Just finished taking down and putting away the last of the decorations. Everything has been reorganized and stored all in one place, including SO's items that were added to the assortment, which totalled just one box. But I figure with what I got rid of in donating, tossing, selling, or accidental breakage, I am in good shape anyway.

All the gifts purchased for next year are in a box with the decorations and labeled.

Bless, no need to fret....you will always be the queen!!! I just could not pass up the sale items, figuring that the personalized items just happened to be the initials I needed, so it was meant to be. And when they were a dollar marked down from fifteen, how can you say no!!

I think that was adorable. Too cute about Dancer, and the rest of the cats on the thread. Thanks for the cute story Bless.
Sylvester is a ribbon eater too!

Glad you enjoyed it, ladies.

Dancer's posting reminded me of our dear cats, now long gone, and their antics around Christmas. How the black one loved to shake the tree until the home crafted "Victorian parasols" (little folded doyleys with pipecleaner handles) fell to the ground where they could be chewed!

DH took the red bows off the little trees dumped in the planters either side of the front steps as he needed something bright to help locate our lot line from two very distant survey posts. So now it is down to me to remove the five shiny balls from each tree. Not in any hurry! It will get done one day.

Dancer would have liked being in our house this year - for the first time ever (partly because they were put up rather late), I STILL have Christmas decorations around the house. Today is earnmarked for putting them away. We would have taken down the outside ones before now, but weather interfered.

Yes, I'm back, after a long break during which I finished my radiation treatments, had a couple of other checkups, did all the holiday things, (etc. etc.), and GOT A JOB! Little by little I will share more details, but in a nutshell, I'm working for a company that manages websites for the Head Start program. I'm doing some editing, testing of programs, etc. I am lucky to get this, because I don't have an IT background. It feels very good to have a paycheck again - truly a great Christmas present. (DS gave me a beautiful card with wonderful thoughts in it, too.)

Re holidays - without turning it into just a checklist, I think for this coming year I'll make a plan for decorating, holiday cooking, events to include, etc. We didn't do a lot this year, once we found out that neither DBIL nor DB would be visiting. It was kind of nice to have a break and do less. DS had said I didn't need to do anything just for him. For a long time I'd thought of taking a "year off," doing nothing at all, and could have for 2011, but decided I wasn't quite at that point. We didn't have every little tree up, or all the ornaments, or all the other decorations, but enough to give it a Christmasy feel. I don't want to be so busy over a holiday, especially a "season" such as Christmas, that I can't enjoy it.

I have found that having labeled boxes, such as "tree with heirloom ornaments," "tree with gift ornaments" (those folks have given us), "towels, potholders, etc." and "placemats and napkins," and so on, was helpful - I didn't have to do so much rummaging. I also have moved the "early" items into boxes downstairs, such as the Nativity set, Advent wreath, tags, etc. I have a couple of log zippered bags for gift wrap, and I don't buy wrap that doesn't fit them. I've stocked up on a few items and doubt I'll need to buy any supplies at all next year.

There ARE things you can do way ahead for Christmas. Stamps, for example, go on sale by Thanksgiving, if not sooner. You cam make notes of things like that and take care of them before the December crunch.

In 2012, Thanksgiving comes early, on Nov. 22. So after that, I may may the Danish klejner even before December 1 (when I traditionally start the season), and get that out of the way. This year I wound up making them after Christmas; since Christmas fell on a weekend, we in a sense lost a weekend of preparation.

With Christmas in particular, but holidays and life generally, it never hurts to start early. Being early gives you time to organize things, which makes everything run more smoothly.

The good thing about putting items away is that there is no deadline, although usually I try to wrap everything up by the second week of January - at which point, I turn to taxes.

It's good to be back.

Simplicity, so glad you are through with your treatments and that you have a job! That is great news and I hope you keep well and enjoy it.

I got my stamps early last time, as there was a special on them in the drug store during the fall months.

When I put my Christmas ornaments away, I often find something I missed, a week or two later! This time I found a little Christmassy cat hanging that was in the room DGD sleeps in, and I also realised that I still had to take the red bows off the stuffed pillow cats that look out of our livingroom window!

Our coloured Christmas lights are still lighting up gaily at dusk, but there are only a few of them on the bush at the front and we enjoy them. I left the decoration on the front door as it is not bright and overly Christmassy, so I am going to fasten a heart to it for a Valentine decoration.

simplicity:
SOOOOOOOO good to see you again. WELCOME BACK! Glad you arew thru with the radiation treatments, and TYG you have a job.
That is teriffic. (((((HUGS)))),

Sometimes you have to take it easy during the holidays, and am glad you did. Looking forward to hearing from you again.

Bushlady:
Me too! I always seem to find something "extra" I forgot, but I also left up the "wintery" things until I change out for Valentines day. Just a couple of things. Nothing like I did before when I had mom and my DD1 living with me. The cat and dog could care less! LOL

simplicity:Congratulations on the new job. I know this has been a huge struggle for you. Glad you have made it through your treatments. Such a good start for the new year.

I will put my snowmen away on Monday. They go on the 2nd hanging shelf in the garage, so I need the ladder to put them away. DH has an appointment on Monday, so his car will be out of the way, & I will have more room to maneuver.

simplicity.....welcome back.....glad that the new year is starting in such a positive direction for you!

Simplicity;
WELCOME BACK! It's so good to see you again. I'm so glad the Radiation is over and you have a new job. What wonderful news. I'm so glad everything is working out so well for you.

Bushlady and Diana:
I have a little box that is just at the bottom of the basement stairs that I keep handy to put all the forgotten treasures in. The next season I check that box first to join the other decorations when the time comes. It saves me rummaging to find a spot for them.

Hartbe:
I have several Snowman and Snowman pillows I keep out after Christmas for the winter. I have a snowman for the door too so I have something up through out the winter season.