Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Outdoor Decorations

I got this cute thing through an email.  Here is the link!

Merry Christmas type in your complete address in the globe See your house in a Snow Globe... CLICK ON THE SITE BELOW, PUT IN YOUR ADDRESS AND WATCH IT! TOO COOL! http://www.draftfcb.com/holiday2011/ -

It shows your home probably from Google Earth pictures, I think.  It's fun!

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories Outdoor Decorations

I am complying a bit with the theme today, at least for a minute to say that as I grew up we had no outdoor lights or decorations.  I don't think my dad wanted to put them up.  Can't say that I blame him, it's alot of work.  And it can be pricey.  But I loved to look at them and wished I had them in my yard.  Now as an adult we have a string of lights outside and that is about all.  I still like to look at the decorations others put out each year.  And I think everyone who does is so wonderful for doing that. So that is all I have to write about the theme.

So for my own "theme" of the day it is quite quickly the FamilySearch Devotional and Christmas luncheons.  Each year we have a lunch at work at Christmas time.  Each department goes to the 26th floor on a particular day along with their missionaries and a nice lunch is served to us, along with a Church authority who gives a message.  This year it was Elder Packer that spoke to us and it was about our Family History "Family", working together and enjoying our companionship.  It was nice.  Then we ate.  On today's menu was ham, shrimp, green salad, rice pudding, cheese and crackers, rolls, broccoli salad, and cookies, and cake.

Here is the plate I picked up.  We could have 2nds too.  I had another bit of salad because it was very good!

A little shot of the buffet table.

Waiting to eat!

 

 

So that was today.  Tomorrow will be a quiet day.  Once in a while I need that, too!

Advent Calendar Outdoor Decorations Dec. 5

 Growing up in Minnesota as immigrants we never had any outdoor decorations to speak of.  It probably had a lot to do with money and the fact that in Minnesota it was so cold outside, I doubt my father would have enjoyed doing that.  But I do remember with had real wreaths on our door.  So that was a decoration, for sure.  I remember a few pre-Christmas weeks that my mom worked at the nursery because it was their busy time of year, what with real trees and wreaths and pine garlands and the like.  I remember this well also, because once as she was doing this to have a little more money for Christmas, I came down with the dreaded chicken pox.  And I remember a neighbor, Mrs. Ludeman, who stayed with me so my mom could go to this job and make sure that the tree would have something good under it for me. 

I remember that some of our better to-do neighbors had outdoor decorations, and it was so beautiful to me.  I think I was always a little jealous of them that they had such fun Santas and nativities, lights etc.  But it's OK, I enjoyed that I could see them and enjoy them.

Getting a home of my own, I realize that outdoor decorations, 1. take lots of storage space, 2. cost a lot of electricity, 3. are some effort to set up in the cold...brrrr. 4.  sometimes become victims of bad weather and 5.  are sometimes victims of vandelism.  Although so fun to see and so beautiful!

So, even now we only have lights around the upper perimeter of the house, with some indoor decorations shining through the front window.  And of course, the fake wreath on the door.  Well, as I go to costco I see the beautiful green wreaths that smell so good of pine, but then I think I would rather spend the money on something else, so I don't buy them.  Maybe one year I will do it again!  Just for old time's sake!  We do enjoy driving to the wonderfully decorated homes around town.  And there is always something wonderful to see.  I really love that others are more talented in that way than we are.

I love the holidays and the beauty that is all around us.