it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

i LOVE Christmas time. i love decorating for the ridiculous consumer holiday that is the celebration of the birth of our savior. BUT i am definitely one of the die-hard "you can't start Christmas until after Thanksgiving" people. that means no Christmas music, no Christmas decor, no Christmas movies, until the day after Thanksgiving. (i fudge the rule for Starbucks holiday drinks) the day after the feast of turkey, and being thankful, however, the pumpkins, and the orange and red and yellow and browns quickly disappear into their designated rubbermaid tubs. the blues and light greens, and reds seem to magically appear from their storage bins. the hunt for the perfect tree is begins. not too skinny, not too fat, layer-y, but not hole-y, with a straight trunk. the wreath for the front door is bought, and hung. a lifelong family friend made us a beautiful taffeta tree skirt, and matching stockings for our wedding. (truly one of the most unique, and memorable gifts...if you can sew...its an AWESOME idea) those are hung on the mantle...with care, of course.

this year, i have had a little spare time, and had clear glass ornaments from michael's. i broke out the teal, and green, and red paint, and every ornament on our tree is handpainted! i even made a matching paper garland. here are just a few iPhone pics of our Christmas decor this year.