If you’ve already decorated your house for Christmas and your tree is glittering from the corner with presents tucked lovingly beneath, then—while I really, really hate to do this, and it hurts me more than you know—we can no longer be friends.
I find your level of perfection and preparedness irritatingly . . . well, irritating, and I must remove myself from your presence so that I can somehow look at myself in the mirror again without wanting to retch.
; )
Seriously, though…
How many of you already have everything either draped, wrapped, or hung by the chimney with care?
Deb Raney, I already know you do! I spied your pics on Facebook and your house looks lovely—even though this means we can’t be friends anymore. Oh, and btw, thanks for letting me “borrow” your picture above. Your house really does look beautiful. 🙂
While the decorating part is fun, and the parties are great, this time of year always makes me more grateful for friends and family. And this past weekend at Off Broadway, I was made especially grateful!
Kelsey, my daughter, and I were doing some quick boot shopping this past Sunday afternoon, when a woman walked up to me and asked me if I liked the boots she was trying on. Without even really looking at her, I immediately looked down at her boots and said, “Yes, those are really cute!”
Then she said, “Tammy? Tammy Alexander?”
I looked up again, and—with mouth hanging open, yet somehow still able to talk—said, “Paula? Paula Payne?!”
Paula and I hadn’t seen each other in nearly 25 years. But bless her, she somehow still recognized me (she hasn’t changed a bit!), and we had such fun catching up with each other. We have plans to do lunch, too, the next time she’s in town. Love you, Paula! And I love how God weaves us in and out of each other’s lives.
I’m also grateful for my father-in-law, Fred, and his wife Jan who came and stayed with us recently. Fred has always loved motorcycles, and he must have somehow passed along that affinity to my son, Kurt. Because Kurt recently bought one (insert a mother’s heartfelt prayers for safety here). What other moms among us have motorcycle-riding sons?
Three generations of Alexander men
My father-in-law, Fred, Joe (my husband), and our son Kurt
Love these guys!
I’m grateful for these coupons I recently ran across again, too…
When the kids were younger, we’d bribe encourage them toward a certain goal by offering them coupons if they achieved it. And these are some of those coupons. If memory serves, we also used them as stocking stuffers. I don’t think the kids ever realized that these were activities we usually did anyway, LOL. Getting a coupon seemed to make it more special, somehow.
I had to shake my head, though, at the “let Mom know one day in advance” stipulation. Gracious, I was controlling. Notice the was. I’m all better now.
So, while I have not one strand of lights hung, nor is a sprig of spruce embedded anywhere in my carpet, not to mention not a single, solitary silver icicle (does anyone even sell those anymore?) is draped anywhere—I’m grateful December is here.
Because it’s yet another time to reflect on Jesus Christ and how he came to live among us—fully God, fully man—and the incredible sacrifice he made to ransom us from sin. And it’s a time to be with loved ones. Both those near and those who God, in his mercy and great delight, will bring near again.
So no matter that I’ve not started decorating yet, it’s already beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Have you started decorating? Or are you already done (ack!)? Go ahead and tell me now, so I can start missing you. : )
Hugs from Nashville,
Tamera
Tamera Alexander
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Love the coupons. I have started decorating. room is a bomb site. the tree is up but not finished. I am doing a little at a time. My little village is up. I will be alone for Christmas so probably not have many if any presents under the tree. I have however put the Christmas music on my mp3 player to listen to it on my walks each morning.
Ausjenny, since you’re taking the decorating at such a measured pace, we can still be buds. 😉 I’ve always thought those little Christmas villages are so pretty. You said you’ll be alone for Christmas, but I’m praying God has something different in mind. As we know, He loves to bless his children. Yet above all, I pray you’ll be aware of his presence this season in a way that you haven’t been before—the same I’m praying for me and my family. After all, growing closer to him, being made more in Christ’s image, is what it’s all about. Love you, friend.
Thanks Tamara, I am ok with being alone. I do go to church Christmas day and I remember what its all about. I have a dvd I am saving for the day. The wreath is now up. still a bomb site! I only have a small village but I like it.
