Sunday, December 4, 2005

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

To Tree or Not to Tree

I got a lot done today. All my Christmas cards are addressed. I made a pot of Beef soup. I had the kids next door scrape the five inches of snow off the drive way for a nominal fee. I bought the worlds easiest and best Christmas tree stand. And I bought a Christmas tree.

Now I suppose there are two types of people in this world. Those who prefer artificial trees and those who go for the much more adventurous Real Live Evergreen. We are masochists at heart.

As I tried to load the tree into the stand and was poked in the eye by one of the needles the fact about masochism was rammed home! It is quite the task to put one of those trees up by yourself. I was up for the challenge and thanks to the wonderful tree stand, it was a piece of cake once I got the tree centered on the "spike".

My tree runneth over with Christmas ornaments. I must limit myself to only one or two a year. As you get older, the amount of glass, plastic, painted wood, horses and angels becomes unbelievable. I love antique ornaments and find them easily in Goodwill and Salvation Army stores during the season. One of my favorites, old English Christmas painted ornaments, I found in a Flea Market for $3.00. Twelve of them in a beautiful box.

I live for those moments.

I recently began collecting horse racing ornaments. They are so beautiful. My MO is to wait until the day after Christmas and hit the Keeneland Gift shop and the Gift Shop at the Horse Park. Half price. I also purchase next years Christmas Cards at that time too.

I'm not certain how I am going to pull it off this year.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love tree ornaments.  Like you I have so many that I need three trees to accommodate them all.  Decorating a tree from a wheelchair isn't the easiest thing to do so I have had to negotiate with the 'I dont do decorations' persons in the house to get the job done no.  The look has often been one that only someone with a sense of humor would love, but it certainly has brought new laughter to the season!  Merry Christmas, Pennie

Anonymous said...

I have some old carousel ornaments from Hallmark, but not racing horses - I thought I had at least one of everything! There is a third group - real tree, fake tree, no tree.

That soup sounds good - what time is dinner?

xoxo

Anonymous said...

I love ornaments, too.  We are slowly rebuilding, after a feline disaster a few years ago that ended with many smashed pieces of glass on the living room floor and an Egyptian god sauntering out of the room, tail twitching.
http://searchthesea.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Glad you accomplished a lot today.  Myvery simple outdoor decorations are up.  I back fruit cake....yes fruit cake my family loves it....clean up a lot of paperwork.  This week I will decorate indoors.
Betty

Anonymous said...

Ornaments from the old days here are my favorite. I still have those I made with my kids that I just love.....Ah, the great memories.

You got a lot done today but it sounded very Chistmas-like! : )

Angela

Anonymous said...

Lovely. I decorated the outside of our home today. Couldn't even attack the tree portion yet. Maybe next weekend.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like fun! I put up decorations today, but it'll be at least a week until the tree goes up. We don't really have a good, out-of-the-traffic spot for one, so we tend to put it off. Still, I wouldn't be without one -- and make mine real, please.

:)
Vicki

Anonymous said...

I like the striped one.  Ours pretty much run the gamut from scratched 1950s ornaments to Shrinky Dinks to recent Hallmark ones. - Karen

Anonymous said...

I have to have a real tree...I have old ornaments the kids made from toilet paper tubes (my kids are 15 and 24 so we are talking OLD toilet paper tubes) which prompted a neighbor's little one to ask why we had garbage on our tree!
Marti

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure how anyone pulls it off in any year but you are off to a great start!
Tess

Anonymous said...

There is no way I can NOT buy ornaments.  Limit Myself?  Ha!  I just keep adding trees...  Lisa  :-]

Anonymous said...

Sounds Terrific, mon' chere:

  Is my room all made up?  LOLL  I think the tree is lovely so far and I love the Keenland. I can just see you elbowin' those poor gamblers out of the way...to get to the GIFT SHOP!


I actually got a tree this year myself.  Not my usual live tree, but a tree just the same.

xoxoxoxo,
andi

ps: I SEE you Angela!  haaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Anonymous said...

I 'm allergic to live trees, so it's a fake for me! You sound like me, tho. If there is still green showing, there's room for another ornament!! Rhonda

Anonymous said...

After visiting my journal, you may be surprised to learn I have a confession to make; we had artificial trees until we purchased the tree farm last year.   I missed the fresh tree scent, but there was a trade off, each time we unpacked the old trees the house filled with that wonderful scent of attic dust.  LOL!  Artificial trees are safer tho, decreased fire hazard.   Love that ornament.  It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Dona

Anonymous said...

Horse racing ornaments...that seems so...you! LOL!

Anonymous said...

Heh Alphawoman...Nice seeing someone here that is or should I say use to be from Kentucky,I live in a small town outside of Louisville,Cant help but luv horses when you are from Kentucky,I like the ornament,It sure is cold here and icey.
Got to run..Blessings,Melodie

Anonymous said...

I like the antique ornaments as well.  For years when the girls were little and we had naughty cats I would place them high on our tree but now they are scattered throughout and I so enjoy seeing them.  Part of the fun is remembering where I found them.