No "Reads," Just Trees

Hobby Lobby featured Christmas merchandise shortly after Labor Day (or maybe even before) and other stores—Target, Kohl’s, Stein Mart and even Lowe’s—weren’t far behind with their Christmas decorating displays.  Even so, I can’t quite get myself geared up to read Christmas stories yet.  Thus—alack, alas—I’m not featuring a holiday read.

But…I have been planning my personal decorating theme since last year. Sigh, I know. I’m a major dork.

If only I could identify precisely what it is about decorating a tree that gets me so giddy.  Makes no sense, not even to me.  Still, can’t help myself… So, I’m going to tell you all about my neurosis. 

Every year, I have a decorating theme.  I did the peacock motif about fifteen years ago—long before the royal blue and emerald green became cool—although I’m sure I wasn’t the first to put feathers in my tree (or have feathers in my head). I even mimicked the tree on the cover of Christmas Tree Wars, which incidentally was inspired by friends who jumped on the “different theme every year” sleigh.

Because I change the tree every year, homemade decorations are essential to reduce costs.  Those old fashioned “boxed ornaments” (yes, the same ones you made as a kid) have been a life saver (or holiday saver). Of course, I amp the ornaments up with glitter, fancy fabric, and/or flashy accouterments.  These work great with color schemes (i.e., light green (celadon) & white, sea blue & white, and purple and gold.

One of my more expensive themes (also one of my favorites) was Phantom of the Opera—had a lot of fun with that one, putting tiny half-masks, musical notes and baby-grand piano ornaments in the Yuletide branches.  I even found those clapping monkeys.  One of my cheapest trees was my Icy Winter Wonderland.  I used a lot of glittered holly, magnolia leaves, berries and crystal ornaments I’ve had for years.

This year, I’ve decided my motif is the twelve days of Christmas. I got the idea when I saw a cute chicken pattern.  Don’t you think “Three French Hens” when you see a cute chicken? 😊  Silly me—I thought this would be an easy theme.  No way.  Finding ornaments that aren’t outrageously expensive have proved surprisingly difficult. I can make (or already have) pears, birds (partridges, calling, turtledoves, swans, and geese), gold rings, drums and pipes.  I even have dancing ladies, but Maids-a-Milking, and Lords-a-Leapin’ are making me Robin-Hair-Pulling.  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Fear not.  There’s plenty of time to decorate your tree.  Until then… Have the happiest of Thanksgiving and cherish those loved ones.

P.S.  I promise to post some 12-Days photos in my December blog.