Our decorations!
We always put the decorations up on the 1st December if we can. If it falls on a busy school day I try and convince the children to put them up on the next weekend, but they give me so much of a hard time, it is easier to give in and stay up later. I always feel it is such a short time to have the house decorated I want to make the most of it and have them up for a month. I love all the fairy lights and the smell of the greenery, but once Christmas is over I am itching to get those decorations back in the loft. They are lucky if they make it to the 1st January. I like to start the new year with them all put away.
So last Saturday I dragged it all down from the loft and began the process of organising super excited children to decorate the tree! My 9 year old boy has his best friend who lives in our road. They do everything together. If he is not in his friends house , then his friend is in our house. They never argue...ever. They are lost without each other. He is our extra family member and fits in beautifully. I don't notice the extra one! He helps us decorate the tree too! Such a special friendship.
We have an artificial tree - you know why ,it's cheaper, doesn't drop needles, blah, blah, blah.....It takes a while to put this up so whilst they do that I put on Christmas music and clear space for the other decorations in the house. My little girl doesn't like the feel of the tree so spends the next half hour dancing and twirling around the lounge to "Rocking around the Christmas Tree" . An extra benefit was the absence of The Boss who had managed to wrangle himself a ticket to the All Blacks/England game so was away all day....he hates putting the decs up! We were able to indulge in peace!!
There was the usual tangle of Christmas lights and beads, but once everything was unwrapped, plugged in and hung up, it looked rather nice.
We've managed to make do this year without one new purchase! It's all a bit simple and thrown together, but the kids love it as memories are now wrapped up in these rituals and decorations. Perhaps if I had a child free home I would have beautiful White Company decorations and wreaths adorning my house, but thats not the case at the moment. I've yet to add the greenery to the stairs and table, but it's a bit too soon for that.....
So here's how far we got!
So here's how far we got!
You have given me some lovely ideas.
ReplyDeleteLooks lovely.
Thank you - the tree has more decorations on than it seems from the picture!
DeleteI have an artificial tree as well and have done for quite a number of years and it makes life so much easier as with my OCD tree decorating tendencies, I would get stressed out even choosing a tree if it didn't have perfect symmetry. The tree and decs are lovely. We actually have two - a more subdued grown up tree .... and the one which the children are let loose on (though I confess to tweaking a bit). It's really nice that your little boy has a special friend who fits in so well. I'm still at that stage where I am supervising Ben's playdates.
ReplyDeleteThats a good idea- perhaps I'll try that when we have our large kitchen next year? My 2 boys are moving out of the supervising stage ....very unsettling I must say!
DeleteLooks lovely! We have a mish mash of decorations too, that don't make for a minimalist, cohesive or classy look, but there are a lot of memories tied up in the decorations for the kids, so that's how it is for now!
ReplyDeleteIt is the memories that last forever!
DeleteGorgeous decorations!! We have none up yet, not sure if we'll get to putting them up. I've actually enjoyed it with them not up for some reason. Maybe put up a few things like our manger scene as that's the only thing my girls are interested in, but we'll see. All of yours look beautiful :) xx
ReplyDeleteMy children love to play with the nativity scene too! x
DeleteWe also have an artificial tree (had artificial ones for ever for the reasons you know!). Yours looks really good! I'm putting mine up this weekend. I don't like it overdecorated as well. Last weekend we decorated the house, only the tree is left! I always do it in two stages on separate days otherwise it feels too tiring, the kids get bored after a while , etc. etc. My hubby isn't fond of decorating either!
ReplyDeleteThese men dont seem to get it do they!!?
DeleteYou have some lovely decorations Claire and the tree looks great! We put ours up mid December (on a weekend which somehow always seems to clash with my office party hangover!) as it's a real tree otherwise it looks a bit tatty come Christmas Day - unless we manage to get a fake one this weekend! My hubby huffs and puffs at having to put the tree in it's stand and that's as far as he goes - I put the lights on and the kids take over! I've now got out of the habit of re-arranging the baubles once they've finished! xx
ReplyDeleteI do miss the smell of a real tree - I like Sues idea of both! Oh theres no pleasing me! Men have no Christmas spirit at all do they?! I get all excited putting them up , but I want it all down as soon as boxing day is over!!
DeleteGood job there Claire. I am loving the red and white decs especially the white bauble with the red tree and hearts. I really want to go red and white this year but as I don't have any decs in those two colours I think I will wait until the sales and get a load for next year and stick to my old faithfuls this year. Our tree is bought (real) and is sitting in a bucket of water in the garage waiting until the middle of December when I bring it in the house, feeling very festive this year and can't wait until next weekend comes and I can get decorating to my hearts content! I have got the decs out the loft earlier this year, just had a bad feeling about the lights and I wasn't wrong, two out of three sets are buggered with no hope of rescusitation so looks like I will be out getting some new ones tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteI'm in two minds about whether to get a real tree or not. I do like it, and it does feel more Chrissmasy, but I don't think I can face the pine needles, they drive me insane. Plus it's the cost, these days it costs about £45 to get a decent tree, then you have to dispose of it afterwards which is a pain, all in all it's madness to get a real tree when you think about it!
ReplyDeleteYour house looks lovely, we are doing our house up this weekend, can't wait!