My dad’s birthday was this past Friday. He doesn’t like a lot of fanfare, but his one request has always been that we don’t do anything Christmas-related until after his birthday, so that it doesn’t overshadow his day. That was always the tradition when I was growing up and I like upholding it now, even though I don’t live at home anymore. Feel free to wish him a happy belated birthday, if you’d like 🙂

Since his birthday was on Friday it meant Saturday and Sunday were for putting up Christmas decorations. The first thing I had to do on Friday evening and Saturday morning was clean the house. That was another rule growing up that I continue to uphold- you have to have the house clean before you can decorate. Once that was done, Barry and I took advantage of the good weather on Saturday afternoon (they were forecasting freezing rain for Sunday, and they were right!) and got our exterior lights up. Barry does the roof lights and I’m in charge of the bushes.

The only other thing we did decoration-wise on Saturday was to bring all of the tubs of Christmas decorations upstairs.

Ready and waiting for Sunday!

On Sunday morning it was on and I got down to preparing the house for Santa’s arrival. Get ready for picture overload. I started with some of my smaller decorations on top of our DVD cabinet.

That little tree on the left is one I have had since I was a kid and decided I needed my own tree. Every Christmas I would set it up outside my bedroom door and on Christmas morning I would usually find a small gift, such as jewelry or a hair clip, under it. On the right is my glass nativity that my Nana and Pop Pop gave me when I was seven. And in the middle are a lamp made by my great uncle (it’s Christmas-colored but it stays out year round) and my black bear Noel.

The kitchen was very simple to decorate. Swap out the floor mat at the sink and hang a holiday dish towel on the stove and you’re good to go.

This year I also found a Christmas-themed paper towel holder. Barry’s reaction to this discovery: “Oh…. boy”

The bells jingle every time I get a paper towel!

I put some other little decorations on our TV stand and on the coffee table.

I also hung our wreath on the front door. A few years ago I decided we needed a wreath and I couldn’t ever find a pre-decorated one I liked. So instead I got a bit crafty and bought a plain wreath. I decorated it with a red bow, a few sparkly pine cones, and some clip-on poinsettias and made one that fit my taste.

Next I wrestled with the mantle decorations. I love having the garland and lights on the mantle, but that thing sure is a pain. Totally worth it.

The cows in the snow picture was a gift from Barry’s parents and it stays up year round.

Finally it was time for the coup de gras of decorating: the Christmas tree. Barry and I have a small, artificial tree that I decorate each year. Both of our parents bestowed upon us our childhood ornaments and we have received many others as gifts, so our poor little tree is very full. I love taking each ornament out and thinking of the memory that goes with it as I decorate the tree.

There was one very special, new ornament that I put up this year. In an uncommon move, I purchased this one for myself.

The last thing I did was hang our advent calendar in the dining room. I ordered this personalized calendar from a catalog our first Christmas as a married couple. Each night we hang another ornament on the tree to mark the days leading up to Christmas. It is similar to one my family had when I was growing up, except that one was a wooden tree that sat on top of a box that had all of the ornaments in it. My sister and I would take turns hanging ornaments, finishing with the star topping the tree on December 24th.

13 shopping days and 14 sleeps ’till Santa!

Christmas tree: artificial or real?
Christmas lights: multicolored or white?
Multicolored outside and white on the tree.
What are some of your favorite Christmas decorations?