Judah “un-decorating” the Christmas Tree 2011

It was still almost 100 in Sacramento just a few days ago when I saw the first display of Christmas decorations in Kohl’s.

So this morning I have coffee, a yellow legal pad, and a pen. I’m mapping out my Holiday strategy.
We go to Palm Springs for a week at Thanksgiving with a group of our kids and grandkids.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining.
BUT, it puts some pressure on the Christmas season.

This year I have a new strategy: decorate for the holidays and shop before we go to Palm Springs.

In his great book,

Getting Things DONE

, David Allen taught us to focus on the next action you must take to complete any project.
Do you need to decide something, buy something, or do something.

Last year before I “un-decorated” I took photos to remind myself of the decorations I have and where I used them.
In 11 months I forget what’s in all those giant green Rubbermaid containers!
I also took a look at the areas that I wanted to improve on this year.
Now I’m revisiting those photos and notes.

Lat year I put my tree in a corner of our Great Room near the fireplace. I liked it there and so that’s where I’m putting it this year.
I have lots of ornaments we have collected while traveling and I love seeing them, so I’m not shopping for anything for the tree.

Last year I focused on making more tabletop displays.
I wanted to add a little bit of Christmas in a variety of locations.
I found a cache of Christmas goodies at my local Discovery Shop (the American Cancer Society Thrift Store).
I grouped them together on a kitchen counter.

I have a Ralph Lauren chest in my Entry where I store lots of table linens and coloring books.
I took down the art and put a wreath above it and added a tabletop display.

I crammed my mantles full of lighted garland and tons shiny bulbs then added a cranberry frosted garland.

We have high ceiling and lots of space above the upper cabinets in the kitchen.
I used lighted garland to top all the cabinets.

I decorated the buffet in my Dining Room and I loved the way the lighted garland glowed in the evenings.

I have a small tree that sits on the Kitchen counter and the little grandkids decorate it the day we make cookies.

Our grandkids love the stuffed musical Hallmark decorations.
They also like to tell the Christmas Story using the resin-plastic-whatever they are Nativity pieces.

Looking at those Nativity pieces I remember Christmas isn’t about the decorations it’s about Christ.
It’s about Emmanuel, God with us.
It’s about the hope of all mankind coming as the Son of Man to make salvation possible for all who will believe.

This year I’m taking all my grandkids to see The Christmas Story Play at a local Christian School.
I’m taking my Mom to hear a Chorale Group give a Christmas performance.
And I’m doing my shopping and decorating early so I have the time and peace of mind to enjoy it all!

Merry Christmas