Christmas Decorating 2019

As we get into another holiday season, I am always reminded of this: "are you getting ready for Christmas already?" Yes, I do and have to. When I have been doing this for 11 years now, I am finding that it takes longer every time to get all the Christmas displays out and in place. There is last years Christmas merchandise that will need to be on sale and the new merchandise that will need to be inventoried and price tagged. As we get into the Fall season with its beautiful nature fall colors surrounding us, it inspires me to begin getting into high gear and ready, set and go to the holiday decorating. While I do not decorate too much with fall and harvest décor, I think it is such a short lived season, where as getting ready for Christmas, there is really the whole months of November and December to work with. This year, our community Pride Committee has asked me if I would consider having my home on a Holiday Christmas Home Tour, Dec. 15, which I said yes to. Perhaps one of the reasons for me to start so early with the decorating. I am finding out that getting everything out of storage, boxes, and more containers and then trying to decide where everything will go and how to be displayed takes much longer than putting everything back and away at the end of the Holidays. Every year presents a challenge to me on how to display things differently from the year before. Sometimes new items will be purchased, especially for this one since I am decorating more due to the tour thing. My husband and I are also hosting our "every other year" annual family gathering dinner on Dec. 21. One great thing is that the house will definitely be all ready for the family when they come over. This year, in November, I decided to start sewing some very cute small quilts using Christmas fabrics. These can be used as wall hangings or to be placed on a table as a center piece. I also repurpose things like old books and decorate those using some black and white burlap, topped off with a vintage style Christmas card; remake old wreaths and trying to use some of the stuff I already have, like white and red tulle and netting. I made a few table runners and also finished a muslim fabric and red fabrics to make a quilted throw. My Baby Loc by Jazz sewing machine has been giving me grief. I have only had it since September 2017 and bought it due to its design of a 12" "throat". This way I could easily manage to machine quilt larger quilted pieces easier due to its larger opening. Needless to say, the machine has been put aside. I now go back to my trusty 1020 Bernina machine that I bought back in 1989. It is a sweet little machine and has not given me any trouble! Getting back to decorating, my store is mostly done with Christmas decorating, there is the occasional trip out to purchase more merchandise (always have to try and keep the store stocked!). Having the store in place, it allows me to have time to sit and visit with my good customers, many of which have become good friends over the years. My store is like a small community place to come and visit; sometimes we will have coffee, tea or apple cider. I also like that I am getting almost to the finishing part of the decorating for Christmas especially at home. Now I can sit back in the evenings, turn on some Christmas vintage music, light a cedar wood scented candle and with my favorite cup of sweet orange cinnamon tea, begin to enjoy another quiet evening and feel good that my work is done and can focus on the real reason for the season: Jesus!