Fun Stuff
How Much Home Decorating Do We Do This Year?
The Big Post Thanksgiving Decision....
This oh so important decision has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Not every year, mind you. As a girl there were many years when the decorating fit a certain pattern and centered almost completely around the Christmas tree. There was NEVER an artificial tree in our home when my siblings and I were growing up. It was not to be thought of! By the time there were five children and I was almost a teenager, my dad had helped a neighbor and friend plant the twigs that had grown into the neighbor's tree farm. We never had to pay for a Christmas tree. Going out to choose one for ourselves out of those rows of beautiful firs and pines was great. Dad usually had to talk us down from the twelve foot beauty we chose to one that would fit into our living room.
Remember all that tinsel we used to spend so much time hanging as a finishing touch? Do people do that anymore?
When I got married, had children, and lived in various environments, the boys always had something to say about the decorating - although they weren't terribly interested in participating. I was appalled when they would take a big handful of the tinsel and throw it At the tree! My younger son always wanted more outdoor lights but his dad wasn't into it, and in addition to my other holiday preparation tasks I wasn't up for much of that - or the expense of buying what was needed to meet his expectations. My apologies for disappointing you, son.
Later on the amount of decorating depended upon who was going to be at our home for the holidays. When I was a travel nurse and there were just two of us in a small apartment, there were still some festive touches, and a few co-workers to invite over for a Christmas celebration of some sort.
One year our apartment was so small I cut a dark green tree out of felt and hung it on the wall, attaching small colored balls for the decorations. My older son was there that year, and always remembered that tree fondly. (He was also the one who wanted to play with the boxes his toys came in, instead of the toy.)
If there was going to be family at home for Christmas, especially with little ones, I was inspired to do more. There would be a large tree, garlands, candles, centerpieces, and yes, some outdoor lights. Children or children at heart all loved the atmosphere.
And this year? In spite of the upheavals and uncertainties of 2020 - or maybe because of them - I was in the mood to make the house look Christmasy. But what couldn't be done in one afternoon wasn't! My husband's opinion doesn't count, he'll always say it looks nice. But a friend came over and liked it. Good enough.
Ha! I am reading this after deciding working the better part of two days to set out decorations. Except for my Christmas train, which my husband will set up, if it isn't out, it isn't going out this year.
ReplyDeleteI have too much. I used to make some ornaments every year. I still have some I made in 1975. I have older ornaments, a precious few from my grandmother, and one my other grandmother gave me in 1970, my very first "own" ornament. Meanwhile, I inherited boxes and boxes. At 60, I just don't have the energy after Christmas to put it all away.
As it happens, I loved tinsel. I spent hours placing it strand by strand. But we opted for a fake tree after spending too much money on a tree that was so dry we were afraid to plug the lights in. Last year, my husband persuaded me to toss the boxes remaining in my stash.
It was with a pang of sorrow, but eventually the authentic trees were no more in our house either.
ReplyDeleteThey are cut too soon before being sold and often shedding tons of needles before even being
decorated. Some people do the tree in the pot thing, to put it outdoors after, but I've moved too
much, and sometimes lived where the firs require too much watering.
Some years now we don't put up a tree as part of the decor, opting for garlands and other ornamentation instead.
Since putting up this post I've had several e-mails about tinsel! Some loved it, some did not.
Firs don't grow well down here. We used to soak the fresh cut in the tree, but that doesn't do much for trees that were cut in October. I have heard of some tree farms not too far off, but I also heard the prices were very high. Well, Christmas trees are not native so they probably take a lot of work.
ReplyDeleteI did learn not to waste money on prelighted trees because the lights go bad after a few years and they can't be replaced. If you go the fake route, it pays to buy very early or very late, like August or January. I got one for 75 percent off buying after Christmas. We simply stored it for the next year.
I also have so many fond memories of Christmas decorating as a child. I LOVED the tinsel, but my kids hated it, so gave it up for garland when I had my own family. I live with my adult sons, who have no real interest in decorating, but after my oldest purchased a lovely house last January, I determined to have a big tree, rather than the small tabletop one I had for years of apartment living. I hauled out the two big bins of decorations that had been in storage for 9 years, and had a blast trimming the tree just the way I wanted it, and enjoying seeing things I'd forgotten I had. I didn't go crazy, but do have a few things scattered about the house. This is the first Christmas without my younger son, who passed away in August from cancer. A year ago we didn't know he was sick, and now we are having Christmas without him. He will be celebrating Christ's birth in heaven with the King, himself. Bet that celebration beats anything we do here in this world. Meanwhile, we remember that Jesus is the greatest gift the world has ever had, the gift that keeps giving eternally. So we celebrate. Merry Christmas, everyone!
ReplyDelete