A Little Decorating At Work...And What It Means

I didn't even realize it was December when I came to work this morning. You'd think the snowy roads would have given me a hint. Many of my co-workers welcomed the new month while at work last Friday. I did not, so it wasn't until a co-worker tossed me a Christmas stocking to hang in my cubicle that I realized it was time to decorate.

Just like Halloween, I know there are others in my building that will go all out. Downstairs they have a completely decorated Christmas tree and a fake fireplace with stockings hanging over wood logs covered with Christmas lights. There's no way I'm doing that. My small knick-knacks will have to do.

I almost forgot that last year, after the holidays, I packed up my items--including the wrapping paper--and put them in a drawer. It made it easy to put things up this year.

No, my little displays will not win any awards, but it will allow me to remember what's really important, that there's a season of the year that should bring out the best in us, a time when we do tings for others first, and the world becomes a better place.

If only we could keep doing it all year long. Maybe, after the time off, the food, the presents, the hanging out with friends and family, I didn't put things in a drawer for next year. I know I'd get some strange looks, but to keep that message going, it just might be worth it.

Decking The Halls...Earlier Than Normal

We're doing things a little bit different at our house this Christmas. Our normal pattern is to wait when it comes to getting a tree. We usually wait a week or more into December before we go look. And, because of they way our house is shaped, we try and get a tall tree. Budgetary (and spacial...) considerations mean we usually get tall, skinny trees. Some people don't like tall skinny trees. We do.

But this year, we saw a sale for trees at our local grocery store. We NEVER get grocery store Christmas trees. Not that they're bad--we just usually go to our favorite tree lot. But this year we found a nice, inexpensive tree (see "budgetary" above...).

And it's not a tall skinny tree. It's a semi-tall full tree. We like those, too. The kids did most of the decorating tonight and they did a great job. They put up ornaments, lights and set out the Nativity scenes. When it comes Christmas decorating, we're a little earlier this year than we've been in year's past. That's okay with me.