My gosh, this is too funny! I can be your friend! I have decorated but I only do very little, and since we get a real tree, it is not up yet. I have two little ones in diapers so I have no idea when I will wrap gifts. I, too, am irritated by all the over-achievers! I am with you, Tammy!
Yes! Under-achievers UNITE! ; ) Hugs, Courtney!
Spurred by new neighbors with an adorable little red headed boy, I decorated the front porch and my office (it’s in the front of the house) but that’s it. I’ve got a book launch this week, so if the tree gets up and the presents get wrapped, it will be the work of elves. 😃
Totally with you, Ane. And blessings on that book launch this week! Watching for the elves!
It’s true. I’m also glad December is here. I haven’t done any decorating yet (still recuperating from having everyone over for Thanksgiving ), but doesn’t mean I’m not in the spirit. December is the time to remember the true meaning of Christmas – the joy of the birth of Christ, our Savior. Every year, my goal is to not get so caught up in the decorating, the shopping and the things to do, but truly focus on Him. Sometimes, I need to be reminded. Thank you for this post. A nice reminder for the start of this blessed month.
Amen, and amen, Annie. So well said. Thanks for sharing today!
After the guests left on Thanksgiving night I changed the tablecloth and runner to Christmas and there it is. Hope to start soon but am busy with plans to leave for Peru next week. We return just before Christmas and the families’ arrival so wonder how the decorations will go up? I do hope it happens though because it is so fun to share the atmosphere with the kids and grandson.
Yes, I do have a son who uses his motorcycle for transportation in MN. So hope it is parked for the winter!
Thanks for sharing about your trip, Jen. Praying for you now, as you prep for Peru, and for the blessing you’ll be when you’re there. Hope that motorcycle is parked too! 🙂
It snowed here before Thanksgiving, so the kids and I were in the Christmas mood. We decided to decorate the buffet before Thanksgiving and put the tree up the day after Thanksgiving. We don’t have the stockings up yet(we need to finish sheetrocking the wall) but soon we will hang those.
Whew, okay good, Beth. The stockings aren’t up yet. We’re still friends. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Loved this post, Tammy. And I’m happy to say our friendship is intact – – although we do have the tree up (thanks to son-in-law and husband helping) I still need to decorate it (which I LOVE doing!). But that is ALL I’ve done so far, because “CatMom” is fostering two adorable, orphan kittens (yes, IN my house) and I’m *hoping* the live tree won’t be too tempting for them (especially after it’s decorated – – using only shatterproof ornaments this year–no special ones). 🙁 And yes, I do still have my five sweet adult cats, who are being quite patient with these new little furballs, LOL.
That is SO special that you saw a long-time friend while shopping – – I love when things like that happen. 🙂 And I’m joining you in prayers for safety for your son and his new motorcycle!
Sending hugs from Georgia, Patti Jo
p.s. Hope my kitty-comments didn’t make you sneeze! 😉
I DID sneeze as I read your comment, Patti Jo, but not due to the precious kitties. Joe so kindly gave me his cold he had over Thanksgiving. Talk about oversharing! :} Much love, friend, and hope that tree stays vertical!
We’re leaving Dallas on the 20th to spend Christmas with my family in California, so I was motivated to haul the Christmas decorations down from the attic on Sunday afternoon so that we could enjoy them for as long as possible before we fly off.
Alas, the tree only has one strand of working lights strung around the bottom and zero ornaments. The greenery is lying in a heap on the back porch. The lights aren’t hung out front. At the moment we’re halfway-Christmas-decorated-and-fully-messy at the Wade house.
Sounds like us, Becky! I had to totally redo the mantel after half a string of lights gave out two days after decorating! Grrr! And I decided not to even put a tree up this year because our kids won’t be home until the week after Christmas, and I’m a died-in-the-wool take-down-the-decorations-Dec.26 kind of gal! 🙂
Oh LOL, Becky. I can so relate. Thanks for sharing!
