Sunday, December 11, 2022

Christmas is coming...

Not having decorated for Christmas for several years, I was determined to do so in our new home (new to us as of November 2021).   So I asked Hub and a young friend he had hired to help do some outdoor work to pull the plastic storage boxes down from their shelf in the outside garage.  In the past we'd stored these boxes in our attic, but last fall when we moved into this house Hub wanted to store them in the detached garage - that sits about 30 feet from our house.  Now...  when moving in we could see evidence of mice in that garage and to say I was not happy about storing anything out there that would ever come into the house is a huge understatement.  In the end, though, we were too tired once the boxes had been placed there, and I was dealing with an injured knee from the move so I gave in and let the boxes stay out there.  For over a year.  And I tried not to think about it...

Even though everything was in plastic containers, I was nervous about bringing the boxes into the house, so I had the guys put them in our sunroom and I decided I'd go through them out there.  To my great relief, there was not even the tiniest evidence of mice having gotten into any of it, so evidently those plastic boxes were sealed up really well.

Earlier this past week, still feeling puny from having been sick recently, I decided to take it slow and just stop when I was tired of it.   I got a small tree put up (a tree that belonged to Hub's mother), and got it decorated.  


While I've grown to love our home, we have a very strange configuration for our living room (it's two spaces in one and it's all in a squarish "L" shape.  With the way we have our furniture, there just didn't seem to be any good place to put the tree.  After talking about it, we decided to just put it in what amounts to basically almost, not really, but sort of the middle of the whole space, but behind the sofa, and we were really surprised at how nicely it works there.    


One of the reasons it works well is because our front door is half decorative glass, so placing the tree in this spot allows the pretty lights to sparkle through the window of the front door.   Some of the panes in the door windows are frosted, and all of the panes have beveled edges so the lights on this small tree are magnified in all the angles and edges of the windows.   Also, because the tree is fairly small and narrow, it tucks in behind the couch perfectly and isn't in the way at all.  And...  to top it off, the tree can be seen from several other rooms - the dining room, the den, even our bedroom.  Yes, indeed - I think we've found the perfect spot for a tree here.


And that has ended up being pretty much all the decorating I'm doing for Christmas.  We have a nice fireplace and mantel and I'd love to decorate it, but it needs some kind of statement piece - like a large mirror, or some architectural piece, or even a really large wreath.  If I figure this out, I'll take a picture, but at this rate, I'm thinking that may just have to wait another year 'till I have time and ability and the motivation for it.  I don't want to spend my energies right now looking for something I may not find.  I'd rather wait for it to show up - with minimal effort on my part.  That tends to be how I roll anymore...  

For now, I'll share pictures of some of the special ornaments on our tree.  Most of them old - some from when our boys were young, some from when we were young marrieds, and a few from our childhoods.   Some are hand made while others are factory made.  They are all special for different reasons.








I was tickled when middle son was visiting this week and the first ornament he looked for was this bird in a nest (above) and he reminisced a bit how that was always a special ornament to get to place in the tree, or look for if someone else hid it in the branches.
  


















And, finally, I want to share a YouTuber I just can't get enough of lately.  The YouTube channel is called Celebrating Appalachia, and the presenter is Tipper Pressley. 


This video inspired me to share her with you today, but her videos are so varied and interesting.  She's a natural story teller with a soothing southern drawl and a heart  to share what is special about Appalachia - particularly her corner of it in North Carolina.  I encourage you to check her out.

I hope you are enjoying this Christmas season!



26 comments:

  1. I have zero motivation to bother decorating this year and so far the Resident Chef hasn't mentioned it so unless he does, it's not going to happen. There's no incentive when nobody is coming over the holidays and it's just not worth all the work just for the two of us. That's not to say haven't enjoyed the peek at your tree - thank you.

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    1. That has been me for a number of years. I'm not sure what exactly motivated me at this point, but I'm so glad we have a lit tree in the living room and we are enjoying it every day and night.

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  2. I've put out all my dolls in a parade and I think that might be it! I have a few decorations, and I'll see how I feel! I like your newfound relaxed attitude.

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  3. The tree is beautiful and there is nothing better than all the ornaments that have memories attached. I will have to check out the videos this week.

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    1. I love that we've used many of these ornaments for the 42 years of our marriage. I also enjoy having a number of hand made ones. I hope someone will want them someday.

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  4. Yes, Tipper is wonderful! I enjoy her vlog and her blog.

    So glad that you felt well enough to get up the tree. It does look like a fine spot for it and I enjoyed seeing some of your precious decorations. It's neat that your son went looking for his favorite ornament and found it.

