Decorating for Christmas!!

This year our holidays are a little mixed up. We moved Thanksgiving up by 2 weeks so it is already over for us. I decided to decorate for Christmas today since I will not be home Dec 12-15 or 24-29. That's a lot of Christmas decor time to miss! (Don't cry for me though, I'm certain Palm Beach with Danielle and NYC with Jackson will be much cooler than looking at my Christmas decor around the condo!! :))

MacKenzie is helping me to get in the Christmas mood. She has a santa doll that we kept at Susie's last year since Susie actually likes Santa and I don't. Since Mac won't be home this year we brought santa home to her. She has not let him leave her side. I decided he must smell like Grammy's house because surely any dog of mine wouldn't like santa this much!! ;)

Ok, I feel the need to explain my disdain for santa. Growing up we were not allowed to believe. I don't know how much of it was Kylie was unwilling to believe and ruined it for her little sister (me!) and how much of it was my mom thinking that santa distracted from the real meaning of Christmas. Either way, I do not ever remember believing that some fat dude made it to every home on one night to bring gifts. I think I am far too logical for that mess. (If you, dear reader, are like most people your first concern is for our future children. Are you saying that don't get to believe? Good question. It is quite the controversy whenever we discuss it. I say NO! Jackson thinks it is all in good fun. I think it is teaching kids that lying is ok as long as everyone is doing it. For now I avoid the topic and when Kate/Carter is old enough to believe I am certain there will be an ugly fight ;)) Anyway, Deb never decorated with santa and I never gave him much thought until I met Jackson. Jackson's family really digs the jolly old man. Susie has the creepy little santa that is like 100 years old that sits under the tree. She collects santas. She LOVES santa. (I will admit that "Mrs. Claus" gives some excellent girly presents!!) Isn't it funny how our 2 families are so different? I go along with the santa talk at Susie's because I love her and Gracie (whom I hope stops believing this year--???). Susie even gave me my first and only santa statue. I was a bit upset to discover some santas while trying to help my mom pack this last weekend. TRAITOR. (Kind of like we never got to do Halloween and I found a costume of her's from last year!!) Anyway, there is my convoluted story about why I don't love santa. It really bothers some people. (Susie! Jackson!)

We are decorated our condo's exterior! I am really excited because we've never done much of that before. We also are getting a permit to cut down our own Christmas tree. When we finish with it, we return it and they make it mulch! (I don't think we get to keep the mulch which is fine since the HOA does landscaping here.) We are pretty excited for this adventure! :)

Until next time- keep to NYC Christmas ideas coming!