Doesn’t “photo essay” sound so grown up?
ANYway, we celebrated a magnificent Thanksgiving with our friends Deanna and Lee. And while I could have been all sad that I was spending my first Thanksgiving without family, surrounded by a bunch of people who normally give thanks in October - I was too busy being overwhelmed by the fact that only 3 months since The Move, we were already lucky enough to have friends we could spend the Holidays with. Really, how cool is that?
That being said, I have no pictures of Thanksgiving because the Canadian bitch put me on camera duty with her camera, and then forgot to give me digital copies of the pictures. She says she forgot, but I know it’s because she hates it when I post pictures of her online. Chicken.
But rest assured, the rest of the weekend was well documented!
With Thanksgiving out of the way and Black Friday passed and sadly neglected, it was time to kick off Christmas! Yay!
.
We dragged it inside.
.
.
Fucking fake real trees are kind of a bitch to get standing up straight. (Edited because I’m retarded. Not witty.)
.
Eventually, after taking the tree out of the stand, putting the tree back in the stand, taking it out, putting it in, cussing possibly at me, taking it out, sawing off limbs, and putting the tree back in the stand… we had a fairly straight tree.
We were ready to begin the decorating.
The boy, he is mine.
The girl… well, she’s at that age where everything she does melts my butter…
Eventually, we finished the tedious task of lighting and star topping and got the hell out of the way so that I could commence with the real decorating. My tree is the one thing I am anal retentive about. My tree matches. And is perfect. And wait til you see the -
Fuck.
My motherfuckingcocksuckingsonofabitching camera died!
I had to resort to using the video camera. Which sucks.
My beautiful, color coordinated, Martha Stewart Would Want To Have My Babies Tree, looks like something out of a 70’s horror film.
*sigh*
Lest you be concerned that I do not allow the children to enjoy the holidays and blah blah blah - they get their own tree. And they get to decorate it all by themselves with no fussing or nit picking from me.
After the trees were done, I finished putting out the rest of my measly Christmas array (and holy crap seriously this house needs way more decorations than the old one did!)
We have the Nativity Scene
And the stockings
And, of course, the wreath.
And that’s pretty much it. Except for a few outside lights.
It’s not much and I definitely want more. But between our very own Thanksgiving (two, actually, and I have pictures of the second one for later! I cooked! Yay!) and decking our very own holidays, I believe it’s official.
The holiday season has arrived.
Psst... thanks for stopping by! I hope I didn't traumatize you too badly on your first visit. Remember to subscribe to my RSS feed if you want updates from the site!
Posted in Photo Essays Tagged: Christmas, emma, holiday decorations, holiday traditions, holidays, Photo Essays
Godamnit! That picture of Emma on her tiptoes made me actually say, out loud, “Awwwww”. Hate you, hate you, hate you!
And you said fake tree, but you meant real tree, right? Or did I just not understand what you were saying, which happens way too frequently?
[Reply]
Looks like y’all did a great job! (And the kids tree, thats an excellent idea! Not that I have kids… but if I did, we’d be doing that!)
[Reply]
Ohhh I forgot about the snow in Bethlehem…
It looks great
[Reply]
That was a GREAT photo essay. It had me cracking up laughing. Out loud even!
Your tree looks beautiful and I can totally relate to the OCD-ness about the tree being JUST RIGHT.
Your package will be in the mail Wednesday. Unless I can find a post office in my general vicinity, which I have not found yet. I’m sorry. I know I so suck.
[Reply]
Yes… because you know the snow accumulation in the DESERT of the MIDDLE EAST makes Acapulco look like… well… Acapulco.
Love the outside lights though. Very nice.
[Reply]
That is one beautiful tree and has me determined to get my own up this year
Although a quick question (if Avitable is correct and it’s really a real tree) - how does it last until Christmas? We only get about 2.5-3 weeks out of our tree before it browns up and sheds… Maybe because Australia is hotter than Florida, but I’m betting not that much difference at the moment!
[Reply]
Hey there. Cute pics… Is that a real tree? Man, I hate having to put up real trees… trim them, put them up, trim them, put them back up, watch them lean, even when you are sober…
Your tree is cute. In the short bus kinda way. ;-)
[Reply]
OMG. That was ADORABLE.
