Average Jane's Perfunctory Decorating

Last night I put up and decorated my Christmas tree.  Even though I have three trash bags full of wreaths and garlands, and a huge tub full of other Christmas decorations, I decided to stop with the tree.  well, I did hang the little fake ball of mistletoe over the kitchen door, but that was it.

Don't get me wrong, I love having the house decorated.  It's just that it's an awful lot of trouble to drag everything out, put it up and then undo it all after a month.  I enjoy looking at the sparkly tree in the evening, but I think that's enough.

Instead of fussing with fake holly swags, I'm going to concentrate my holiday energies on other festivities.  As usual, this is leading to a list:

• On Friday, my department at work is having a potluck.  I've volunteered to make a cheesecake, which will need to be done no later than Wednesday evening so it'll have time to cure.
• As long as I'm baking, I think I'll make and put together a gingerbread house.  My niece is coming over this weekend to accompany me to a party my community service group is throwing for the residents of a nursing home, and decorating the gingerbread house would be a good activity for later in the day.
• I'm hosting at least three parties this season:  a candle party because a friend of mine sells them, my semi-annual cookie exchange party, and a "Crappy Claymation Fest" featuring such holiday classics as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "The Year Without A Santa Claus."

With all that on my plate, you can see that decorating is the least of my concerns.  The tree is festive enough for the company I'll have and it's easy to disassemble and stuff back in its box on New Year's weekend.  (We won't talk about when I might eventually get around to taking down the outdoor Christmas lights.  Summer is a good goal, don't you think?)

So which way do you lean when it comes to holiday decorating?  Over-the-top, every-nook-and-cranny decorating, something more minimalist, or perhaps none at all?

Comments

[pharmgirl]

I, too, ended up with extras that didn't get put up, but that's OK. I did shame my husband for grousing about putting the tree up, though. My daughter was so excited that when he got just the lights up, she laid on her belly, gazing up at the tree with a big grin. I said "See there? Childhood memories in the making. Fake it, for God's sake!". He agreed.

[Stacie]

I'm a minimalist. I tape the cards we get to our front door (which is steel) and a 4 ft. tree. Between the kids and the dogs, a full size tree just doesn't work. It sits nicely on a table and keeps sticky fingers (or tails) away.

Last year, I bought outdoor lights, but no one hung them. That's okay. This year, I outlined the inside of my livingroom picture window with lights. The living room has a nice glow and we enjoy the neighbors' outdoor lights.

[cagey]

I love doing the tree and I have a collection of candles. I guess I am loving the candles even more this year, knowing it will be much harder to have them around with a toddler looming in my Christmas Horizon next year.

[xiaonanok]

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