Finding the Spirit

Christmas is finally beginning to happen. I was in a panic last week, seriously lacking the spirit--the spirit to decorate. With everyone in such a rush to get their trees up, I feel like I'm not keeping up with the pace. I don't know what the hurry is all about or why I should even worry about it. In my past life--like a lifetime ago--the Christmas tree was fresh cut tree. The family would drive to my grandmother's cabin west of Denver where we'd tromp through waist deep snow to find the perfect tree. It went up December 20th, my birthday and came down on December 31st, my mother's birthday.


Now with many using an artificial tree, they go up even before Thanksgiving, so it is little wonder that some of us have anxiety if we are not keeping up with the crowd. Not so long ago this is the week that I'd be buried in a mountain of college English essays to grade then I'd have to figure grades, and finally post them. Now that was stress and Christmas did not happen until my work was done.

The decorating began yesterday. I'm not quite done yet, so here is the progress so far.

After the tree went up and was decorated I realized that this was Brody's first Christmas, so I decided that we needed to take the official First Christmas photo.

Brody knows sit-stay; he just has to be in the mood.

Sometimes he is easily bribed with a treat.

We have to wonder what he is thinking. Note: watch the sock monkey.

He loves soft toys, so we held our breath hoping that he wouldn't rip the Sock Monkey ornament off the tree.

The angel looked temping, too.

Actually, he has left all of the decorations along. He's been a very good boy.

You can't see them, but this tree is loaded with birds.

I always have two poinsettias, too. They arrived today.

Oops. Not quite done. I usually put my collection of snowmen here, but decided to relocate them.

The snow people show better here. Yep that's Brody photobombing.

I love my nutcracker. He's a thrift store rescue.

I'm not done with the dining table scape yet. Just playing around now.

The village is in place

and so is the  paper village that I made using my Circuit. I've collected some little vintage cars and trucks. Oddly they are all green, except for the little black one. The Head Gardener dug it up outside someplace. I kept it. 

The basement staging area. 

Christmas has even come to the one dollhouse. 

So there you have it. I am starting to get into the mood. Most of the shopping is done thanks to the Head Gardener who like to shop with the click of a mouse. 

Thanks so much for visiting. Join me at Mosaic Monday. I think I'm at the bottom of the list.