[Reply]
Sweet little helper!!
82 degrees when you’re taking a CHRISTMAS picture? You’re such a bitch for rubbing that in you know.
[Reply]
avitable: yes I’m retarded. Real tree.
Sheila: it lets them put all those “sentimental” ornaments up with out messing up my Master Design Plan!!
Amanda: Yes, lots of snow. And frost. And santa.
Amber: thank you for seeing beyond the criminally bad photography to the HEART of the beautiful tree.
NYCWD: I know! Those poor camels!!
Dee: I don’t know. This is my first Christmas in Florida and never thought about a tree dying - until EVERYONE KEEPS TALKING ABOUT MY TREE DYING!!! I’m praying for good luck, I guess.
The Absurdist: yes, it’s real, much to the husband’s disgust after all the up, down, saw, up, down, saw some more drama.
Rich: why thank you.
[Reply]
When can Jared be here to put Christmas lights up outside my house for me?
[Reply]
When I was a kid my mother always put up fake trees. And I always said “I wanna REAL tree.” And she said “When you grow up and have your own house you can get a real tree, until then we get this tree.”
So, I grew up and got my own house and always schlepped out in the cold to bring back a real tree. I would put the real tree up and the kids would say “We wanna FAKE tree.” And I said “When you grow up and have your own house you can get a fake tree. Until then, this is what we have.”
So the kids moved out and the wife said “We’re getting a fake tree because I’m not cleaning up all these damn NEEDLES.”
And I said “When you get your own… uh… wait a minute.”
So we have a fake tree.
Something just didn’t work out here. What th…?
[Reply]
OMG! That has SO put me in a Christmas mood! Thanks (and I mean that!)
[Reply]
That’s quite a lot of lights there. Is your house visible from space with all that holiday wattage?
[Reply]
It is all so very lovely. You are so blessed to have a hubby that helps with this!!
[Reply]
What a lovely post, so full of festive holiday cheer. God bless us every one.
Now I must vomit.
[Reply]
oh my dog was the photo of emma on tiptoes precious! awesome! all around great shots. even without your real camera i can tell how awesome the place is looking. good job, lady.
gotta admit, though, i’m all about the fake tree. except for the year when i was a kid and dad drank a bit before putting the wrong branches in the wrong holes, then used the wire cutters to give it the proper tree shape. and the following year when not drinking dad put the branches in the correct holes and again had to use the wire cutters to give it a proper tree shape. thankfully mom bought a new fake tree the year after that charlie brown tree.
[Reply]
DeannaBanana: don’t you have people who do that for you in your neighborhood?
RW: HAHAHAHHAHA
I JUST had that conversation with my son this weekend. The “yes, well, when you’re all grown up and have your own house…” conversations are the best.
This weekend we had one end with “and you cook Thanksgiving dinner for me, you can put barbecue sauce into your turkey.”
DutchBitch: that’s me, a regular Christmas cheer elf!
Dave2: there really aren’t that many. There’s a whole ‘nother peak that’s not even touched!
deb: yeah, I kind of am. He’s pretty good about that crap.
Mr. Fab: oh you know you’re wearing elf shoes.
hellohahanarf: thanks!!
and yeah, there are some benefits to the fake tree - if you can find one that is both tall AND full… which I have yet to do. :-(
[Reply]
I WISH I could find elf shoes in size 15.
[Reply]
i’ll ask my aunt where she got her fake tree that is about 12 feet tall and all kinds of full. we have to stand on chairs and ladders to get the damn lights and ornaments up at the top of that fucker for her. and when i help i usually fall down or into the tree. (my mother didn’t name me grace and there is a reason)
[Reply]
Oh my god, that picture of your daughter on her tip toes is the cutest thing ever!
And your house looks really nice! I’m glad you go classy-Christmas instead of tacky-Christmas. I grew up in a family that, when we did decorate, it was tacky all the way. And then I married my husband, who barely even believes in Christmas at all. Aaah.
[Reply]
Awww, Britt, the house looks GORGEOUS!!!! Absolutely GORGEOUS.
