Christmas decorating 2018

Over the weekend, we put the finishing touches on our Christmas decorations this year. Like this year, it was a process. LOL. We put our tree up the weekend of Thanksgiving, only to have the top 1/3 of the lights go out after a couple of days. This is not a pre-lit tree... it is a tree that I inherited when I moved out on my own in 2003. We add our own strands of lights. Then yesterday morning, I noticed that a strand near the bottom was also out. URGGHHH. I tried changing out fuses, lights, etc. Finally, I said okay and took ALL the ornaments off and the garland and took the broken lights off. Off to Walmart to buy more. I redid the lights, Bill and I put the garland back on, and the kids and I put the ornaments back on. Every ornament has some meaning to us! If more lights go out, well it will stay that way....LOL So, here is Christmas Tree 2018 (Version 2.0)!

The kids also got to put their small trees up in their bedrooms this weekend. We did have to get Rebecca some more ornaments for hers as we can't find hers anywhere.

I didn't put a lot of other decorations out this year. I put my nativity front and center on our mantel and then put my traditional Santas on one side and my Irish Santas that I inherited from my Grandma on the other. I think it turned out pretty nice looking.

I also only put down a couple of stuffed bears at the bottom of the tree this year for the babysitting kids to play with, instead of the 20-30 that typically go under there.

Bill and Rebecca also finished the outside lights yesterday. Again, it was a process. They started 2 weeks ago, only to not be able to find our outdoor extension cords. So Bill bought 2 more, but hasn't had time to complete it with his work schedule. Well yesterday he was going to put the rest of the lights up, only to discover that 3 of the 4 strands of big lights didn't work. At first, he told me not to worry about getting more, but then I decided we wouldn't be happy if we didn't so off to Walmart again (for the third time!) I went to get more lights for outside. Once I was back home, Bill and Rebecca finished the lights outside and I have to say they look wonderful.

So simple, but cozy and just feels right for this year.