Very Minimal Christmas Decorating

Let’s get this weekend started, shall we?  Saying I need some downtime is a gross understatement.  I’ll share my less-than-wonderful-week with you shortly.  But on the positive side I’m going to share my very minimal Christmas decorating involving almost no shopping.   

For Christmas decorations, that is.  Not to say I didn’t shop this week.  That would be untrue. 

Early this fall, I purchased a few goodies from Rod Works that absolutely were calling my name.  The ice skates and gingerbread house are still loving living in my house. 

But.  Way back in June.  Remember that far back?  I did my version of Swedish death cleaning and donated almost all of my Christmas decorations and outdoor lights.   

To be fair, most of it was very old and needed to go.  But darned if I was going to go out this year and buy all new junk that I need to store in places I just freed up. 

So.  This year I’m making due with what I already have. 

Sentimental Gifts 

With so few items being stuffed into every nook and cranny like a bad Hallmark movie, I’m able to relish small things and gifts that have been given over the years. 

Paper House 

Among many special things is the little handmade house with bottle brush trees my sister Monique made me a few years ago.  

Knowing where to put it is always a problem, because it’s almost impossible to clean around without destroying it and setting it back up.  

So this year I got smart.  Well, maybe that’s stretching it.  But, I made (in my humble opinion) a cute little “yard” for it by placing it on a glass cake stand bottom.  I taped my trusty Amazon fairy lights around and inside the house to the bottom and then covered everything with snow.  Which is batting I had left over from a Halloween project. 

Unfortunately, the cake stand top wouldn’t quite fit over the chimney.  But I still used it! 

Holiday Salt and Pepper 

Which brings me to my next idea.  Adorable little antique deer salt and pepper shakers are another gift I acquired.  I placed them next to my little house and put the cake stand top over them.   

Gorgeous China snowmen will never be used for salt and pepper but their tiny bodies fit perfectly on my coffee bar.  Along with my favorite Lenox mugs indicating “naughty” or “nice” and other goodies gifted over the years. 

Ornaments 

Assembling, trimming, taking down and storing a Christmas tree is not something I do.  I know.  Bah humbug.  But a few ornaments in bowls here and there add color and festivity.  And they let me use special ornaments from loved ones over the years. 

Fairy Lights 

I may have gone a little crazy, but I put those suckers on everything.  On my entry table I made a little bottle brush forest and lighted it up with fairy lights.  Small trees in our bedroom also sport the lights.  Small things making me smile. 

Sick Kitty 

Okay, here is the stressful part of my week.  Roxy the tyrant lost all her mojo.  And got sick all over the house.  I’ll spare you the details, but cleaning up after sick animals is not fun.  She’s had flare-ups before and it’s believed she has IBS, but being in early stages of renal failure makes me super nervous when she goes days without drinking. 

She spent several days in the hospital.  They don’t keep animals overnight so we’d have to collect her and then bring her back the next morning.  She didn’t really enjoy it.  Nor did we. 

But mainly we just missed her.  We missed all her naughtiness and energy she adds to our home.  The other cats were in mourning and in lockdown. 

She is now almost back to herself with the help of some appetite stimulation and some kitty “crack” the vet had me order. 

Thursday evening she joined me on the kitchen table to assist me with my puzzle.  She needs to continue working on cleaning some hard-to-reach places like her mane, but she’s still beautiful to me. 

Churu 

Kitty crack comes in the form of little tubes that are squeezed out for a one-time treat.  I’ve never seen Roxy so interested in food before.  They contain natural ingredients and are healthy for cats.  Wow, these things are great. 

Wrap Up 

That’s my week in a nutshell.  Trying to tame anxiety (that’s for another post), keep busy and get the house decorated wasn’t my most stellar week.  But we all got through it and better times are ahead. 

Bless you and yours.