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DAY TEN QUESTION

Do you decorate for the holidays? Do you have a themed tree? Share pics! Do you think there is such thing as OVER decorating?

I don’t decorate. We did twice I think but I go out of town most years for a few weeks so I’m not even around for the holidays. Jacob’s first Christmas we put a 30 year old fake tree up because everyone was on my ass about ‘doing it right’ but after that I just didn’t bother.

Our dinky tree in our old house.

Since I wasn’t going out of town last year, we decided to buy a real tree. I love the way they smell and since Christmas was at my house, I had to put it up. I have a wreath somewhere I usually put on the front door, but haven’t yet and probably won’t. Other than the tree, I don’t put anything else up.

It’s not because I hate the season or anything, I just hate clutter. With 2 kids running around, I don’t want to have to freak out about them hurting themselves or something I own just to make the house festive for a few weeks. I LOVE going to other people’s homes and seeing how they decorate. My mother’s place is my favorite place to be.

As a kid, my step-dad Griswolded the house big time. If someone asked where I lived, I simply had to say “you know that house in Lakeland (NY) that does it up every Christmas? That’s mine.” He built a life size Santa and ALL the reindeer and had them going across the side of the house. He built a HUGE manger and displayed the nativity scene in our front yard. My family doesn’t do things small, that’s for sure. He even put a flag pole up and had the North Star at the top and strings of lights coming down to the manger.

The manger in the front yard

Inside the house, you’d find the biggest tree you could imagine. One year it was so big we had to tether it to the ceiling so it wouldn’t fall and crush someone. Around the tree is a train set that goes around, making sounds and even has steam coming out of the top! Since we’ve grown up, my parents have switched from the enormous real trees to just a giant fake one. It’s still a sight to behold!

My mom's tree

I absolutely don’t believe one can overdecorate. I love seeing what people do with their homes. I just don’t do it myself. Last year, we woke up at 8 and had breakfast and opened the last of the gifts by 9. I had the tree down and out the door by noon. I figured Christmas was done, I was 7 months pregnant and I was on a mission.

I even decorated Jacob that year! (My mommy holding him for me)

I’m excited about heading to my moms for the holidays. I love living in the south, but there really is meaning behind that white Christmas. When you look out the window Christmas Eve and see the flakes of snow falling around the manger as cars stop to pray (which they do, we had to chain baby Jesus to the ground so the neighborhood punks don’t get frisky), the spirit of the season shines through.