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One Minute In The Christmas Season Of 2016, Or, Saturday Morning at 10:13am

What?

Just browsing warm white pre-lit outdoor cone Christmas trees. Four feet tall or thereabouts preferred.

You?

37 Responses

  1. The only Christmas-related item is that I got my youngest to send me some pictures of himself. My favorite is taken inside a cave in New Mexico, looking toward the mouth. But it’s not really suitable for a Christmas letter because he’s barely visible among the boulders.

  2. We put up our Christmas tree in the last two days. I have one layer of ornaments on it (my treasured 30s and 40s glass ornaments). I managed to break two of them during the decorating process as they hit the wood floor. I’ll be decorating the fireplace mantel and getting out my childhood creche. Maybe a wreath on the door too.

  3. I spent a happy and successful morning at local non-profit bazaars: Griggstown Historical Society’s “Greens and Goodies” sale in “the old schoolhouse,” and the St Nicholas Bazaar at Trinity Church (just down Nassau St from your alma mater).

    Picked up a first published edition (1913) of Henry Adams’ “Mont Saint Michel and Chartres” (a great gift for our architectural historian daughter), a fake fur shrug for our 12-yr-old grandaughter, a special treat-hiding box for our grandson “made in the USSR” – not to mention sterling napkin rings engraved with “Kay” and “Bing” for hubby Ted and self at the silent auction – we’ll play at being Kay Kendall and Bing Crosby for Christmas dinner!

    “Tis the season – enjoy!

    1. @Victoire, Oh this sounds spectacular and so Christmassy. And those are some serious holiday finds. I can smell the cold East Coast air as I write.

  4. I nearly chickened out of a holiday cookie exchange until I found the perfect recipe to make five dozen holiday cookies in one of Ina Garten’s cookbooks. Now I can accept the invitation without stressing out. My tree is decorated. The wreaths and lights outside are up. Still have to write out the Christmas cards, hang the stockings, put out the embroidered holiday hand towels, finishing gift shopping and wrap gifts. Phew! Enjoy your weekend!

    1. @Jane, Oh gosh I’ve done nothing at all yet! Except buy some things from the decorating post I wrote, and send out the email with the Christmas draw list. If I can do one thing of value this year, let me assure everyone that I do nothing early and still whatever needs to get done gets done!

  5. Just sat down to begin browsing white bras. My beloved front closure Wacoal underwire gave me a boobie blood-blister! I am NOT kidding. Didn’t even feel it happening, but upon undressing had quite the shock. All you small breasted ladies, rejoice. Tissue-changes for the abundantly endowed are no fun. Guess one must take solace in boobie health if not boobie firmness. Happy Weekend people!

    1. @Rosie, I thank you for reminding everyone that it’s not Christmas all the time! And for some people it’s not Christmas ever! But underwear we all gotta have underwear!

  6. Put up a fresh pine wreath on the front door, and browsing recipes for Chicken Shepherd’s Pie and Beef Pot Pie in Cook’s Illustrated All-Time Best Winter Recipes I just picked up at Whole Foods this morning. Thinking about serving a meat pie of some sort for Christmas Eve dinner….mmmmm!

  7. I finished the filling for mince pies…sultanas raisins, cranberries with spices, sugar, apples, butter and brandy..slow cooked for 3 hours. Now my house smells of Christmas.

  8. Well, let’s see…I have the Christmas decoration boxes down from the storage under the eaves…They are in the living room…The little lights that would have been candles 100 years ago are now in the floor by the appropriate windows…I have the cookbooks opened to Christmas recipes…My cards are all on the kitchen desk waiting to be moved to the next step which is writing a message…The wreath is propped up by the door ready to be moved to the hanger on the door…This house is just too, too ready…for some lazy person to complete each task…
    Lazy person has retired with a tea and watching Gilmore Girls…
    Hey, you can’t rush these things…Ethel

    1. @Deede, Work in process, as they say. Lucy hasn’t done much of anything this year, so I assume her last minute flurry will be quite amusing;).

  9. Made some citrus cranberry cookie dough this morning and popped it in the fridge to bake another day…whipped down to the wool shop to get more yarn to knit gifts for the grandchildren and family. After a walk looking at Xmas lights I am knitting like a crazy woman!
    Love the sound of that tree…did you buy it?
    Pictures please.

