Wednesday Hodgepodge: Feelin' Christmassy

1. Let's talk holiday decorating. On a scale of 1-10 where do you fall? (1=Scrooge and 10= Clark Griswold). What's your favorite corner-room-table-space to decorate? Is it done?

Well, I'd have to rank myself a 7, I'd say.  I think I definitely decorate indoors more than the average joe, especially after being on the Christmas House Tour several years ago.  I amassed a lot more decorations at that time, and I try to put almost everything out.  Two Christmas trees, lots of snowmen and Santa Claus stuff, snowflakes, candles, etc. - my downstairs is pretty decked out.  Upstairs, I put a few decorations in my own room, the spare room, and the bathroom.  Where I deduct points for myself is in my efforts outside.  I have the WORST luck with Christmas lights, and I find decorating outdoors to be frustrating in general.  Things blow over, nothing ever looks nice...this year, I kind of just gave up.  I have lights on the one little shrub outside my door, and a wreath, and that's it.  Clark Griswold, I am not.

2. Is there a nativity scene in your decorating somewhere? Post a picture or, if it's special to you in some way, tell us why. Or do both-it's Christmas!

Funny, I was just talking about this this morning.  I kind of stole the Nativity Scene from our church! haha!  Whoops!!  My dad made a wooden Nativity Scene for our church years ago, and I borrowed it to have displayed for the Christmas House Tour.  At that time, one of the members of our church who also happens to be the Chair of the church board told me he thought I should keep it, and so I did.  My mother, however, disagrees, and has told me several times she can't believe I took Dad's Nativity Scene from the church and never gave it back.

I have several Nativity Scenes, but I've never found one I really loved, aside from this one.  The sentimental value and simplicity of it definitely makes it my favourite.  I've tried to decide this morning whether or not my dad would be pleased.  I mean, he DID make it specifically for the church.  But I do think he might get a kick out of the fact that I stole it for myself.  

I don't have a close-up of the Nativity Scene, but I had it displayed under my dining room tree on the house tour, you can kind of see it down there...

3.  Do you live in a social neighborhood? If so are you glad? If not do you wish you did?

I live on the main street of our little town, right in the middle of town, so I'm not sure I really consider it a "neighbourhood".  But I do have some great neighbours!  I visit with Shannon across the road on a regular basis, the McCanns just down the street a bit who I'm close with, and I have lots of great people down the hill behind me in their own little hood. That being said, I also have some "sketchy" characters not far from me as well, which I try not to let bother me, but they can make life interesting at times... It's not the same as the neighbourhood I grew up in, but I'm happy to have good people around me for the most part whom I trust and are friends.

4.  As the saying goes, 'there's no time like the present'. How does that ring true in your life right now?

I'm TRYING to make this ring true, because this time of year, I can let myself get out of control worrying and fretting about what's to come and what's still to be done.  I'm trying to live in the moment, enjoy each day for what it is, and soak up my favourite season instead of stressing out about how everything's going to get done... so far, not being to successful at this, but I'm a work in progress.

5. Do you dread Mondays? Why or why not?

Yes, sadly.  I do.  I blame this on my father, who also hated Mondays.  Actually, I think I hate Sunday evenings even more, because that's when the dread starts to set in.  I try to remind myself there's nothing to be upset about, I love where I work and I enjoy going to work, but I can't help but get the blues as each weekend comes to a close.

6.  Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis-which on the list is your favorite holiday plant? Are any of these on display in your home right now?

I do not have a green thumb, so indoor plants are absent from my home.  If I had to choose one, though, I would go with a poinsettia.  They are so pretty & festive!

7. Share a favorite quote from a Christmas movie.

I tend to quote Elf a lot this time of year... and I'm not sure I can pick just one!

"Buddy the Elf, what's your favourite colour?" (when he answers the phone)

"Son of a NUTCRACKER!!"

“I planned out our whole day. First we’ll make snow angels for a two hours, then we’ll go ice skating, then we’ll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse Cookiedough as fast as we can, and then we’ll snuggle.”

"I just like to smile, smiling's my favourite."

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!"

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

I'm finding myself in a holiday conondrum, which I think happens to me every year.  There is so much fun stuff going on every weekend, and so much to get done in the evenings to prepare, that I'm having NO TIME to do one of my favourite things, and that is watch all of my beloved Christmas specials and movies.  I don't think I've watched even ONE yet!  I mean, I had Christmas movies on while I decorated the tree in the living room, but that was like a month ago now, and I barely paid attention to them because I was focusing on the tree.  I tried watching The Holiday on Saturday night, but I fell asleep about 10 minutes in.  There are so many festive gatherings planned over the next two weekends, and I fall asleep so easily on week nights when I sit down to watch TV.   AND on Friday, season 2 of Fuller House comes out on Netflix, and I know I'm going to want to watch that.  So tell me,  WHEN I'm going to have time to watch everything??  

I get stressed out over the stupidest things. ;)