Is it just me or do we need some snow? I mean it is the last
day of November and this means Christmas is right around the corner. Snow seems
like a reasonable request. I’m dreaming
of a White Christmas…… (using my best Bing Crosby voice).
Before I dive too deep into this Christmas filled post I
hope y’all had a Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you indulged in moist turkey,
flavorful dressing, creamy green bean casserole and warm fluffy rolls then topped
it all off with pumpkin and pecan pie. My Thanksgiving was wonderful. I spent
the holiday at Jarret’s sister’s (Mackenzie) down near Houston. It was a filled
trip of going’s, doings, and seeing. I’d never been to that part of Texas and
was thankful to go.
This year in the barndominum I have a small pre-lit tree and
a few decorations that I was able get out of storage that didn’t require me
moving everything. I decorated before I left for Thanksgiving. Normally this
would be something I’d do the day after Thanksgiving, but since I was out of
town I needed to be proactive and plan it in advance. This tradition of putting
up the tree and decorating for Christmas after Thanksgiving is not only my
families’ tradition, but many families’ tradition. Decorating for Christmas can
be therapeutic for me. Something about twinkling lights and bright red ribbon
puts me in a Zen place. I am totally that kid with visions of sugar-plums
dancing in my head. I look forward to doing it every year and I enjoy helping
others with theirs.
As I got older I’d decorate my Granddaddy and Grandma
Miller’s house for them. My Granddaddy had this bird ornament. I’ll try and
explain this the best I can hoping my memory serves right, but it looked like a
silver ball ornament and had a red Cardinal on it or a red feather? I am
certain it made a bird noise. If I am not mistaken I think Shana has this
now. Shana and I (when we can) help my
Mom pull out and decorate her tree. It’s the same ornaments every year and yet
the excitement I have each year when I pull them out of their box and think on
each story they carry is unwavering. The ornaments on my tree, my Moms tree and
my Sisters tree are all different. Some folks theme their tree with a certain
color or only certain ornaments that are all the same and those are beautiful
trees, but we three have the tradition of buying ornaments to remind us of a moment
in life. This year when I pulled out my easy to reach ornaments I was reminded
about a trip to Key West because the starfish wearing sunglasses and holding a
surfboard marked that trip I took with my Aunts. My Grandma Miller collected
Hallmark ornaments and after she passed my Mom kept those ornaments so the
memories of decorating my Grandma’s trees are still present when I put or see
those ornaments on my Mom’s tree.
My favorite and most prized ornaments are my Miss. Piggy and
Kermit the Frog ornaments. My Grandma Miller had the pair. I am not sure how I
got Miss Piggy, but I got her and Shana got Kermit. I remember asking Shana if
I could have Kermit too because in my mind Kermit and Miss. Piggy belong
together. She never gave him to me and then somehow my Mom had or got a Kermit
and now I have them together forever! I have included a picture below from a
few years ago of them on my tree where they are living happily ever after.
The few gifts that I have purchased so far are wrapped and
sitting under/next to my little tree. They were lovingly decorated and the
wrapping was picked out special this year like every year. BabieCakes has taken
a liking to the bows. I’ve had to swat her swatting paw away from them a few
times and have come home to bows on the floor. She now has a bow for all her
own. #spoiledcat. Although the ones on my wrapped gifts are certainly more fun
than hers, I’m sure.
Decorating cookies is another tradition we have. We bake sugar
cookies shaped in trees, stars, bells, gingerbread men and snowmen. We always
seem to have so many cookies to decorate, but we get it done every year and
they are delicious. During the height of our BackStreet Boys obsession we
decorated gingerbread men to look like BSB. I don’t’ have a pic readily handy,
but no lie they were awesome. We should have submitted them for a contest. A
few years ago I wanted to decorate some of them as dwarfs from The Hobbit, but Shana wouldn’t let me
use up that many gingerbread men (sad face here). Along with our cookies we
make Ritz peanut butter sandwiches and haystacks. Every now and again popcorn
balls, fudge or puppy chow makes its way into the mix.
Recently I’ve started to collect Santa’s. I gravitate toward
the jolly man and not because he brings the goods, but because it’s Santa (my
reaction is similar to Buddy the Elf from ELF)!
I started my collection two maybe three years ago. I have my eye on one at
Hobby Lobby and although I told myself “let’s take it easy on buying Christmas
décor this year” since my space is limited, however what’s been decided is “what
would a little ‘ole Santa hurt, he’s not going to take up that much space!?” My
next trip to Hobby Lobby that Santa will be mine!
I even go so far as decorating my feet for Christmas. I have
some really wonderful Christmas socks that officially broke free from my sock
drawer today. From cats in glasses with Christmas wreaths around their necks to
snowman, reindeer, Santa (duh), and bright red candy canes! They are fun,
festive and although they don’t match all the time I am happy to have them
covering my toes!
Decorating is not what Christmas is about and I know that.
However, it certainly doesn’t hurt and if it fills the heart and spirit of those
around me, then by all means! So if you you feel the urge to light your house up like Christmas Vacation, more power to you! I'll come help hold the ladder steady.
-Very Merry Christmas Season to you!
Kermit and Miss. Piggy
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