We usually have the yard covered with decorations, but this year we are having work done on the inside and the place where have our decorations are not going to be able to be place. Although our grandkids did put the tree up last Sunday. They told us it would be finished by thanksgiving.

Darlene

I have three pre-lit trees that I carry downstairs from the closet and plug in. They look nice in the windows and they are easy for me to manage. I have a lot of homemade ornaments from when our boys were growing up. If I ever retire, we may start having a real tree and I will decorate with all of those again. But now with me working the pre-lit trees will do the job.

Wiz I love the prelit trees. The only thing I dislike about our artificial tree is that you have to reshape it every year.

I think now that a part of the reason we haven't gone gangbusters as we usually do is because DH and I are in a bit of a downer missing his mom & dad; this is the first Christmas without them.

Plus DH has been so busy taking care of me with the knee recuperation, I don't think he's given it as much thought as usual. He usually strings lights on the trees and places huge ornaments on the outside tree, plus a wreath on the door and garland around the door.

A wreath on the door, a string of teal and purple lights around the door, and one window with lights . . . and that is it. We have a tiny house that I need to downsize, Christmas is at the grandkids' this year, and my partner had her hand crushed a few weeks ago helping a neighbor move some old bedrails . . . and I forbade climbing up on the house to hang lights with a hand that is not yet rehabbed. A ceramic lighted village has been packed away for years now and all our beautiful ornaments are in storage.

Strings of lights on the sea grapes, round and round the palm trees. It still is a strange sight to me after all these years. Doesn't seem quite like Christmas without the cold, snuggled around the family. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. ginnie

Ginnie, your story about Christmas in Florida reminded me of blessed Christmases my husband and I had in Maui, many years ago. Christmas there is wonderful.
However, here I am in snow-covered mountains of New Mexico. This year I didn't even try to put up decorations, although I felt like the Grinch, because many on our street decorate greatly. The Jewish people do not put up lights, except for the house where I think there may be a Jewish and a Christian couple, because the blue and white Hannukah lights were all over the roof by November 28, and the Christmas tree by the door was lit by mid December. Across the street, the Catholic-Mormon couple put up only one string of red lights this year, and he commented that the neighborhood was not as bright as usual (correct). I thought, yes, this is a bad year so people don't feel like decorating, but I didn't say that to him, as he and his family were doing something VERY nice for me, taking me to church on Christmas Eve. How lovely that they included me, the lonely old widow, in their Christmas! The church was very well decorated.

On Christmas day, I had the best Christmas ever at my son's house, where everyone was loving and happy, and miraculously there was a game to play that I could win over my 11 year old grandson, Scrabble. Usually he and his brother beat me at games, but this time I won. And everything was really merry and bright, and very well decorated. The most beautiful tree within a house I have ever seen (I've seen bigger and more overwhelming trees outside, of course).
So I stole Christmas from the Grinch this year.

Your Christmas sounded just perfect! Love Scrabble myself. Wish you were closer and I would take you on!!!
There were many homes decorated. I spent some time on the way home with my adult son yesterday, to look at some of the lights, linger as there was no traffic. I am also still "full" this morning from last nights dinner.
Why do leftovers taste so good the day after a holiday?
Have a blessed New Year Mareil. ginnie

Sounds like Marial and Ginnie had nice Christmas Days.

You could play online Scrabble together!!!

Didn't know you could play with someone you know on line. Would love to play. What is the Web address? Happy New year Everyone! Thanks for the info Sally. ginnie