My house smells like a pine forest. That's a good thing.

So as you can imagine, in between helping study for Social Studies, plowing snow off the driveway and "encouraging" the adolescent bees at this hive to CLEAN THEIR ROOMS (okay there was some yelling and threats of no Christmas tree) we managed to decorate the house for Christmas. I think I mentioned here that I just wasn't feelin' it. It's a lot of work and all I could think was "I'll be putting it all away in 3 weeks." I got over it and it was fun. Wanna see?

Here is Mr. Handsome opening his birthday present. Happy Birthday, honey!

The tree got some twinkling white lights, then I walked away and when I turned around the only lights that were lit were the bottom strand. Stupid Christmas. I figured it out. The strand right in the middle of tree died. So I just took it out. No big. Sorry Christmas, I like you again.

Here's the whole thing decorated. Now when we first moved the furniture around (this is a new spot for our tree) I began to shake, then I felt queasy, then I freaked out. Because this long, narrow room looked BAD! Seriously, making room for a tree in your house isn't natural. But after some shifting and one of Mr. Handsome's rum and diet cokes. I found that it actually looks good. And, because I can justify ANYTHING, listen to this. The space is very intimate this way, meaning there's not a lot of room to move around. Perhaps, because of this, less presents will actually seem like more presents. Are you feelin' me? Less is more. Less is more.
This is a little village I set up. A la, Alicia over at Posie Gets Cozy. For years, I collected birdhouses, including all the little birdhouses the children had painted. But then they started to bug me. I was just moving on from the birdhouse thing. So I put them all with the Christmas decor. They work perfectly with the little elves, snowmen and vintage chenille Santas I've acquired over the years.

Here it is in full and not lit. It really is pretty at night.

And this little fellow is keeping an eye out for naughty children. Won't find any here, Mr. Elf! **wink, wink**

And finally, the stocking were hung by the chimney with care. Note that Elvis does not have the adorable cross-stitched name "pillow" on his stocking. Poor child, he'll actually be the most well-adjusted of the bunch. He was my decorating buddy through all of this. He reminded me of how magical this season is through the eyes of a child. Every time we unwrapped an ornament from it's tissue he would say "Oooooh, this is soooo cute!" Seriously, everytime. Even when we opened the plastic Grinch in a sleigh, straight from a Happy meal ornament. It was awesome. Thanks for helping me find my Christmas spirit, Elvis!