Holiday Preparations

 I have slowly been preparing for Christmas. 

Very slowly!

I did climb up to the attic to hand down some bins and boxes of Christmas doo-dads to the Mister, who stood below waiting to grab things. I always find it fun to rediscover Christmas! This year I'm finding that I'm missing things. Hmmm, did we give it away? Throw it away? Bring it here, but it is still hiding in a box somewhere?

I have jettisoned many Christmas items from the past, and occasionally I do miss them, but we just didn't/don't have the space. 

I did find our fake tree, and found a corner where it will work. I have more ornaments to add. Frequently I grab one and hang it as I go by the tree. I want to get tinsel. It can make a huge mess, but I love the way it sparkles. Do you fondly recall tinsel of old...like the leaded tinsel that we carefully saved each year?! (Or wadded up into balls to toss at siblings!)

Our stockings are hung....

we don't have a fireplace.

For now they are on this display cabinet.

Later I may put them under the TV, and access one of the online fireplace displays,

complete with cracking log sounds!

I threw this hanging together once we moved up here. 

I quilted it on my embroidery machine.

I'm glad I have a long arm quilting machine 

because using the embroidery machine for this purpose is a PITA!

Here and there I have a few other seasonal items I've hung onto.

We put up some lights outside, and I have a few wreaths to hang on the front and side doors.

I'm sure we will put up a few more Christmas items before the day.

But, the big deal is that we decided to continue our long-standing tradition of having our neighbors and friends come to our home for breakfast on Christmas morning.  

I sent out invitations earlier this week. 

(If y'all are in the area, come on by!)

It started over 30 years ago. Both sets of parents were living within 15 miles of us. My mother and father always celebrated on Christmas Eve. My in-laws always celebrated with a huge Christmas dinner. What was I to do?  Why, of course, the only meal left: Christmas breakfast! 

Then one year a friend and her family had no one visiting. So we invited them to our breakfast. The next year we expanded, and invited a few more friends without family. and our family for breakfast.  Following that, we invited our neighbors, friends, and family. 

We have only briefly met folks in our neighborhood. We decided to continue our tradition, and perhaps get to know our neighbors a bit better. We could have 4 extra folks in, or we could have 24...either way, it will be fun to have folks here to celebrate the day. 

Do you have special holiday traditions?

Do you host a special meal over the holidays?

What is your favorite dish?