Well, it’s over- Thanksgiving Day is kind of like the closing ceremony for Pumpkin Palooza. (In case you missed it, Pumpkin Palooza is an entirely made up “festival” that only my sister and I celebrate- although we’re always encouraging others to join in.) Since I get out my fall decorations promptly on September 1st, you’d think I’d be getting a little tired of them. It’s true- compared to the brightly colored, sparkly Christmas decorations, the fall things look so drab and… brown.
But still- I’m sad it’s over. This week with my son home was so nice, and it’s hard to say goodbye to him. I know- he’ll be back in three weeks, and that vacation is even longer. But… Thanksgiving of 2022 is over forever, and it makes me sad.
I know the remedy for this is simply to forge ahead. Get all those pumpkins put away! Get the Christmas decorations up! I absolutely love Christmas, and the house is so pretty and cozy with the tree and all the lights up. And, I have a few new things.
Last year I shared my Christmas mug collection. I’m happy to report that I did get rid of a couple I don’t use anymore… but then I got a new one. I couldn’t help it! I love the design, it’s the right size and fits comfortably in my hand. Here it is yesterday for the first Christmas-y breakfast of the year (gingerbread oatmeal):
Another collection I have is my Christmas cozy socks. Again, I really didn’t need another pair, but couldn’t resist these new ones:
And, here’s something old, but also new. Last year I also wrote about this nativity scene set of wax figures that my mom always put on our mantle. We had it as far back as I can remember, which means it’s at least as old as the 1960s (and possibly older than that- who knows how long my mom had it.)
Well anyway, as we were putting it out this weekend, my son joked, “Should we light it?” What??? NO, of course not! They’re not CANDLES! And he replied, “Well, this one has a wick.” Sure enough- the angel has a wick, which I never noticed before (I think it must have been pressed down against her head, and my son pulled it up.) Do they ALL have wicks? This was an alarming thought, because that just seems… very wrong. We checked, but Jesus, Mary, and Joseph have no wicks, phew. But that leads me to believe that the angel was not originally part of this set, which was a little disconcerting- I always thought they went together. And also… who would want to light that angel? What an odd thing.
Do you have a hard time making the transition when something ends? Or are you eager to move on to the next thing?
Is your house decorated for Christmas?
#nablopomo2022 – we’re in the home stretch!
21 Responses
Those wax figurines, what treasures! I have some ornaments from the 60s that my MIL gave me, and I display them in with my bowl of beach rocks. They are SO fragile though; a few have been broken.
My house is decorated inside and out!
It’s funny, the difference between those old ornaments and the ones that are made now. I don’t think they were exactly made to last.
Oh man, I am glad they didn’t all have wicks because who would want to burn up Mary, Joseph and Jesus! Sheesh!!!
I usually do not feel sad when holidays are over. I didn’t get the wedding blues, either. I was so happy to be married and done with all the planning! My husband teases me about how I am always trying to plan our next trip before the trip we are on is over. I think it’s my planning nature – I’m always looking ahead and can have a harder time enjoying the here and now!
Well, it’s working for you, if you’re not getting sad when things are over. Maybe I need to do that- start planning something big for after Christmas so I don’t get depressed.
My parents used to be in the military and bought these wax angel ornaments. The thing is that they will melt if they’re near a light on the tree, so there are a lot of memories of my childhood Christmases with my parents “suggesting” to my sister and I that we move the angels to a different spot on the tree. My sister now has those wax angels and I wonder if she’s as…aggressive as my parents were about their placement. Cheers to wax holiday decorations!
Hmmm, I’m pretty sure wax ornaments are a thing of the past. I was also thinking after I wrote that post that family heirlooms made of wax are awfully… precarious.
What is it about wax? I think we discussed this last Christmas but my absolutely FAVOURITE Christmas decoration is a wax figurine made by Avon back in the 1970’s. My parents got it the year they were married (1972). It was always my favourite decoration when I was a kid. It is scented and is 100% the smell I associate with Christmas. Every Christmas box would get inundated with the smell.
When I got married, my Mom gave it to me! It is one of my most treasured possessions. I set it up today and now my living room smells like this scent and I love it!
Ironically enough, my daughter is NOT a fan of the scent, so I guess I won’t be passing it down to her?!
“Fleece Navidad.” – This made me laugh so hard.
I’ve already agreed with you on the whole “letdown” after holidays. I REALLY struggle with this. I should try to be more proactive this year? We have company coming between over New Year’s. They leave the day the kids go back to school, so I wonder if I’ll find the transition easier?
Love the mug. I bought a new mug this weekend at IKEA. I didn’t need one, per se, but it was so “me.”
I want to see a picture of the new mug!
Interesting that the wax figure from 1972 STILL has the same scent! Maybe you can pass it down to Levi.
This was a pretty epic autumn, so I’m sad that it’s over. Right now I just want to push the fast forward button to get to the winter solstice so we can start having more daylight.
We have a set of skeleton candles which are a delight but and angel candle…uh…how about no.
Yeah, the angel candle is a weird idea!
I do like pumpkin everything. And fall colors match my new kitchen.
Haven’t decorated yet. With the new monster kitten I am not sure what to do. No tree!
But I’ll make it as festive as I can.
We were very worried about our tree the first year with our new kitten- but it was fine! We were very surprised because she was very destructive. We though she would actually try to climb the tree- but she didn’t. You never know!
Oooh your nativity set is so wonderful! It makes me nostalgic for the nativity set my mother had when I was growing up (even though hers was quite different from yours).
We still have fall decor up, but I suppose I need to put it away. Transitions are hard, but I like how you are using your adorable Christmas stuff to help ease the path!
I have almost every last shred of fall decor put away. Now that it’s been a few days, I’m fully embracing the Christmas season.
OMG the image of lighting the Nativity on fire made me laugh out loud.
We have gotten out the advent candles, and in the search for them pulled out the three bins of Christmas ornaments and decorations. We don’t usually decorate this early, so the bins are just sitting in the living room. Though we do have one of those Christmas light projectors that throws up light patterns on the outside of the house and the Husband put that out yesterday. Christmas decorating is a bigger things for my Husband than for me … most of those three bins are full of things from his parents. I don’t love the act of decorating, mostly because I don’t like the work of having to take things down.
I love decorating- but I HATE taking it all down afterwards. I’m trying not to think about that part.
My house is still not decorated. It will be a couple more days until I find time and be in the right mood.
That nativity scene is so different from what I have ever seen. And wow it has survived a long time. My first thought was that the angle looked a bit odd and out of place so I can see that it was an addition. But it’s great, right? An addition. Now you can go ahead and add your own little things like a donkey and sheep.
Yes, it’s funny you say that- I can clearly see now that the angel is different! I’ll be on the lookout for wax animals… might be hard to find.
I guess the good thing about the end of pumpkin-palooza is the beginning of Christmas-palooza 🙂
For me the pumpkin season is always so short, I usually don’t bother with any more than a few pumpkins on my porch and table.
Your new Christmas mug is lovely. I understand these kinds of impulse purchases – whenever I buy something on impulse, it’s usually a mug 🙂 LOL
That feels so crazy and blasphemous to me to burn an angel candle. WHAT. What a wild thing.
I am commenting VERY late, but I was all decorated for Christmas aside from my tree and putting up lights (inside) before I left on my cruise, which was the day before you posted this! And I got my tree up and decorated and my lights on all of little shelves within the few days of coming home. I love how festive it is in here!
I’m not sure if you did a post about your apartment “Christmas Wonderland” (I didn’t see one.) If not, I hope you do one- I want to see it!