The Christmas that Almost Wasn't

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So last I left you...I'd had a change of plans with my Christmas decorating.

I couldn't get my green stuff out of the garage.

So I decided to do the white tree again.

I had no choice.

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I had the white tree stored inside where it is safe and sound.

I got it out to put it up and almost all the lights have quit working.

How did this happen on a tree that worked when I took it down last year

and has been stored inside all the year long?

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I was so upset at the thought of trying to figure out why they weren't working...

I nearly threw the tree out.

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Nearly

I couldn't afford a new tree. 

I was so upset I quit decorating and went in and laid on the sofa and watched

a lot of tv....like a whole lot of tv...I slept and watched and mostly slept

avoiding the obvious. I was going to have to make that tree work.

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 Tonight I came home from work with a new sense of merriment and a plan.

"I'd just take off all the lights and string on new ones!"

How hard could that be?

A few hours of work at worst.

Well, six hours later...I finally finished.

Taking the lights off a pre-lit tree was quite the chore.

It was at one point turning into a bloody Christmas. 

My hands are torn up from trying to get the lights off the thing.

I don't EVER want to do that again.

(I am now concerned about the workers in China that make these things to begin with.

Their hands must be terribly messed up all the time. 

I'm really worried about this. It must be a terrible job - attaching lights to pre-lit trees.)

I thought I'd put several hours into it tonight and have the tree up and decorated.

Wrong.

The tree is up but not a single bauble on it.

At one point...as I cut light strings trying to untangle the mess...I truly almost

decided no Christmas here this year.

But you know what?

Once I finally got the tree up and standing straight and all the lights lit...suddenly

a little bit of Christmas filled the air.

It's here! It's here! 

I thought it wasn't going to come...but I was wrong...it was just severely delayed.

I mean I've really been struggling.

This was suppose to be a great Christmas with all the trimmings.

My last two were not so good and this one was suppose to be THE one.

The one where I could decorate with wild abandon.

But so far the things that are usually simple are giving me grief.

This is why you are suppose to start early.

I know this...but I never learn.

I hope your Christmas preparations are going more smoothly than mine.

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Shiny Brite Ornaments

Love Em!

I have lots of Shiny Brite ornaments but I always need more.

Funny, because I hated these kind of ornaments when I was a kid.

I thought they were way too ordinary.

But now they are what I want on my tree. 

Oh...I'm no where near this put together for Christmas this year - yet.

These are photos from my Christmas 2010.

(you can see the rest of my Christmas decor on my projects link up in the top menu of my blog)

As for this year, I'm still pulling stuff out and trying to decide what I want where.

I didn't put up a tree in 2011...I had a lot of personal things going on with my best friend dying 

and my sister being ill and losing my son/dog - Newman.

I can't even remember last year's Christmas hardly at all.

I was just in a daze.

But I'm anxious to put up decorations this year though.

So I've been searching for more Shiny Brites to add to my collection.

And thinking of new ways to decorate.

I didn't have my dining room furniture all painted last time.

This will be the first time I've decorated this dining room for Christmas...so that will be fun.

Anyway...

I went browsing online for Shiny Brite baubles.

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Even better if you can get them in an original box.

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Fabulous wreaths made by GeorgiaPeachezWreaths.com

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One of her wreaths appeared on the Christmas cover of Romantic Homes Magazine.

I somehow have not seen this issue yet. 

I must find it.

Right now I'm trying to decide what to do on my mantel. 

I love my forest of trees but I've done this for several years and I think it's time to change it up.

I have no idea what I'll do, really...except I think I may hang my own 

Shiny Brite wreath on the mirror.

That might be a good start.

Are you up to your neck in tinsel, yet?

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Pink Christmas

On to Christmas

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Thanksgivings over and Black Friday and we can now concentrate on Christmas.

I really really don't care for Black Friday and I REALLY hate it that

everyone is opening now on Thanksgiving night for it.

That is just wrong. Everyone says..."Oh...only those that want to work have to."

But that is not true....from my experience EVERYONE is required to work because 

its so darn busy.

My opinion on this is that it's the HAVE's deciding the HAVE NOT's should

spend their Holiday servicing the HAVE's.

What do you think?

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Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting all my Christmas stuff out.

I didn't decorate last year for the first time ever and I'm ready to get to it this year.

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I'm digging these pink Christmas trees.

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I actually have one like this that I've had for several years and its never been out of the box.

It will be going up this year for sure.

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I'm afraid I'm a bit of a grinch when it comes to the maddening crowds that are clammering to 

buy stuff this Black Friday weekend.

My mood is bound to improve once all that madness subsides.

I actually kind of like to shop on Christmas Eve everyone is so desperate...it's funny.

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