11.16.2010

Let the Countdown Begin

Growing up, we were never one of those families that decorated for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving.  My mom always said it was too early to start, so we waited until about the second week in December to get a tree.  We had a live Christmas tree, so I get that we couldn't get it too early or it would dry up.  Of course, it didn't really feel like Christmas until we had that tree up and decorated. 

I have a lot of my mom's practical tendencies, but now, with A & M getting ready to experience their second Christmas, I find myself ready to get the season started. 

Last year, we were between houses, living in a very temporary rental, and we didn't even put the tree up there.  I did put it up at our old house, before it sold, and it was earlier than ever before because I wanted to get some pictures of the girls for our Christmas cards.  The girls were only eight months old and didn't know the difference anyway, and it all really wasn't as bad as it could have been (not that I want to repeat the process anytime soon EVER), but I am really looking forward to Christmas in our own house this year. 

This year, the girls will know a little more about what is going on, and I am so looking forward to seeing them really experience their second Christmas.  I am planning to get the tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving...which will be in, um, a week and a half.  I have already decorated the mantle, which, by the way, is my first mantle ever.  I am so excited to have somewhere to hang our stockings--the way it's supposed to be done! 




 (Photos from www.hgtv.com)

I am also considering going all out and putting a small tree in the girls' room.  Maybe something with white, pink, and lime green...all those modern, bright colors that are fun, but have no place with my traditional Christmas decorations.  And of course, the fall wreath on my front door will soon be replaced with a holiday one.  No southern home is complete without a wreath on the front door to mark the season and welcome our guests, right?

With Thanksgiving coming up next week and Christmas a little less than six weeks to go, I would say the holiday season is upon us.  I am having fun getting into the holiday spirit and thinking of ways to make it fun for Addison and Mackenzie.

Your turn!  What are you doing to get ready for the holidays?  When is the perfect time to decorate?  Are you an all-out decorator or a just-the-tree type? 

6 comments:

  1. I ALWAYS decorate the day after Thanksgiving. We watch HS football state games here in Illinois, and go to town decorating the whole house! I don't know what's going to happen this year though with us moving. I'm scared I won't be able to decorate when I want and it will make me sad lol. :(

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  2. I'm a slacker.

    I usually wait till a week or two before Christmas. In the last two years we haven't decorate outside. By WE I mean ME as DH doesn't do outside decorations. This year we are renovating and I'm afraid we won't even do a tree! We've taken out the bottom part of our banister and have no where to hang stockings!

    But I am all about wreaths, my fancy wreath holders that DH hates, and all my inside decorations that will need to be kept out of reach of little hands!

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  3. lol. funny you should bring this up now as we just put up a tree on Sunday. that's right. BEFORE thanksgiving. haha.

    we don't have a pattern. for a few years we didn't even put one up because i had such a bad attitude. this year we started looking at the calendar and there was really no time to do it...so we poured some eggnog, put on the music, and decorated away!

    the one thing we don't have yet is the wreath. last year we bought one that benefited food gatherers and feeding the homeless. i would love to find something like that again!

    good luck decorating this year :)

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  4. We are in the process of painting and maybe this week we starts with the decorations. I love Christmas and really, really like to transform my house and my girls are so anxious.

    We also put a couple of things outside.

    PS: Check all the giveaways on my blog (great Christmas gifts) and there are just a few entries.

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  5. I am so tempted to put everything up today! I can't wait and the Crazies are going to have so much fun this year.

    We've already put the lights up on the top of the house, but they're not lit yet...just figured that it was nice weather and we had a free weekend, why not?

    Everything else will happen either this coming weekend or when we get back from Thanksgiving. I seriously can't wait!!!

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  6. I decorate but so little it's almost not decorating. My entire stash fits into one large gift bag.

    this year I will do everything except a tree because those little hands are everywhere - they (C) have also started climbing, just to give me a nervous breakdown :)

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