A Different Kind of Christmas

This time of year, I am usually unabashedly giddy with excitement. Trees, lights, hot cocoa, cider, songs... all fabulous, uplifting things! This year, however, is a little... droopy. I sort of feel like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. I just can't seem to pump myself up nearly as much as I usually do. I put out the decorations. I'm wearing my sequined Santa shirt and my reindeer earrings but I don't know. I just can't get to 10 on the Scale o' Christmas Joy. :o( Is it the economy? That's probably part of it; it's hard to get excited about anything when you're constantly scrutinizing all aspects of your budget. But that's not the only Grinch around. There just seems to be a general mood of 'meh' in the air. This is supposed to be the best time of the year!!! If this is crappy, I hold no hope for much of 2010. Boo.

And on that cheery note, let me tell you about our tree decorating! We got our tree and put it up last weekend but Robert wasn't able to get the lights up until Friday so I wasn't able to decorate it until Saturday. Normally this would've caused me to flail around on the floor, kicking and screaming about how Christmas is ruined because I got a week less of tree. This year, not so much. (I didn't say none, Robert, so shut up. I said not so much.)

I am allergic to pine trees, however, so the annual decorating of the tree always poses a problem. Why do I not get a fake tree, you ask? Why do I insist on punishing myself with sinus issues for weeks on end? Well, because my parents had a fake tree for many, many years for this very reason (my mom is allergic, too) but I always, always, always developed a sinus infection between Christmas and my birthday every single stinking year anyway. So, really, why go without the very essence of Christmas when I'm going to wind up with the same end result? I won't. Christmas isn't Christmas without going out and picking out the most smushed up and deformed tree on the lot!

Unfortunately for me, however, I did not do anything to help myself while Robert was rustling the tree around sending needles a-flying while putting on the lights. So, of course, I developed a runny nose and sore throat by the time I went to bed Friday night. Things had not improved by Saturday. Nor have they improved by today. But I digress. Because I was already developing some degree of sinus hell, I decided to decorate the tree wearing one of Robert's face masks.

Because nothing says Christmas like feeling like you're suffocating in your own carbon dioxide.

I suppose it helped because I'm not substantially worse than I was on Saturday. I'm just not any better, either, so I'm still bitter. Moving on.

Remember our gigantenormous tree stand from years past? Gone, baby! I finally (under the pretense of it being in the dog's best interest) got Robert to break down and spring for the Omega tree stand. This thing is AWESOME. Awesome!!! It took us less than 60 seconds to get the tree in the stand and get it straight. 60 seconds!!! Unheard of with our other stand. But that isn't even the best part. The best part is this tree stand isn't 3 feet wide! No more bed sheet to cover up the unsightly stand legs, resulting in stubbed toes. We are rollin' in style this year, people! Check it out:



And here are our new ornaments for this year:





This year also marked the first year Robert's spirit broke enough to buy a Douglas fir. If you know Robert, you know how much he looooooves Noble firs and how much he hates the Douglas' puny little non-light-supporting branches. But because any Douglas on the lot was going for $25, that's what we bought. It was a little hard to hang ornaments on the less-than-sturdy branches but I managed.



And Garfunkel was such a trooper! He and I were alone decorating the tree and he didn't so much as try to nibble a single ornament or the garland. He sniffed a couple but then left everything alone. The tree hasn't bothered him a bit since it's been up - nor has he bothered it. He's a fabulous puppy!!

He is not, however, a fabulous model. I bought him a $10 pair of antlers and all I wanted was ONE measly photo. Not for him to wear them for a day or an hour. Just for one photo. Well, I got more than one photo... Just not any good photos. I should've been more specific.




Robert is trying to coax a pose with a sweet potato treat but Garfunkel's not going for it.




Sigh. Oh well. This session was a bust. But I WILL get my photo, Garfunkel. Oh yes. It will be mine.

It's December!!!

And that means it's time to decorate my desk! Woohoo!!! I got a new toy this year and it's been a big hit at the office. Check it out - USB powered Christmas lights!



I took the pictures with my phone so they're not great but were you to see the detail, you'd see that the lights are little gift packages. Cuuuuuuuuuuuuute. They just brighten up my whole area!

In the Halloween Spirit!!

So, here are a few (grainy) cell phone images of my newly decorated desk at The Bay:

This is the general gist of my desk, as seen from the doorway of my 'office.'




See the little spider in the corner? I hope he's noticeable enough for the people in my office. They're kind of... unobservant. Yes, that's a nice way to say it. ;o)



The only item not crocheted is the spider candy bowl (which only has 6 legs, not 8, which annoys me every year. But whatever). My aunt made all these and I know I purchased some from her but, of course, I don't know where it is so I swiped this stuff from my mom. Hey, she's always with her grandkids at Halloween and so doesn't usually decorate - it's not like she needs it!

Some people at my office are excited that I'm in the spirit and others think it's weird I've decorated so early. Early? Early?! It's October 17th, people! When do you want me to decorate - the day before? Please. The people in FinAid always have a costume party on Halloween and this year the theme is Celebrity Look-a-Likes. So far, people have suggested that I go as Sarah Palin, Britney Spears or Beyonce. (Yes, you read that right.) I'm not too keen on dressing up so I'll probably just wear my Halloween shirt and my bat headband. Besides, I don't think I look like anyone in particular - do you?