A Tale of Christmas Past

Kelly's Korner Blog is having another "Show Us Your Life" theme and today's theme is holiday decor. Please pardon the photos, they were taken with my crappy camera from last year. I would love to say that our historical home's halls are decked and festive this year, but the baby (which seems to suck the energy out of me faster than a Thanksgiving turkey) has made it a little more difficult this year. So....please enjoy the photos from Christmas 2009, when we were full of holiday cheer and decorating gumption.

Actually, I'm still full of cheer, just not so full of energy. I keep hoping a wonderful elf (or husband, or mother-in-law) would magically appear, but apparently I haven't been good enough this year to warrant that type of goodwill toward men.

And in my defense, we did a TON of holiday entertaining last year that actually warranted some serious holiday decorating. We hosted our second annual Tacky Christmas Sweater Party, the appetizer leg of our street's Progressive Dinner, and the Christmas Bunco/Dirty Santa/Wine-Induced Gymnastics in the Front Yard Extravaganza. Ahhh...good times. Since we (technically I since it's a No Boys Allowed Event) are only hosting the Bunco Christmas Party this year, I figured the girls will just have to understand my situation.

I'm pooped. Every day, all day.

But please....enjoy the ghosts of Christmas Decorating Past!




This is a picture of our kitchen, plus little Lois. When you are the lucky owner of these lovely wreath-green cabinets, it makes it VERY easy to decorate for Christmas! And, just for a funny little side note--the Christmas mat you see at the base of the sink was from The Dollar Tree. You know, the store where everything is $1. And let me tell ya, folks, you get what you pay for. This mat read "Mery Christmas!"

My fabulous, artistically-blessed mother-in-law made the two arrangements for me last year (see above and below). As with all things in my life, we like to ball on a budget-even at Christmas. These are made of Dollar Tree ornaments, random Mardi Gras beads we caught the previous year, and real branches I stole during our afternoon dog walks. (Minus the Lenox candleholders, which were NOT cheap but a lovely wedding present that we use quite often.)

Here is a view of the living room (if you were standing in the dining room). I am a Christmas-tree Natzi. I insist on a real tree, every year...no exceptions...no subsitutions...and I refuse to even hear talk of the fakes. No offense to those who pull theirs down from the attic the weekend after Thanksgiving, but that boat won't float in the Hysterical District. The smell is the best part! It's even better than the fun we have driving to the hood to buy it from the local charitable organization. And it's definitely H's favorite part of Christmas! (If there was such a thing as a sarcastic font, I would have just used it for that last sentence.)

Merry Christmas!

And yes, if anyone wants to take pity on my and come pick out, purchase, drag home, set up (straight), decorate, and eventually take down on or shortly after January 2---by all means c'mon! I'll even make you some shrimp n' grits as a thank-you!