Putting Christmas in our home

This morning I was greeted by this most lovely sunrise

Justin was off work today so together we got busy putting out our Christmas stuff. My job was to move the year-round pretties out of the way so the festive decor could be put in place. I just need to remember where I stuck everything so I can put it back again in January!

Following The Great Flood five years ago, Justin and I went through the Christmas decorations due to necessity as boxes had gotten wet. Every year I said the same thing---'we' must go through this stuff and get rid of what is no longer used. That proved to be the perfect opportunity and I was more willing than ever at that point to let things go. Michael took our items to the yard sale at our sister congregation in Keystone Heights so I didn't feel quite as badly letting them go. 

The point of that paragraph is to explain how less and less decorating gets done each year, limiting myself now to about three plastic bins of decorations to use. Last year we barely decorated at all since Justin and I were going to WI, so he was spared the tree wrestling in 2014! This year I helped him to spread the branches and together we decided that this is the last year for this tree. About half the lights no longer light and it's been through much in 10 years. 

My nice 12' tree got soaked in another flood (Hurricane Charlie which dumped rain on us at the lake house, coming in under the garage door before we had stuff moved out of the way). The Thrivent agent took it for use at his church. I was afraid to use it since it had gotten wet but he was fine with it. So in 2004 I got the tree we are using at present. Justin is a shopper/hunter so he'll find a good price on a replacement tree after Christmas for our home. 

This is the fireplace mantle featuring the Willow nativity set which was a gift from a church friend, Laurie, in 2004. I cherish it! Glad it wasn't damaged in the Great Flood.

Justin placed his hand-crafted ceramic Santa Klaus on the window sill in the living room. It weighs a ton! My friend, Carol, covets him. I gotta say, he is quite charming looking but I doubt she'd be able to snitch him easily because of Santa's weight!

 

Speaking of Santa---I failed to mention something that happened the Monday after I got back from WI. Nancy W. and I were meeting for lunch at Metro Diner but I got there ahead of her. I scanned the dining room for her, but found instead my neighbor, Gus, and his brother. I had a nice chat with Gus, again him telling me how nice 'Jason' looked in his tux, and telling me he needed help with his TV. I assured him that I would have Justin get in touch with him about it. 

Once Nancy arrived we were seated, my back to the door (gasp!). We had the same waiter we'd had the time before and he remembered that my mashed potatoes were to be packed to-go with no gravy. I love that about wait staff who remember those details about their customers. As we were finishing up, Mike came to our table and said, "You must have been very good this year..." and I assured him I was. At this point a waitress familiar to me came over and said, "I'm supposed to tell you that Santa paid for your meals today." Both Nancy's and my meals were paid for by an anonymous person (was it Gus??). We were thrilled! Now we will each look for an opportunity to do the same for someone else!

Back to our decorating---in no time, our decorations were out and most of them placed around. Gone are the days of doing each room, which my friend, Judy, still does, and insists she'd do even if she never entertained. I've gone minimalist in my old age! Or, maybe I just love the things I already have out? Certainly I don't entertain like we did in WI with family members coming and going, plus no more business entertaining. Now, the decor is mainly for Justin and me, and the occasional neighbor or friend who ventures over. 

The rest of the day was spent on the Christmas cards, which I truly enjoy doing. I should have my consummate shopper, Justin, look for cards for me for next year as the season winds down. Always good prices on Christmas cards in January or even before. Finding just the right ones, though, is tough, so I had better do that myself.