  11. Just got home after a long day traveling — and home, as you know, is one I’ve only lived in for two weeks after a big lifestyle upheaval this spring/summer. No idea what we’ll manage for Christmas this year or what boxes the decorations might be in (of the few I decided to keep). But we’re having the kids over for brunch in a few hours (I’m writing this in wee hours, jet-lagged, can’t sleep) and I suspect that will help remind us of what’s important to the season. Plus I’m having such fun sharing my photos of festive windows — perhaps those can be my ephemeral decorations this year. . . .We’ll see. I love reading everyone’s comments — some are so wonderfully organised for the season!

    2. @Frances/Materfamilias, Welcome home. And I imagine all the kids and grandkids will make it actually feel more like home. But take it easy, jetlag is a cruel cruel mistress. xoxox. If it helps, I haven’t done anything except buy a new baby Jesus that is sitting lonely on my credenza waiting for its mama and famglia.

  12. Gifts almost bought
    Musing about outdoor lamps-they might be still ok (or not!)
    Love your” maybe or not” tree,Lisa!
    Next week I’m going to decorate the tree
    I’m cooking for Christmas Eve ( monkfish brudetto +polenta ,chocolate cake ) + Boxing day lunch with friends (Foie gras au confit naturel dans sa grasse,as hors d’oeuvres, is my contribution)
    But:
    Sparkling wine with friends this morning, and
    red Amaryllis and Ilex berries in my big vase- the ultimate sign that Christmas time could begin for me!
    Dottoressa

  14. I always get to answer late because of the time delay in getting the blog notice, but anyhow, here’s my late contribution to the Ladies Xmas Prep Club:
    Put up the tree while playing traditional Xmas carols; drank 3/4 bottle of prosecco; stood my gold reindeer by the tree to protect the presents of which I have begun to purchase but not wrapped yet; hung 2 wreaths: one on the gate to my patio, a beautiful large pale driftwood creation (the wreath, not the gate), and a traditional red berry holly and ivy one on the front door of our apartment (fake but expensive fake); sent off all but one of my Xmas cards; and the nicest thing of all – hubster came home from a trip to the hardware store with a long long chain of led fairy lights (500?), which he put up out side (using proper hooks) in our patio area. They have different settings – we have them on the slow glow/turning off and then back to slow glow – just divine. He is not one for gifts, certainly not surprise gifts and this has been and probably will be the highlight of my yuletide – an unexpected sweet turn. No cookies, but if I did, they would be gingerbread stars, maybe this week, depends on how much Prosecco is left. I like you Lisa, am prepping my home, hearth and heart for a lovely 24 hours of homecoming from my kids and their partners. The best alternative to Xmas guest towels are some at Kmart: 2 for $5? I’ve been in there twice in recent days, and have toyed with buying them but they’re really not good quality. Oh yes, I also put a ‘professional’ no fuss small tree on the counter top of my office (I am the on-site manager at our apartment complex) with 2 small wooden reindeer, a fox and a squirrel. The wooden set cost $4 at Kmart. A small piece of Xmas whimsy, if no-one else likes it, I do. Season’s Blessings to you and All our blog community here xxxxxx

    1. @Tracey, The Ladies’ Xmas Prep Club welcomes you and applauds your woodland animal decor. We must take our whimsy where we find it, and celebrate it.

  15. Decorated the outside of our house today. White-lighted wreaths, a floodlight on the front door, and a pretty porch tableau. Why is it so much easier than the inside, for me? Maybe because it’s finite, while the inside seems never quite done. Tomorrow that’s my job! Merry Christmas, Lisa and all.

  16. Couldn’t read this til now because when you posted it, I was at dress rehearsal for my choral group’s holiday concert which we gave yesterday. Our great director had the presience to put together a program of lovely music around the theme, Songs of Peace. The most joyful and hopeful pieces I’ve ever sung, including a Celtic arrangement of Silent Night as the finale. We take our show on the road to senior/assisted living homes several nights this week. The Spirit of Christmas Present rules!

  18. My daughter decorated the tree and then relocated all fragile ornaments to the top third as the one year old kitten is still kittenish enough to think they are his personal playthings. Set up stuff in entry hall and am wondering if small polar bear is completely counter culture in Australia but don’t care because he looks charming peeping out from behind the lamps!

    Also hoping you’ll do another Christmas book recommendation post – I got so many good (and unexpected reads) out of your list last year.

    1. @amanda, We must celebrate the polar bears, no matter how or where. And I’m glad you liked last year’s book post – yes, I’ll gladly do another one.

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