When are you planning to decorate for Christmas this year?

[MauEvig]

The tree that I just had to have will be coming out the day after Thanksgiving this year. I'm already planning how I want to decorate the dining room table. The funny part is, my Halloween decorating has inspired how I want to decorate for Christmas. lol!

My former land lord left a plethora of Christmas decorations to use, plus last year I grabbed some Christmas ornaments marked down from the after-Christmas sales. I always look forward to using that stuff the following year, but it's tough because when you get something new you want to use it right away. lol

[Murfreesboro]

Ideally I would like to put up my tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and yard ornaments the same weekend, or maybe even a day earlier (I don't do the Black Friday thing). However, sometimes my life doesn't allow me to do that. Weather will determine when the yard ornaments go up, and I have to rearrange some living room furniture for the tree.

I have bought many, many Christmas ornaments, and all type of holiday ornaments, when they go on sale after the event. I think it is almost the only way to do it, certainly the best way.

[witchy]

We get ready the day after Thanksgiving or on that Saturday, it's actually my 2nd favorite time of the year. We try to go all out, with lights everywhere, the tree goes up and so do the stocking. I can't wait!!!

P.S. I have 99% of my shopping done too!! Yeah me!!

[Murfreesboro]

Wow, congrats on the shopping! I have 99% of my ideas for shopping, LOL!

[Boogeyman]

I have 100% of my shopping done because I won't be doing any. I did however, buy this:

http://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Complet ... gw_p_img_1

My mom gave me money for my birthday and I bought it from Amazon.ca, Canada's Amazon. In total, I only paid $78 and I should have it by Monday or Tuesday. I have seen it as high at $130 and anywhere in between.

[Murfreesboro]

Oh, that's a very nice collection! What a great b-day gift for you!

I amused myself yesterday because it was Black Friday, and I didn't once think about shopping until I turned the news on last night and saw all those shoppers featured. All I did was domestic stuff--washed dishes, did laundry, watched a DVD & some TV with my kids.

I do have some gifts to purchase for my family, and I expect to enjoy shopping for them over the next couple of weeks. But I am not a competitive shopper. It is not a sport to me.

[MauEvig]

I couldn't wait to get our Christmas stuff out! Here's some of the stuff I put up in the dining room:











And this little guy in our living room:



And of course...our tree! ^_____^



By the way...I am no camera expert or anything...but ever since downgrading to a 9.1 MP camera since my good camera broke, my pictures look like they were taken back in the 1970's. The quality is to be desired, and everything looks so yellow. I try to fix the color in photoshop sometimes. Do you have any advice at all for making the pictures look better? I really lucked out with my little black cat miniature that I posted in another thread, but for the most part the picture quality is not that great. My smart phone (which I had to down grade to a tracfone since I couldn't afford the $45/month without a job) has a lower specification for quality...I think it was 3.0 MP or something like that...actually takes better pictures than my 9.1MP. Doesn't make a lot of sense. But I'm wondering how or why that could be? A little off topic, but if anyone wants to help me with that I'd appreciate it.

[Andybev01]

Nice work, Mau.

The cat nativity is in keeping with your personality, for sure.

What make and model is your 9.1 camera ?

[Murfreesboro]

I'm ignorant about cameras, sorry. It looks like you've gotten into the Christmas spirit!

I am decorating piecemeal. First off I got the yard ornaments out, even though a couple of them still need to be refurbished--light strings out on the reindeer and the angel, but I put them up anyway. I can restring the broken lights while they are in the yard, and for the most part they look OK.

Second I redecorated my dining room table, taking down all the Thanksgiving decor and setting things up for Christmas. Mainly I have an Advent Wreath on it which I light each night while I do a seasonal devotional.

Next project, get the tree up. That will take several days, as I'll have to rearrange living room furniture, etc.

I have also done a little Christmas shopping and soon need to start wrapping, so I don't get stuck trying to do all that on Dec. 23 & 24.

I have decided to make a holiday cookbook for each of my kids, so they will have a record of what I cook for them from Thanksgiving through Twelfth Night. That won't cost me anything but time.

[Andybev01]

And more valuable than anything you could ever buy for them.

[Murfreesboro]

Thanks! They are still a little young--two of them are still living at home, and the 25-yr-old has no prospects of marriage anytime soon, still comes home for the holidays. But I figure I'd better go ahead and do it now, because years from now, when they would really like to have it, I may not be up to doing it.

[Andybev01]

I put up the tree at work .

It took 2 days but it's worth it.

My phone couldn't focus on it, so our photographer is going to take a few shots for me next week.

I did get some macro pix.

[MauEvig]

Thanks Andy! Yes the Nativity sure does doesn't it? lol

The Camera is a Vititar ViViCam 9112. It's a cheapy, but it works for it's purpose.

Your cook books sound lovely murf, and thanks for the compliments! You never know, your kids might find a use for them even before they get married. ^^;

[Murfreesboro]

Those ornaments look too good for a workplace!

Thanks, Mau. True, you never know what young'uns will do!

[Andybev01]

If you think about it, most people spend the majority of their waking time at work.

Thats why I like to make the office comfortable, and won't skimp on things like seasonal decor.