Tis the Season!

That's right. The weekend after Thanksgiving and I am prepped and ready with a Christmas post. That and, if I wait until school starts back, this post probably won't happen.

We got our Christmas things out of the attic yesterday and I got to work while Jeff installed our Black Friday Printer (50% off, heck yes).

I learned a few things while decorating this year:

1. Lock up the cat BEFORE opening the box with all of the tinsel-strand-hangy-stuff. There's no going back when that box is open.
2. Even if you are standing on a chair at the kitchen table and are holding the tinsel stuff 5 or so feet above the ground while decorating, the cat will still attack in what I believe was a rocket-kamikaze-launch.
3. If, by # 2, you still haven't locked up the cat.... you deserve to be stalked by her when you walk across the room with more tinsel stuff. If she crouches and hunts you like a lion and then leaps at your hands - you deserve it. And I did.
4. No matter what I do, it will never look as good as my mom's decorating. I can try, try, try... but it isn't happening. The cool, swoopy, doorway decor and everything else will just not cut it. But after a ton of trying to rearrange and make it work - you'll learn to be content with "not quite mom's, but I'm tired and this'll do."

So - in celebration of the Christmas spirit - here is our most-decorated-living-room. Perhaps we'll tackle the outside today. Or the tree. Who knows.

Also, excuse the huge mess. We're not done yet.

Simple  - but why not? Plus, I don't know what I was thinking when I bought all that tinsel stuff. I have TONS and not enough places to put it!

Yep - those are stars on our key holder. Just wanted to make sure you noticed them. Some more tinsely stuff on the bookshelf...

Festivity. Red and Silver on the TV - with a nice little tree. Hey, that rhymed.

My cute little snowy village. Complete with candy shop, a church, a fire station, and more.

Some silver tinsel and a pretty bowl of blue ornaments to complete the look!

Yep. A closeup. Why not?

I like to think of it as our cute ceramic couple dancing amongst silver and gold snow. Awww....

Yes, a minor detail. But - again - we have too much stuff!

I would like to point your attention to the red ornaments hanging from the candle votive thingy. Creative, aren't I?  =)

My favorite thing is always the fire place. Perhaps because it has the stockings...? Not sure. I just love it.

This is our first year using those stocking hangers. We got them in the "after CMAS" sales last year. Mostly since Jeff almost had a mini heart attack when he saw my hammer two nails into the recently sanded/painted fireplace. Whoops.

Hooray!

Of course, the necessary manger scene. Front and center on the fireplace. I love this manger seen. You can't see it - but each figurine has beautifully ornate handwriting on them and each one has a name of God. It's gorgeous. (Wonderful Counselor, Lord of Lords, etc.)

And, last but not least, my doorway attempt. It just looks measly to me - but oh well. I added some red ornaments and stars to try to fancy it up and it'll just have to do.








Can't wait to get the tree up!