Tara Tuesdays - Part 31

Feeling Festive

I am FINALLY starting to get just a wee bit excited about Christmas! Although the radio at work has been playing Christmas tunes since mid November I haven't let this put me off! My village has really got into the spirit of Christmas as we have several real Christmas trees up above the pub and some of the local shops as well as in the lime trees that line the path from the village shop to the old Post Office. We did well as we have a 20 foot tree right next to our house, get in! The lights were officially turned on last weekend and there was a carol service and mulled wine which I am sure was fab, I was however seeing my beloved at Brighton which you already know about!

I had my work Christmas doo on Friday at High Rocks which was fantastic! I honestly can't remember the last time I danced so much! My feet were KILLING me yesterday mind! And I was so tired yesterday I went to bed early and forgot to take out my lenses and wondered why my eyes were stuck together when I woke up this morning.... that will teach me!

We got our Christmas wreath for the front door last weekend which Kerrie from Highgate Florist and Growers made for us. As usual it looks great, as does her shop at the moment, so festive and inviting, every time I go in I want to buy ALL OF IT!

I still have lots to do including writing and posting cards, buying and wrapping presents, making reindeers (will there ever be an end in sight with them!), food shopping and and and! We are at home this year but everything has to be "just so" or the world will end! Ridiculous really but every year is the same! Hubby has been great and has been wrapping the family and friends presents for me which is a huge help! Yesterday morning was spent rearranging the WHOLE living room JUST to get the tree in! I love having a real tree, the smell is just gorgeous! Sofas and furniture were moved around and the room was dusted and cleaned to within an inch of it's life. The 7 foot tree that we had ordered was about 2 feet bigger than our order so we had to chop some off from the top. However, Father Christmas hides it well and looks rather cool perched on top I think!

I love the colour red and have gone for a red theme this year with some silver too! I love looking through the decorations as I always forget what I have until I open the box again! We had a bit of a panic with the lights as some no longer work and one broke off. Why is it that they are carefully taken down on 12th night and put away safely but that there is always a broken bulb or some damage in the time that they are hidden away?!

Anyway, back to the tree. I decided to put the little knitted stockings on the tree rather than as a garland for my fireplace and also found one of my knitted reindeers from last year that has pride of place! We have some silver bells without the ringers (!) that Hubby's Grandad made before he was born that we have inherited plus some red icicles that we bought in Prague years ago as well as some red glass drops that are from Lewes. We also have 3 Venetian glass baubles that came from Hubby's parents too plus some handmade hearts that I made a few years ago! I think my favourite decorations are the wooden horses (funny that) that have bells for their feet! A lovely gift one year from my Mum-in-law.

Not content with just the one tree (oh no) we have a fake tree in our dining room too which I like to call the homemade tree as pretty much everything on it has been made by me or I have purchased from friends.

So, all that remains now on the decorating side is to get the garland which is coming on Saturday week and I will be done, it's just the rest of the preparations to get on top of now!

Even the Dalek has gotten into the spirit! I draw the line at tinsel but though "oh go on then" when I saw him!!!!