Almost Christmas Ready

After obsessing, especially at night, yet not doing anything, last Monday, about 2:00 PM, I decided to start decorating for Christmas. My first project was my gingerbread house. Even if it were the only decoration, at least we would have that. 

(Grant had put up the outdoor lights the previous Saturday, so that was done.)

I was really tired. Perhaps from my jogging program; perhaps from missing sleep. But, whatever the case, my plan was to do a little, then set the timer for 20 minutes for a rest in my recliner. This actually made creating the house go better than usual. I carved out the windows, put in the broken LifeSaver pieces for the window panes, then let the candy melt in the oven. Rest. Check the light for the house and cover the cardboard in new wrapping paper. Rest. Decorate the house. Rest. Put the house together. Rest. Add the roof. Admire my work. By pacing myself, the panes had time to set, and the frosting for decorating and for gluing the pieces together had time to dry. I was finished by dinner time. Note to self: consider adding some ginger inside house, so it smells more. These kits have very little spice in the cookie. Yes, I could bake my own, but that’s unlikely at this stage of the game.

That was the catalyst I needed to decorate. The next morning, I made my scene on the white cabinet, got out the ceramic tree for the buffet, and hung our stockings on the bookcase. That stymied me, because we’ve moved the TV to there, which looks a little odd with Christmas stocking in front of it. Problem solved: tune into the fireplace channel.

The girls are outside with their pink poinsettias (4-H fundraiser) and the copper one (bought at Fresh Market) from Thanksgiving. Two more big red poinsettias (also 4-H) are on the porch. One of the little red ones inside was a $3 Black Friday deal at Lowe’s. The other was a gift given to all the Bloom and Grow Garden Society members at our December meeting by Cindy from Florida Cactus. Very sweet gesture.

I hung my grapevine wreath with airplants and green, battery-operated lights on the front door. I also bought a menorah and put it in the living room window in my support for Israel in the war. Probably a meaningless gesture here in Windermere, but I know it’s there.

Once I’d decorated as much as I wanted (no tree again this year, or likely ever), Grant put the boxes back in the garage, and we called it done. Next October, I am going to be ruthless in moving ornaments along. We don’t use them, and our children don’t want or need them. Perhaps I’ll buy another fiber optic tree, if they are even available, to display the needlepoint ornaments Marcella made.

I was on a roll, so Tuesday afternoon, I wrote my Christmas letter and emailed the file to Office Depot to print 52 copies. The nice man there copied it gratis on the 2 sheets of archive-quality paper I’d brought for my Christmas scrapbook. Another sweet gesture. By Thursday, I’d printed labels, Grant and I wrote notes on the cards, and all were mailed except the 3 that needed overseas postage. After Friday’s garden club luncheon, I stopped by the Gotha post office and bought the international stamps (poinsettia this time of year). Done.

Friday morning, I finally made it to the new Double O Coffee just up the road in Ocoee. The grand opening was Monday, and I had planned we would drive up for coffee that morning. That was preempted by an unexpected call to meet for lunch in Clermont with friends Diane and David who were up visiting friends. Tuesday, Elder Luncheon preceded by our weekly exercise with Denny. Wednesday, gardening with CC. Thursday, EarlyBird Toastmasters. The fifth plan was that I would jog up Maguire while Grant would take Clara to school, then we would meet at the coffee shop. Success, and a peppermint mocha for me, a medium black for Grant.

Now, all we have to do is buy a couple more gifts. I’m so relieved and sleeping well.