Christmas Decorating Traditions

BerryBaby · 12-01-2007, 11:26 AM

I've covered the other Christmas topics, so why not decorating?

Do you have a tradition when it comes to decorating? I do the bannister in different themes each year.

Yesterday I bought a ton of the new LED lights. Had ordered some on-line for more $$'s than I should have. Found them for half price at the drugstore! Who would have thought?

I will do the walkway up the front door with lights on both sides of the sidewalk. Have a beautiful wreath that I made on the door. Also bought a Rosemary plant, shaped like a tree, for the big pot by the front door. I'm going to put red shiny ornaments on it.

So many people on our block not only have their lights up, but on! Seems too early for me. December 15th is early enough.

Food Network Fan · 12-01-2007, 12:12 PM

We do, but I am not getting to do a lot of them this year, hopefully next year I will be ready to go downstairs with more room after the remodel. We have a little cloth Christmas tree my son has been asking for today because it has a calendar with Santa you move each day. I got it from Avon when my daughter was in preschool. Both kids have had their turn at moving it each day for many years now.

BerryBaby · 12-02-2007, 12:08 PM

Just read an interesting article about the new LED Christmas lights. Had no idea how we are polluting the air with the traditional lights.

Interestingly, I bought all new LED lights year. They are SPENDY but are suppose be better for the environment, use less energy and last longer.

Has anyone else heard about them? They also shine MUCH brighter. I couldn't believe the difference.

Not putting up the outside lights until next week. It just seems too early, although our neighborhood is lite like an airport runway!!!

Food Network Fan · 12-02-2007, 12:28 PM

I got some little pearl shaped lights the other day. I didn't even look at what makes them work. I tend to think about that the same way I do all the other scares they try to get us with. Just like the food warnings we were talking about. I remember in elementary school they told us we would be completely out of fossil fuels in 10 years. That was 30 years ago and we still have now and more for the future.

They need to quit crying wolf so often, they have soured me on believing any of these "warnings".

BerryBaby · 12-02-2007, 04:58 PM

The LED lights do save energy. I just bought them for that reason.

Didn't read about the air pollution thing until this morning.

I remember when we were kids, and I mean the mid-1950's, John Daly, who use to be a game show host, was on a commercial for clean water. He would say, "America is running short of water, clean water that is" and then go into the pollution of the water sources (rivers, lakes, etc.)

Well, it's over 50 years later and the issues are still the same. We didn't run out of clean water, but the waterways have become even more polluted.

Time goes on and the problems still remain or have gotten worse 50+ years later.

BerryBaby · 12-08-2007, 12:10 PM

Yesterday a friend of mine was in town for the day.
I had wanted to go see the chocolate village that one particular hotel does every year. The chefs start working on it in July. Absolutely amazing!

Anyway, while we were there, we soaked in all the sites of their Christmas decorations. Just beautiful! So, I thought, why not go to all the hotels along the way and look at their decorations?

What a treat it was to see all the different styles of decorating. We decided that she would come up to Portland next year and this would be our special tradition.

Food Network Fan · 12-09-2007, 01:03 AM

I bet that was nice. I hear somewhere in North Carolina they have a big Gingerbread display this time of year.

BerryBaby · 12-09-2007, 06:16 PM

Can't wait to get the tree up and start decorating. It will take days before I am done but that's ok. No holiday parties until next week. Have plenty of time.

Decorated the family room yesterday, the outside and have the bannister done. Just need the tree and it is all ready to enjoy.

While I was outside stringing the lights yesterday I heard jingle bells. I looked up and coming down the street was a beautiful horse draw buggy (it had only two wheels).

The horse was all decked out in jingle bells and ribbons. A woman and two small children were in the buggy. What a Norman Rockwell moment that was...so added to the ambiance of decorating and the holiday. All that was missing was the snow.

BerryBaby · 12-12-2007, 07:07 PM

Just put the tree up and it is great. Won't decorate until tomorrow. Will give it a day to open up as it was bundled with twine.

Next week is my holiday party for the ladies that I exercise with. Can't wait to get in the kitchen and cook! The menu keeps on changing, as does the number of attendees. Think I'm up to about 20 people and those are the ones I know are coming. Doesn't matter. If we run out of food (which we probably won't), I'll just order pizzas!