winterizing

Decorating for Christmas is always a turbulent activity for me. Without fail it takes me a week to get everything up, a week to tweak, a week to enjoy, a day to mope while I try to justify leaving it up until February, and then BAM. It’s over and I pack it all back into the attic.

So this year, to minimize the post-Christmas blues I tried to refrain from filling the house with red and green seasonal décor, and instead focused on winterizing the stuff we already had out. Is “winterizing” even a word? Dictionary says “to add antifreeze”. Well, anyway, in this case it means that aside from the tree ornaments, most of the décor can stay out well past Christmas. Until I’m good and sick of them. haha.

Stumps, stumps, STUMPS. My dad had a few large trees cut down out at the lake and each time we visit I leave with a new stump.

And this cedar branch, which I asked Caleb to hang over the table. And this is where our stories diverge.

What he said: “Okay, sure. Just let me know where you want it.”

What I heard: Oh great. I’d love to eat my dinner with a gnarly branch hanging over my head. Best idea EVER.

Okay, so maybe he didn’t say it out loud, but his face was screaming it. Good news is, he trusts me and usually goes along with all my schemes and after a day or two he admitted he really likes the branch. Weird decorating scores again. Fist pump!