Deck the Halls!!

Happy Holidays!! The Thanksgiving / Christmas season is one of my favorite times of the year. I love sprucing up the house with decorations and lights. Last Saturday I took advantage of being home sick and decided to get my holiday decorations out. The wreath below is actually real, and it smells awesome. One of my co-workers was selling wreaths for a fundraiser for school so I scored this little guy for a mere $21. Money well spent!
The lighting isn't the greatest in this shot, but as you can see I tucked my pint size tree into the little nook in my living room. It fits the spot perfectly. I love getting out my Christmas ornaments each year. I have ornaments from throughout my entire life, as well as new ones that I've acquired in recent years.

Over the past few years, Casey, Kim, and I have painted homemade ornaments. The one below is from 2005, when my first feline love, Charlie, was still alive and well. The ornament is a saloon that I named "Charlie's"...... who knew that 6 months later he'd be gone. Breaks my heart still when I think about him, and makes me love my animals that much more. I'm getting a lump in my throat just writing this! I'm a softie, what can I say......

There is one of my homemade painted creations from last years session, a bright eyed penguin. The red shiny car in the shot was one of many ornament gifts from my Aunt Judy. Before she retired, she owned her own travel agency and whenever she traveled, she would always bring my sister and I an ornament. I probably have about 10 special ornaments from Aunt Judy.

This paper angel was found a couple years ago in a cute little Ballard boutique. That silver ball to the left is also an Aunt Judy ornament.

Along with the many ornaments from my childhood, and my ornaments from Aunt Judy, I have a couple other really special ornaments on the tree that are very simple, but really mean a lot to me. A shiny green Christmas ball that belonged to my Memere Far Far Away (my mom's mom that lived in New Brunswick, Canada), and a hen cookie cutter that belonged to my Memere on the Farm (my dad's mom that lived right next door to us in Marysville). They aren't the most spectacular looking ornaments on the tree, but it isn't about that, it is about the stories I remember when I look at them. And that is why I love the holiday season.

You know what else I love about the holidays? Christmas music! My place of employment has already started piping in the Christmas tunes non-stop and I love it! I've had one particular disc on repeat at home.....Elton John's Christmas Party. It is one of those discs they were selling at Starbucks one year. It has become one of my favorite Christmas albums of all time. Lots of non-traditional Christmas songs. Check out the line-up:

Elton John: Step Into Christmas

El Vez: Feliz Navidad

The Ronettes: Frosty the Snowman

Bruce Springsteen: Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town

The Beach Boys: The Man with All the Toys

The Flaming Lips: A Change at Christmas (Say It Isn't So)

Pet Shop Boys: It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas

Rufus Wainwright: Spotlight on Christmas

The Ventures: Jingle Bell Rock

Chuck Berry: Run Rudolph Run

The Crystals: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Outkast: Playa's Ball

Otis Redding: Merry Christmas Baby

Jimmy Buffett: Christmas Island

John Mayer: St. Patrick's Day

The Eagles: Please Come Home for Christmas

The Band: Christmas Must Be Tonight (one of my favorite Christmas songs EVER!!)

The Pretenders: 2000 Miles

Kate Bush: December Will Be Magic Again

U2: New Year's Day

Elton John and Joss Stone: Calling It Christmas

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs?