After running a few errands this morning, and actually reading the LA Times online (felt good to get back into that habit, I'll tell you), I spent most of the day decorating the house for Christmas.

(Before I write about "real life"...let me just say that I disagree with President Elect Obama about bailing out the Detroit Three.  I find myself in the curious position of agreeing with Republican Congressman Spencer Bachus of Alabama who prefers a structured bankruptcy proceeding to a bailout since it "would exert greater pressure on the companies to make changes."  Read the LA Times article here.)

But back to decorating for Christmas.  When we moved to Orange County from Santa Clarita, I had about 16 boxes of Christmas decorations that came south with me.  That first December, my friend Erik Kieser was visiting and we had quite a party throwing out dated decorations and generally paring down (and toning down) my collection.  Although I held onto the cranberry Christmas tree candles he hated. 

Today, I got Dan to haul down the 10 or so boxes I have left and unpacked about half of them.  Among some of my favorites in today's haul:

--The cross-stitched Advent Calendar Dan's dad, Dick, made years ago.

--The cross-stitched "Peace" picture that I "won" at one of many Baldridge gift exchanges...handmade by Sally (aka MOSM).

--A gorgeous snowglobe angel given to us years ago by our friend, Betty.

--An Alaskan Santa purchased with Shari Riter on our cruise to Alaska.

--A British Santa purchased on my first trip to London with Mom.

--The snowmen and Santa candles that Dan bought for us this year.

--The antique glass ornaments that decorated our tree during my childhood on Lehrer Drive in Clairemont.

--A Mexican nativity set that was one of the first gifts Dan's brother Steven gave us.

I've mostly enjoyed decorating the house for Christmas in the past.  When we were younger, I'd imagine doing so with the children I assumed we'd have.  After about fifteen years, decorating became a chore rather than a joy.  I realized I'd been decorating the house for those never-materialized kids and after some major re-thinking about what the trappings of Christmas meant to me (and to Dan), I came to enjoy the process again. 

Today, it was all about memories.  The ones stirred up by the sight of familiar items as I lifted them from their tissue paper.  And the ones that were created today with calls from family, messages from loved ones, a nap after lunch, and carols on the Ipod as I unpacked Christmas 2008.

Leave a Reply