Although, I have to say, why is your daughter in FOOTIE pajamas if it was 82 degrees outside? Aren’t you afraid of heat rash and bloody noses, blah blah blah?!?!?!?!
That being said… my daughter is asleep in one of her brother’s long sleeve t-shirts and it is 47 degrees here right now… wanna switch pjs?
[Reply]
NOT FAIR 82 and you get control over the big tree?? The kids and Jeff decorate the big tree with colored lights–yuck. I do a little itty bitty teeny weeny 3 1/2 foot tree with white lights and silver and gold glass ornaments. It’s sooo pretty and sparkly.
And it’s 30 here. Babrrrr
[Reply]
La la la - Bossy can’t hear you because in her world there are still many months until Christmas. It’s a nice World, right on a little river Bossy likes to call Da-Nile.
[Reply]
Mr. Fabulous: ya big STUD. ;-)
hellohahanarf: ooooh - now THAT would be a fake tree worth shelling out some cash for!!
stephanie: yeah, that’s how I group up too. Although part of me worries I’m robbing my children or something.
AmyD: Emma wears what Emma wants. Neither the weather or her mother’s concerns are a factor.
Victoria: keep the cold reports coming in folks! Love it! Love it!
BOSSY: bungalow for two please - with room for this chica who has yet to buy a single christmas gift.
[Reply]
Awww, Emma is so cute being the big helper!
Christmas sucks!
[Reply]
that’s an awesome light display, ms. griswold…wc!
[Reply]
We did that yesterday too! It was colder here and I didn’t take any pictures but I plan to…maybe tonight!
Hope you had a great Thanksgiving :)
[Reply]
OK, you’re smokin’ me! I’m always so late with the Christmas decor. I’m just a lazy, procrastinatin’ ho. My problem is that I’m more of a Halloween chick. Now, that shit goes out promptly on October 1st.
Great pictures, Britt! Thanks for sharing!
[Reply]
Yay, more photoshopping! Your tree looks fabulous. I love the little train track - what a great idea! I’m putting my decorations up this weekend. Can’t wait.
[Reply]
Wonderful!
I have not shopped, nor have I pulled out even ONE Christmas decoration, yet.
Hey - it’s not even December!
I prefer to relax a little.
I mean, before I go completely nuts, rushing around and getting everything done.
[Reply]
I may not have been here for that long, but did you say “the *one* thing…”? javascript:moreSmiliesAappendSmiley(’:rolleyes:’)
[Reply]
Peggy: *gasp!* blasphemy! Christmas rocks!!!
Hilly: *giggle*
Kimberly: except your pictures won’t SUCK! LOL
Coal Miner’s Granddaughter: I only do it so soon because otherwise it would NEVER get done.
Selma: that’s a pass-down from the in-laws, actually.
Sybil Law: I haven’t purchased a single gift yet either - and I’m usually done by now.
jflins: I had to go back and reread my own post to see wtf you were talking about. LOL
Sadly, in most areas of my life, I have the desire but lack the attention span to be anal or perfectionist.
[Reply]
Tree shopping is the theme of the week!! We’ve decorated most of the outside. Dh has put the wreaths and candles in the windows. I’ll do the front door this week and we’ll turn on the lights on the hollies.
Thank you for the fun post–the pic of your daughter on tippy toe is great but I like the one of her lying under the tree even more–too cute.
I am a certified tree nazi–yup–I am skeery about it
I’ll post pics again this year hehehe
[Reply]
Turnbaby, that reminds me - for some reason your updates aren’t showing up in my feed reader!
(I don’t know why that reminds me….)
[Reply]
We always let the boys decorate their own tree too. It was always fun to watch them because they were so excited about hanging the ornaments they made in school. Your house looks awesome!
[Reply]
And did they take them off, put them back on, take them off, put them back on CONSTANTLY too? LOL
[Reply]
Yes, the tree looked like really looked like shit by the time Christmas finally arrived. Gawd, those icicles.EVERY.WHERE! Who invented those freakin’ things anyway? I notice that your kids’ tree is devoid of those abominations.
[Reply]
Heh, I might have forgotten to get those out this year. :whistle:
[Reply]
I wish someone would come put up my outside lights. I keep getting told that it is too damn cold (20 degree here in Indiana).
[Reply]