Holiday

[pinky ann]

Hi Twinny! It's nice to see you too! Your decorations sound very,very pretty! I love the idea of three smaller trees. Our DS wants me to abandon the big tree and just use the one I made in ceramics many years ago. I can see his point, but would like to wait a bit to do that. I hope you'll post a few pictures if you're able. Thank you for posting! pinky

[Mominohio]

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@goldensrbest wrote:

I sure do miss the years in which i decorated our home, miss my son,and husband the way life was ,just myself and 3 dogs,they don't care .

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@goldensrbest

I understand how you feel. My mother was a widow at 43, and we children left home just two years later. 

She never remarried, and never wanted to do holidays or decorating for them again. She made feeble attempts for another couple of years, but went decades and did nothing. No baking, no decorating, just coming to our homes for the holidays. 

Just a couple of years ago, she regained some interest (35 years after her loss) in bringing the holiday back into her home, even though alone. She had given away all the old decor, so bought some new things that interested her, and has had some fun doing things, just for herself the last couple of years. 

Perhaps some day, in some way, you may find your way back to enjoying some seasonal decor things. I'm glad you have your pups, they are the best therapy I've ever found.

[Mominohio]

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@ValuSkr wrote:

In recent years, I intended to keep Christmas decor simple and understated.  I do most of it the week after Thanksgiving.  Then, in the ensuing three or four weeks, I end up putting out more and more things that i want to display..  In the end, it's neither simple nor understated and I'm happy to put everything away after Christmas.  Crazy.

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@ValuSkr

You have described many of us...exactly.

It all begins so simple, innocent and controlled. Then, day by day, piece by piece, it snowballs out of control. 

Some years, the end result looks like the North Pole exploded! 

[Mominohio]

I will add, that since my son grew up, I felt I could let go of decorating the ENTIRE house, and focus on just the main living areas. 

When he was little, I wanted to do things in his room (which he loved), the bathroom, the hallway upstairs etc. 

It feels more controlled (I think it is just an illusion though) now that I have stopped doing those areas and focus on just the living room, dining room and family room. 

The kitchen gets seasonal dishes/serveware, and one vignette on the counter. 

I think there is actually more stuff than back then, but it seems more controlled since it isn't spread over so many rooms.

[Mominohio]

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@traveler wrote:

yes. Trying to donate ornaments and all.  No minor children in my life and adult men don't seem to care.

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What is it with adult men? I have a couple that it seems to be the same with. 

I seriously considered doing absolutely nothing this year for Thanksgiving or Christmas. No decor, no baking, no meals, no nothing. Not as punishment, but to see if they might actually miss what I do. 

I confess, I've chickened out. I don't know if I can stand not doing, regardless of what they think (or don't think) about it. 

[Bridgegal]

I gave away about 6 large boxes of xmas decorations about 5 years ago.  We put up a tree, hang stockings and put out a few things inside, but do less each year.  It's just the two of us and while we love decorating we just don't care to do as much as we used to.   

[Fiero Woman]

I am going all out.  It makes me happy.  It is just me and my four furbabies and my flying squirrels.

[pinky ann]

@Bridgegal  It's nice that you're still decorating. Do what feels right for your DH and yourself. I also pared down a lot over the past few years, and I'm happy to have done so. Enjoy yourself getting your decorating done. It sounds like you have a great plan of what works. Thank you for posting! 

@Fiero Woman  Have a wonderful time with your holiday decorating! It's so fun to see a home all decked out, and I know I appreciate all of the work that it takes. If you're able to, I hope you'll post some pictures of your things. Thanks for your post! pinky

[pinky ann]

@Mominohio  So glad you're still going to decorate. I can't imagine you not doing so. My own DH does notice things, as well as DS. However, my son feels it's time for me to do much less even that I've planned, since the youngest in our family is 20 years old and would rather I just relax. I do consider all the things my family mentions as far as doing less, as I know DH especially worries that I'll do too much, and then not be able to enjoy it.

  I'm sure your family would really miss how beautiful you make your home. It's also nice to read that your mom is back to enjoying some decorations too, after a long time of not being interested. It's hard to imagine not having your spouse, and I wonder how I'd react in that situation... I'll be starting after Thanksgiving as you are, and will certainly be looking forward to seeing evreryones picutures. I love to see others homes, and am very grateful that so many posters are willing to share their places here. Take care!  pinky

[jannabelle1]

I definitely decorate less - much less! I ended up with all decorations after a divorce some years ago, and thankfully my now DH helped me realize I had more than I could possibly use in our smaller town house. So - the vast majority of it was donated. It was hard at the time to do that, but since then I haven't regretted it. I'm now a minimalist. A very small tree, a few candles, a Santa from my childhood and a wreath on the door! With no basement it's just too difficult to get boxes down from the garage rafters, so less is better for me.