Too much stuff

Now that Thanksgiving is over, Christmas has taken its annual dump on (in?) the house. Seriously, this place looks like Christmas just threw up all over it. There's so much stuff everywhere, my head is spinning.

Each year, I go through the bins & boxes, taking out what I want to display: Snowmen, knick knacks, lights (which less and less of work each year), garland for the mantle, garland for the banisters, candles, wooden sleigh, zillion of holiday stuffed animals to go in said sleigh, outside lights, etc. etc. etc. And, each year, I put out less and less. AND, each year, I think, "Why on earth am I keeping all this stuff??" If it's not going out on display, why am I storing it and sorting through it?

So, I've decided to purge the Christmas decorations. If it doesn't come out of the bin this year, it will be leaving the house in 2012 when I clean up Christmas 2011. Like the two Christmas trees that are sitting in the basement now that we've a new one. Those are outta here come January.

Our new 7' tree was put together tonight and is waiting for us (me) to put all the lights & ornaments on it. The kids look at this thing like it is the most amazing thing in the entire Christmas world. They are so in love with it and are DYING to put the ornaments on. I know they mean well and are excited and just want to help, but doing any of the Christmas decorations with two five year old's is exhausting.

Now I understand why my mother used to decorate the trees while we were at school. I would come home, all excited to help, just to find she had already done it. It upset me year after year, but now I get it. It's just easier without kids. And it doesn't take any of that "Christmas magic" away by doing it solo. What it does is saves Mom's sanity & lowers the booze bill at the grocery store.

Cheers, my friends!
The holidays are here.