Deck The Halls

Well, Thanksgiving is past us, and it's officially time for holiday season 2012! This weekend the hubs and spent some time decking the halls, Christmas shopping, and tree getting!
The house is all decorated....

 I love unpacking the Christmas boxes.  There's something so child like and magical about this time of year, and ever year we add another layer of beauty to our holiday ensemble.  Against the small table in the far right are "Jack and Jill", two snowmen that have been in my family since the 1950's....to the "Charlie Brown" tree on the entertainment stand that was created this year off extra tree boughs.  Each year I unpack the boxes and laugh at the sheer amount of Grinch's that I have ( a slight obsession), get nostalgic at the memories associated with each ornament, and smile at the cheerfulness of the chubby snowmen.  To add more magic, there was a perfect dusting of snow both today and yesterday, making it perfect for getting in the holiday spirit!

And what's spirit without a tree?

 

It's not decorated yet (that's next weekend) but we braved the snow and wind yesterday and picked out the perfect tree!  It involved numb hands, feet, a few curse words and a careful drive home...but also alot of joking, happy families, and the sight of the life sized Nativity scene with live animals at our local tree farm.  How can you ask for more than that??

 

As far as Black Friday....well...we did go out.  Briefly.  But we also did a bunch of shopping online, and I would say I'm about half done.  I can deal with that :-)  I have a few random days off this month, so I'm looking forward to some festive, easy window shopping to finish it off in the next few weeks!  (Though cyber Monday is tomorrow....I might have a different story to tell then!)

 

Tonight, though...it's time for some more magic....we're going to see the Nutcracker with some friends, and I can't wait!  I used to go all the time when I was a kid, and was an angel one year...a long long time ago!, and I can't wait to see it again. The holidays really are about rewinding time to be a kid again, aren't they? :-)

 

What's on your holiday agenda this year?  Have you kicked off your prep yet?