Ready for Christmas

For those who remember last year, I didn't get the house decorated at all--until Sarah and Danny came over one night and Sarah insisted they decorate my tree. This year I decided I would not let it get too late before I started my decorating. And, it didn't. I actually started before I left for New York and finished yesterday.


Now, some might call it cheating but I hired a Christmas decorator who used the stuff I had and added a few new things consistent with the theme Mary and I created over the years. Maria is her name and she is wonderful. Sensistive to the meaning behind the items on the tree and with an eye for style to make things "just so"!!

The first picture is my front door with the garlands hung around the door frame, the wreath hanging from the fixed door and just inside the entry, Mary's "Freedom Tree" as she once called it.

The Freedom tree was acquired for Christmas of 1992 in her first apartment. It was the first time she had a place that was for her 'only' as she had lived at home, at school and she and John were married right after graduation. So the freedom was that of living on her own for the first time in her life. 


Maria suggested we put the Waterford Twelve Days of Christmas collection plus other crystal pieces on that tree along with lights and a minimal amount of decoration. I think it looks spectacular and I think Mary would have loved what was done.


In the close up of the tree, you can see a couple of the Waterford pieces, ribbon and a few decorations. All are done very tastefully and it certainly could be a tree that Mary decorated herself.

The last picture is the living room, ready for a party--which will happen this weekend. Everytime I look at this room, I think of how it has changed during the 28 Christmas' I have celebrated in this house. From Chris and Erika checking out their Christmas stockings for stocking stuffer gifts from Santa (Erika was 5 and Chris was 13 but he still checked out the stockings with gusto) to the trips to the tree farms in the Santa Cruz mountains to find our own imperfect but spirited tree, to the quiet Christmas that was Mary's last just two years ago. Maybe I can find some old pictures of Christmas Past and post them this month. We shall see.

Merry Christmas to all!