It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!

 

Today's Black Friday...and you couldn't pay me to go stand in lines during all hours of the night, just to get a good deal.  Granted, I am all about getting a good deal, but it's more enjoyable when I'm fully awake and not getting trampled by the masses!

 

So today, we're decking the halls and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

 

The outdoor Fall decorations are coming down.  Lights will be hung, wreaths hung on the windows and garland draped across our porch.  The one thing I enjoy about having a very traditional home style is that it's very easy to decorate it for the holidays! 

 

This morning we were greeted with very chilly temperatures.  Until it warms up enough to work outside, we're (well, just myself, really!  Like I'd let Justin do any interior decorating!) busy bringing decorations up from the basement and making it feel a little more like Christmas!

 

As much as I'd like to have a house that looks like Christmas threw-up in every room of the house, that just doesn't happen.  One, that's a lot of work!  And two, you know how much that would cost?!  Yeah, right!

 

But there are three must-haves for decking the halls.  The nativity scene MUST be set-up.  My console table must be decorated.  And the Christmas tree must go up.

 

Ohhh, the dreaded Christmas tree.  I have always wanted a tree that looked like it came from a Department store.  In college, I had miniature trees and they were fun--but not spectacular.  Then Justin and I bought our first tree together at Ace Hardware.  It served us well for several years and I even tried to jazz it up a bit.  Last year, I created an "urn base" for my tree...but I think it just made it look even more lame!  Oh, and it didn't help that our Black angel was disproportionately too big for the tree, either!!

 

 

 

For me, a Christmas tree isn't a place to put presents.  In fact, did you notice that there was not a SINGLE present under the tree?!  Told ya so...Instead, as I spend time decorating the tree,  I'm allowed some time to stop and reflect on the holiday season.  What it's really about.  And how thankful I should be for everything that is given to me.

 

But that still doesn't stop me from wanting a BEAUTIFUL tree!  lol...I guess it's my way of paying homage to our Good Lord.  I'm not good at coming up with prayers, devotions etc to share praise, so I just express it in a way that's comfortable to me!  And if it means using my creative outlets, then so be it :-)

 

Last year, I stalked the JCPenny after-Christmas sales and scored a $300+ tree for about $80.  I was ecstatic!  The tree finally arrived, I opened the box to make sure that there indeed was a tree in there--and once that was verified, it went to the basement for the next 10.5 months.  All the while, I just hoped that the tree would be decent once it was set-up!

 

Earlier this week, the tree came upstairs.  Decorations were purchased.  And I would sit back and wait until Friday to decorate it.

 

Yeah, riiiiiight.

 

By Wednesday night, I couldn't hold back.  The tree went in last year's urn.  Decorations were opened.

 

It was all over. 

 

And I justified it by saying I needed to "get it out of the way" so we could spend Friday decorating outside!  Ha!

 

After it was all said and done, I must say that it's the best Christmas tree I've decorated yet!  I used lots of gold, silver, white and champagne colored picks, ornaments and beads.  I was worried about the monochromatic theme because, well, I love color.  But it actually worked really well--it's a great balance to our turquoise walls!

 

Now, it's time to wrap up the rest of the decorating.  Next weekend begins the Advent season and I'll be able to sit back and truly enjoy (and reflect on) what the season's all about!