Sunday, November 30, 2008

Shake it up



So we went home for the long Thanksgiving weekend to spend it with my family. It ended up being unusually stressful, and the upshot is, we will be spending Christmas with Matt's family this year (it was his turn anyways). This is a very brief version of what is really an excessively long and drama-filled weekend. I am over the family drama for a while. I love my sisters a lot but we just didn't have fun with them this time. We're going to go down for New Year's and spend that with my parents and my grandmother, but major holidays with ALL the family and ALL the kids and dogs are just a little bit overwhelming right now.

I have never spent a Christmas away from my family before. I can do this. But what I can't quite deal with is, my mom always decorated like crazy every year, so even when I was living on my own in the past, we never decorated and we never had a tree, we just went there and it was always all festive. That is SO going to change this year. I don't want to spend Christmas somewhere if it isn't Christmasy. I was using our holiday party as an excuse to decorate a little bit, but now I am not kidding around.



The current goal is to not spend exorbitant amounts of money on holiday decor. But I need lights, and a tree stand, and a wreath, and a star, and more ornaments (I have a tiny stash accumulating so this is a less desperate need). And by need, I mean really really want. I want my house to feel like Christmas if I'm not going to go somewhere else this year.

So next weekend, we get us a tree. After that, we shall see. The holiday party is in two weeks, and I am wild-guessing that we will have at least 25-30 people here for that. Pictures will ensue, if I get this stuff all going like I want to...

4 comments:

thefarmersdaughter said...

I spent many years away from my family during the holidays- we had "stray" parties, but they just weren't the same.

Since moving back, I have found that every year I have to do more and more decorating for Christmas. Somehow, in Texas, a tree (sad that it was) was all we needed- but up here in Michigan (where we are having blizzard conditions this week btw) I have to have multiple trees, wreaths, garland, outside decor, mantle decorations, tablescapes- the whole 9 yards!

Have a good time with your decorations- and be as festive as you want! Oh, and here's to no drama

Alana in Canada said...

Well, good for you. I find that as every year passes. I want les and less to do with Christmas frou frou --until Dec 24th! Then I wish I'd done more!

The kids are taking over, this year. My son got out the lights and wreath this weekend, and both of them have brought up our sad Charlie Brown tree--and started decorating this morning.

Mana G said...

Mr G and I are visiting both sets of parents this year, (and both decorate like crazy), and I still want my "very own Christmas tree." I think it's because, when I lived on my own, I never had one, because my family was still so close, and I spent a lot of time with them over the holiday season, anyway. Also, I worked at a restaurant that tended to put even the most holiday-loving person into "Christmas Overload" by December 10th. We need to get all the trimmings for it, such as lights and garland, and a tree stand. (Though we did receive some ornaments as wedding presents last year; I guess that was the advantage to getting married less than two weeks after New Year's.)

Anne At Large said...

I have decided I will not be regretting spending this Christmas in Reno. I am going to be a decorating FOOL!