It’s beginning to look like…

I know a lot of my friends live for Halloween. They like the costuming, and the scary decorations, and the Season of Pumpkin Everything. A few of my friends find Thanksgiving to be their holiday of choice. Family, food, food, more food, and food – that is where it’s at, for them.

Me? I’m Christmas. I love the green of fir and multi-colored lights. I like the snow (or the dream of snow) and hot beverages on the couch while wearing thick handknits. I love stockings so full they risk falling down, I love presents on Christmas morning — in fact, I love the look of presents under the tree for a few weeks before Christmas. I love wrapping paper of all kinds, traditional and gaudy. I love bows that kittens chew on, I love tags that say “OPEN ME FIRST” and I love champagne and pomegranate juice for breakfast while we open gifts. I love houses that get decorated Thanksgiving weekend, with strings of lights that come on at night and toss back the darkness with reds and greens and yellows. I love decorating a tree and the memories that come with ornaments handmade by my grandmother and myself. I love the few ornaments I still have from my grandparent’s trees. I love the smell of Chex Mix baking in the oven and piles and piles of cookies from my mama.

Once again this year we didn’t have time to decorate for Christmas. Every year that happens I get a little more Grinchy. Pretty soon I’m going to be one of those people who stands out in the yard and shakes her cane at the kids who decorate their houses and use up all that electricity.

ANYWAY. Moving on.

Bonus photo! A harp, made by a family friend, and a stained glass window – also made by a family friend. I took this shot yesterday while over at Aunt Gay and Uncle Joe’s house. I love that posting it on Facebook is resulting in the search for a replacement string, and the promise by my friend Jenn (the Harpy) to come and tune and play it.