I have my tree up now but only because the kids put it up. Dragged all the decorations down and then left. I spent a whole week almost, getting it decorated. An hour here, 5 minutes there. I’ve been so busy going through 32 years of accumulated junk that I probably wouldn’t have spent the time to put one up. Dad secretly told the kids to bring g the tree down stairs and all the decorations . Being obedient as they are they of coarse obeyed him and then left. He forgot to tell them to decorate it but they did put the angel on top and the trim.
As I mentioned earlier we are downsizing. We have somehow managed to sell our home before realizing it was for sale. This happened when a friend of a friend decided he would like to buy our house. Really it was time for us to move on. We just didn’t want to admit we were no longer in need of a 5 bedroom house . We haven’t been cutting the lawn for years so time to go to someplace easier for us. As for shopping we have two gifts bought but not wrapped yet. Maybe gift cards this year? God Bless you all and Tamera I know what you mean by being behind in decorating. I have so much that won’t go up this year. It’s called simplifying your life. Merry Christmas!
Simplifying your life. Love that, Shirley! and Amen!
I have not begun to decorate and I probably won’t put up much when I do. I will not decorate before December gets here and then I only put up a Little tree which I probably won’t this year as I have a new kitten who loves to knock over stuff from up high, I probably will put up my wreath on the door and that is about it. I am single with no immediate family so, no big plans. I will meet with my 2 good friends around Christmas and my gentleman friend probably on Christmas. I will meet with another friend sometime during the month. That is my Christmas and decorating plan. We can be friends because I won’t do much decorating.
We can be more than friends, Connie. We can be “Simplifying Life Sisters” from the heart! ; ) Much love, and praying your Christmas is a wonderful one this year.
I decorate the week before Christmas an take down New Years.
#Efficient Love it, Linda!
I HAVE NOT started decorating yet, so we can still be friends. Whew!! I was worried for a minute there. Actually, I’m still enjoying all my fall decorations since according to my calendar, it is still fall – right? We haven’t reached December 21 already, have we?
And yes, we have motorcycle riding sons, although I’m afraid my husband and I are to blame for that. Joe and I owned a touring bike for a number of years and made quite a few long distance trips. When we bought our motorcycle, our children were initially stunned, but then both our sons decided they liked the idea and bought their own motorcycles. Our second son even traveled with us once on a trip from Mississippi to Lee’s Summit, MO to visit our oldest son and his family. Sweet memories!
LOVE that, Teri! So cool knowing that about you. But seriously, what do you do about helmet hair? (Same thing I do about Christmas decorating? LOL!)
As for the helmet hair, baseball caps and do rags work nicely; plus swallowing a whole lot of my pride. 🙂 Besides, I never ride a motorcycle if I’m going where I need my hair to look nice.
I am almost finished decorating but not shopping and wrapping
Okay, we can be friends for 6.78 more days then, Sheila. : ) Love you, friend, and thanks for sharing!
My wife is “strongly encouraging” me to get the tree finished. It’s artificial and too large for her to handle. In fact, it’s getting to be too much for me but I can’t get anyone in the family to agree that we should downsize. Anyway, I set the tree up last Friday and she has been hanging ornaments on it. Now she’s waiting for me to put them on the top section which is too high for her to reach. I finally agreed to finish that tonight or tomorrow. I don’t want to lose you as a friend but when it comes down to a friend or a wife, I have to choose my wife. I hope you can forgive me and overlook this small transgression since “the woman God gave me is making me do it”. 🙂
LOL, Edward. How can I argue with the Word of God?!! : ) “Go forth, and finish thee that tree!” And thanks for the grins.
Glad to know we can be friends! I haven’t a single thing out of the attic to decorate yet. Probably won’t for another week or two.
Been spending time catching up on reading and crocheting gifts.
Yay! We can still be friends! I have not one item of “Christmas” in my house yet. Nothing. Zip. Nada. I knew we were soul sisters, Tammy.
No decorations here. I can’t seem to get in the mood. Unlike my friends who have had Christmas up since the 1st day of November.