After dinner, my parents told me that I was about to see the most incredible display of Christmas lights ever.
Yup.
That is a SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE up there. They’re (quite understandably) famous in the area for their holiday decorations, and they’re so sweet - there are signs welcoming you to drive onto their property, park, walk around, take pictures…it was absolutely gorgeous, and did a great job of getting me into the holiday spirit.
This afternoon, Kendrick and I are flying to Florida with my parents (first vacation with the ‘rents…eek) to visit our dear family friends, Sharon and Eddie.
I piled our extra glass bulb ornaments into bowls and hung a few more from the branches of our faux houseplant to Christmas up our kitchen.
Tacky? Maybe. But I love kitsch at Christmastime.
Kmart products generously provided by retailer.
Sigh. So lovely.
Some Christmas tree decorating tips:
1. If using a live tree, check water level frequently.
2. To prolong the life of a live tree, mix 1 quart water with 1/2 cup corn syrup and 1 tsp liquid bleach.
Our Christmas Elf, helpfully lounging under the tree.
Last night, Kendrick and I decorated our tree with help from our sleepy Christmas Elf (under the tree). We’ve only spent three Christmases together, and this is the first time we’ve had an apartment big enough for a grownup-sized tree, so we were pretty psyched. We’ve accumulated a mere five or six ornaments over the course of our relationship, so we stocked up on beautiful ornaments from Kmart and mixed them in with what we already owned, with (I think) lovely results.
We decided on a fake tree from Martha Stewart Everyday instead of a real one for a few reasons: 1) we live in a fourth-floor walkup, 2) it’s beautiful, and comes pre-lit, and 3) Lucy is a curious little thing, and I worry about her eating pine needles and drinking water with tree food in it (according to the ASPCA, this is dangerous for animals).
Kmart products generously provided by retailer.
I spent Sunday Christmas shopping while wearing my favorite new clothing item: these sweater tights from Betsey Johnson ($16.99 for two pairs at TJ Maxx; gift card generously provided by retailer). Kendrick and I are going to Florida next weekend with my parents to visit some family friends, so I’m trying to get everything done beforehand. Also, I’m a crazy person about finishing up shopping well ahead of time - I usually start in October.
Aldo flats.
Mini baking sets?! Yes, please. That one looks straight out of the Martha Stewart Home Collection, which makes me like it even more.
When I was a kid, this is exactly the kind of present I would have liked. I also liked jewelry making kits, chemistry sets, anything with lots of parts and lots of stuff to do - but apparently kids today want Nintendo DS games. Fine, whatever. We left the baking set behind and headed over to GameStop…which, in case you were wondering, is a madhouse.
This year, the Top 10 Christmas Toys for Kids include DJ Hero and Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters, which I’ve never heard of before right now.
We spent today Christmas shopping, and stopped into a toy store on 86th Street to look for presents for Kendrick’s niece and nephew. I totally forgot how happy toy stores make me (see evidence of happiness, above).
