It’s beginning to look, and feel, a lot more like Christmas around here. We live in western NY south of Buffalo so you can imagine what our winter weather is like. We’ve only recently started to have cold or snow so it didn’t feel very Christmasy until we got that white stuff on the ground. Since it didn’t feel much like the holidays I only recently started (Yes started. Why should this year be any different?) decorating and shopping. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!
When the kids were little I decorated like crazy for every holiday. Now I’m not that ambitious or organized. In fact, I need to get rid of some of the older things that I don’t use and don’t even bother to unpack anymore. My favorite decorations are the lights. They are so beautiful and calming and sometimes after my family is in bed I’ll turn everything else off and will lay on the couch admiring the tree and the other lights, inside and out. I often take a different route coming home at night so I can see the displays at other peoples’ homes. I promised my 90 year-old grandmother and 87 year-old great-aunt that I would take them for a ride around our town so they could see all of the decorations. They don’t drive anymore and rarely get out after dark. It will be a treat for all of us and I really look forward to it.
This isn’t related to my usual posts about books and blogs but it is December and the holiday season. What are some of your favorite decorations and what do you do at your home?
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I love the lights too!
ReplyDeleteThis year it doesn't feel like Christmas at all. We've only had one snow and it is gone. We have a tiny apartment this year and no room for all the holiday stuff I usually pull out, especially with a one year old who is into everything. I'm really hoping we will take a drive to see the lights this weekend. We also want to take our daughter to the zoo in the evening to see their light displays. I'm hoping that will help it feel more like Christmas around here.
ReplyDeleteI am the same way. I grew up in NY and cold weather puts me in the Christmas spirit. Our weather has been CRAZY here in NC. We are having a cold spell now, so I put up my tree the other night, and put some lights outside. One tradition that my husband and I have is every year we drive around an older area of Raleigh that has cute little homes and look at lights...these people really decorate and their houses look so cute at night. I pack up some hot chocolate for us and we make it an outing!
ReplyDeleteThe lights! & nativity scenes. I remember as a girl I would play with the angel (Gloria).
ReplyDeleteOH - I am so glad to know that I am not the only one who enjoys turning out all the overhead lights to bask in the warm glow of the Christmas Tree. There is something so serene in looking at the soft lit tree.
ReplyDeleteI am the only one in my family who enjoys driving my light displays - so I try to catch a glimpse when I am out and about.
While we do not have snow on the ground here in KS -- it is very cold, so at least it feels a lot like Christmas :)
You'll probably be appalled, but I have nothing. No tree, no decorations, not even any cookies (we did, but I took them to work so we wouldn't eat them all). I'm too lazy for the tree this year, and besides, we can enjoy the decorations when we go to our mom's.
ReplyDeleteI am, however, enjoying the lights our neighbor put up!
I'm not appalled by not decorating. It's a lot of work and I don't always feel like it either. That's the main reason we cut back - because I do it all! We barely got our tree up in time last year and then it was a borrowed artifical tree. It's wonderful that you are enjoying other peoples' lights and decorations. They are meant to be shared!
ReplyDeleteI used to decorate like crazy for both Halloween and Christmas. Since my daughter moved out, it's just Christmas. I do go all out decorating the whole house. My tree is up Thanksgiving weekend and I watch all the old claymation special over and over. Something about this time of year appeals to the kid in me.
ReplyDeleteI just realized you're in upper west NY. I'm in upstate NY as well closer to the Endless mtns. (Hugs)Indigo
Wrighty - I do the same thing! I lay on the couch and just unwind with the tree lights on.
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