Decorating for Christmas -- Mission Accomplished!

After only twelve days of the house in total upheaval, we are officially decorated!  Every year as the decorations emerge from the basement I am amazed at the multitude of bins/buckets full of decorations.  Where do they all come from?  Do they mate throughout the year?

This year I said I would not purchase anything new to decorate with and I almost made it!  I have only purchased the cutest little snowman, one wire and grapevine angel and the always inevitable purchase of Christmas lights.  Only about five strands went bad.  Now if we can make it through the entire season without them going out we will be set.

I will never forget three years ago when we put the lights on the tree, decorated and then the lights went out!  We undecorated and took lights off purchased new ones and redecorated the tree.  Only this time the lights worked for a couple of days and went out again!  We repeated just the way the instructions on the shampoo bottle said.  When half the lights on the tree went out after the third frocking of the tree we said to forget it.  We simply remained embarrassed as we embraced the uniqueness of the tree that year.  Can you blame us?

During this time of year, things move so quickly, and I have to remind myself to slow down.   Perhaps I need to program “Slow Down” on my phone as an actual reminder for myself to go off at three o'clock each day.  I really should add a reminder while I’m at it that says “Please go to bed. Your body needs rest.”

I struggle this time of year.  I have such blessings and yet I feel I have no time for the meaning.  I am reminded of a sign I saw the other day…Happiness is not having all you want – It is wanting all you’ve got!