And the stockings were hung on the Stairs!

Jack wrapping the tree in red lights. We finally replaced the "Walgreen's purchased in dire emergency cause mommy accidental threw the tree out the window tree" with a target $7 January clearance find! That is much less charlie brown looking! the other still sits in my basement for next years yard sale season.
Jack trimming the staircase in trimmings, I love it always dreamed of doing up a open stair case this way, so when Jack and I saw them on sale 75% off last year we grabbed them. I don't think they will last more than a season or perhaps two if we are really lucky they are a bit to delicate for our crew.

Courtney and Aiden decorating the tree. Besides the lights and the red beaded garland I let them decorate the tree this year, and I have not even moved a decoration yet, they choose a mix of my homemade balls, red apples and silver bells. Looks great!

I also let the kids put out the Christmas village 100% by themselves this year as well. They purchased it for me from the dollar store when we first moved here. All three of them took great care deciding what pieces should go to make it a believable village. I promised them some fake snow, got to pick it up my next trip to Walmart.

Our stairwell. It shocked me that my husband suggested putting white cup hooks in the wood work on the stairs to hold the stockings. Normally we argue over placing anything on the walls cause he hates repairing holes. I seriously have very little art on the wall due to this. But he brought it up and after I got up from fainting over his unlike him suggestion, I said go for it. I love how it looks. We tried the fire place last year with those stocking holders that you place on the mantel but my kids kept knocking them off and one of them dented the floor, so they got sold in this summers round of yard sales.



It is tradition in our house the last few years since Courtney was old enough to voice her very strong opinion (so much like her mother, I can admit it) to decorate either Thanksgiving day or the day after thanksgiving. Ever since the tree out the window incident, I don't have any problems getting my husband to help, its less effort to help than to replace a window I suppose. (I promise you I in no way dropped the tree down those stairs and out the window as a strategy to insure my husbands decorating help, cause who wants to spend 45 mins in the freezing cold cleaning up glass while their then pre-schooler shouts at them, "when is the tree getting up mommy, when when")

But it seems to me that every year Jack and I do less and less of the decorating and the kids do more and more. I love it that way! they get so excited! it really puts them in the Christmas mood.

There are certain items I still won't let them un-box like my willow tree nativity and the stain glass nativity Jack's mom made. But the rest if fair game for their placement, and once it is all out we all enjoy it greatly.

Now it has me so looking forward to the month ahead. With Christmas plays, cookie decorating parties, staff parties, family shopping day, and then the big day itself!