    Enjoy your times by the tree. 🎄

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    1. I'm so glad to know someone else who enjoys Tipper! I've also enjoyed watching her twin daughters' videos. They seem like such solid, down to earth people. I'd love to be their neighbor. :)

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  5. I love your tree! And I love when friends share ornaments. They tell such lovely stories of Christmas Past. Enjoy the pretty lights sparkling in your cozy home.

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    1. Thank you, Billie Jo. We are enjoying the decorated tree.

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  6. Your tree looks lovely Becki it's always nice to get the decorations out and remember Christmas's past. I'm not one for all these modern trees with coordinating decorations, having said that I don't have the least bit motivation to put my tree up this year, my son won't be home this year so it seems a bit silly to bother just for myself, I have a few bits and pieces out and they will do along with the Christmas cards I've got from family and friends. Your new home looks so warm and cosy. xx

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    1. For a number of years we didn't decorate at all - for various reasons. This year, going through the decorations again, I realize I really don't want to do elaborate Christmas decorating. Not that I ever really did anything elaborate, but simpler is much more appealing to me now.

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  7. The tree is perfect and such wonderful ornaments on it. We have scaled way back on our Christmas decorating. Yet the tree will be up each year. The lights on it bring me so much joy. I am looking forward to watching the vlog you posted.

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    1. I hope you enjoy Tipper. I found her vlog this summer when she and her husband would have daily chats in the garden while they each ate a popsicle to cool off. It was a charming way to "meet" them. :)

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  8. Oh, you did find the perfect place to put your tree, for all of the reasons you mentioned! I found it fun, but also a challenge, to decorate this house for Christmas the first year we lived here. We had lived in our other house for so many years that I had a rhythm in my decorating, but here, I didn't know where to start! Looks like you have a great start with your tree! Next year, you'll have that covered and then you'll figure something else out. Simple is best anyway!

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    1. Last year was our first Christmas here, but we were still swimming in boxes having moved in just a month before. It seemed kind of crazy to break out the Christmas boxes then. I can see that you're probably right - that next year will likely bring new inspiration.

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  9. Beautiful tree@ It looks professionaly done.
    Glad critters didn't gnaw into your things. I hope you are feeling better

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    1. Thank you, May. I do feel much better. The cough still lingers, but the massive fatigue lifted about a week ago. Feeling very thankful as I've heard stories of the fatigue lingering for weeks to months.

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    2. BTW, May... I can't get to your blog. Hoping it's a temporary issue on your end and not mine. Well, not that I hope you have an issue. I don't! I just hope you might be down for "personal maintenance" ;^) or something like that.

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  10. The tree looks so nice there! It's also our 2nd Christmas in our new home. I bought a Norfolk pine to keep as a house plant and we just decorated it w cranberries and popcorn on a thread. The birds nest ornament is so real looking, sweet that your grown son felt it was special. I love the embroidered bird or partridge!

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    1. Martha, I've seen that tree in some photos! That sounds like a really sweet and perfect Christmas tree.

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  11. Congrats on the new home and decorating. Most exciting. Mice, less so. I get that for sure. I love that you made the L work for you guys. That’s what we do to. Just play and get it the way that flows best. Glad you’re not sick anymore. Bird nest is very sweet. All of them are. Happy Christmas!

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  12. Your tree looks lovely and should give you much joy, especially as you continue to feel better. My wife loves to decorate for Christmas, and everything looks festive and beautiful after she has added her touch. I try very hard to cooperate without complaining (pulling all the boxes out of the basement, then putting everything away after the holiday, which might not sound like much but believe me, is a major effort) because I know how much she enjoys it. We have always had a real Christmas tree, but this is the last year. Way too much effort and money spent for something that ends up dry as a bone by Christmas day, not to mention the stress involved in putting it up, getting the lights to stay on, etc. Merry Christmas to you and your family, Becki! I am glad to have found you and your blog this year.

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    1. Thank you, Bob. What a nice encouragement. We've had a variety of trees over the years. 43 years ago, we started with a very old hand-me-down table top tree. Once kids came along we started buying real trees off tree lots (pre-cut), then once the boys were big enough to help, we cut down a few trees (that sounded more fun than it probably was). Then at some point in their older teens they seemed to not be nearly so interested in any of it, so I bought a pre-lit tree and the lights on it lasted a year and a week (they died a week after the second time I put it up). Exasperated by that, I just stopped putting a tree up. For years. I think by that time our youngest was living at home, attending college locally and he wasn't around much so it didn't seem to matter. When he moved out, the thought of putting up a tree was just too much. Then in 2020, we brought home Hub's mother's tree after she passed, and two years later I finally put it up. I think this might just be the tree that sees us into old(er) age. lol

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  13. Such a beautiful tree! Your home is lovely. I'm late wishing you Merry Christmas, but I do wish you a Happy New Year-and a healthy one. God bless and keep you...

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