***It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like CHRISTMAS THREAD***

[yorkietalkjilly]

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!

[crystalsmom]

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.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by crystalsmom

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.

[ShowGirlLola]

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.

[chachi]

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.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by ShowGirlLola

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.

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.

[ShowGirlLola]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

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.

[Lilah Charm]

Oooh! So excited to see this thread up and rolling again Jeanie 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 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

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 I'm putting that on the list. I can't beleive we are so close!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by Lilah Charm

Oooh! So excited to see this thread up and rolling again Jeanie 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 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

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 I'm putting that on the list. I can't beleive we are so close!

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!!! 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.

[chachi]

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

[Lilah Charm]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

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!!! 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.

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 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...

[yorkiefan_]

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.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by yorkiefan_

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.

[chachi]

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

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by chachi

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.