And the Christmas Season Begins!

Our Thanksgiving was small, but very cozy and lovely. It's funny isn't it that it is the same amount of work if you have four people or twenty four? We kicked things off with Christmas Cosmos, which were amazing. It is a regular Cosmo cocktail with crushed peppermint around the rim.

The day after recovering from our turkey coma, it was time to put away all the lovely fall decor. It is my favorite season to decorate, and I may have more items than strictly necessary to celebrate autumn.

That took a few trips out to our garage storage cupboards. Thank goodness we have a wagon.

I won't show you all my Christmas decor just yet because it is a work in progress. We spent the whole weekend getting things out and sorting through things to decide what we wanted where. Unfortunately, our main Christmas tree had an entire section of lights that no longer work. That tree cost a fortune and my husband spent hours trying to figure out what was wrong. I think we are going to have to come up with a new tree.

This is my dining table centerpiece. The glass trees are Waterford crystal, and are no longer made. I had a red one which I enjoyed for years and last year my husband surprised me with the clear one and the green one, which he found on eBay. When the light hits them, they glow as if lit from within. Truly exquisite. 

This small tree I put next to my reading chair in our front room/libary. Over the years we have collected a few Waterford Christmas ornaments and this little tree displays them all together. It is best viewed close up, so you may want to enlarge the photo. I truly enjoy this little tree so much. 

So far, Archie has not caused any disasters, but I did catch him biting the end of the garland on my buffet, which hangs down low enough for him to reach. If he had tugged on it, as I think he was planning to, many things that I have cherished for years would have ended up on the floor. We need to up our dog-proofing game. 

In other news, our son, as you know, lives in Dublin, Ireland. On Thanksgiving (which of course the Irish do not celebrate) there was a large civil disobedience occurrence (a riot) downtown. A city train was burned, a double-decker bus was burned, as well as at least one police car. As it happened right at commute time, Ahren was caught in the middle of things. He had to walk about 5 miles until he could find a taxi cab driver who would pick him up and take him home. What an embarrassment for Dublin, and Ireland as a whole. Disgraceful. 

Let's all hope for better things in 2024. Hope you had a great weekend! surrounded by family and good food on the table. 

Comments

[Erin]

You must be so relieved that your son is all right. How frightening!
Your decor is so lovely! I can't wait to see all of your Christmas decor! Those Waterford trees are wonderful!
My husband (aka Clark Griswold) is so excited about getting the attic full of Christmas decorations down and strewn through the house. I'm more reserved, since I know how much work it is to put it all away!
Enjoy the season!

[Mary]

I'm glad Ahren was fine, but how upsetting it must have been to be in that situation. As a mom, I'm sure it was nerve wracking for you as well.

Your decorating is so beautiful. And the Waterford trees! How exceptionally beautiful. I'd be scared to death to use them; I'm glad, though, that you do. Pretty things are meant to be enjoyed.

Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[Pamela Dempsey]

Oh, what beautiful decorations! Autumn 🍂 is my favorite season too, we have survived the awful heat of a Texas summer and Halloween 🎃 kicks off all the holidays 🥰. Love your crystal trees! I was so hot and tired once thanksgiving dinner was ready that I really didn’t have an appetite 🤣, don’t want to do that again….

[Pam D]

Your small tree by your reading chair is one of the most elegant I've ever seen. When the picture is enlarged, the lights make the glass shine beautifully. So very lovely. Enjoy the Christmas season!

[Dianne]

Nicole. Your decorating is always exquisite. The Waterford trees are very lovely. Your husband did good on those two new ones. Looking forward to seeing the other decorations.
Dianne

[Margaret]

Have you tried looking for a YouTube video to fix your tree? My husband seems to find all kinds of solutions there.
I, too, love the autumn decorations, and leave them up as long as I can.

[Jan]

That's scary news from Ahren. So happy he's safe after his harrowing experience! Decorating with a puppy in the house is a challenge. We put the tree on a table for at least the first year & with the two younger pups, it was a second year just to be on the safe side. After that they considered the tree skirt a nice spot for a nap, but left everything on the tree alone. Could you add a string of lights to it rather than the expense of a new tree? I think those Waterford trees are gorgeous & so unusual! Extra husband points for finding the last two!

[Dona Zarosinski]

I love the small Waterford tree…inspires me to do a few trees! I have a tiny sewing room tree and a sweet kitchen tree with miniature cooking themed item…tiny copper pans …mini Starbucks mugs..tiny rolling pins and cookie cutters. Our regular tree wil be a table top size set away from Mr. Right’s corner of the couch…his “office”!…keeping his allergies at bay perhaps. In a few days!! I have an “early Christmas “ box that starts me off slowly…advent calendars and stockings first. I try to spread out the decorating and enjoy the bits and pieces. Glad your son is OK…frightening, I’m sure.

[Dona Zarosinski]

I am also hunting all over for a comfortable reading/napping chair for our bedroom…where I can escape from the
Korean soap operas to which Mr. Right is currently addicted!! Any suggestions?

[Ina]

I read about this in the newspaper. it's the same hatefulness going on everywhere. any excuse to be destructive and scare people. we are living in scary times.

I don't recognize your Waterford tree...I've been reading your blog a long time and that one looked unfamiliar. the addition of the red and green one are just beautiful.

[sue s]

Your decorations are very pretty. The Archie-discoveries will go on for awhile! We always put non-glass ornaments on the bottom of our tree when we had dogs; those tails were a problem even as they got older! I am glad your son was okay. Scary.

[Anita]

How scary for Ahren and you worrying about him! Luckily he got home okay. Love the decorations, you’re lucky you have a husband who likes decorating- mine wants to toss or sell all my stuff 😳