the basement...am kicking myself that I didnt pack things away in the order I need to pull them out. As I've decluttered and organized the mainfloor, it looks like its time to do the same in the basement, after the holidays. I treated myself to a label maker. Cant wait to use it on all the storage totes.[/QUOTE

Your tree is pretty. I didnt put ornaments on the two trees I have up I just have lights and then I strung lights in a couple of other areas of the house. I didnt want to deal with ornaments and both of my trees are thin and tall and I can get away with no ornaments. I can relate to you on decluttering the basement that is definitely going to be a spring project

It's decorated!!!