Christmas in the New House

For as long as I can remember I’ve loved those really straight Christmas lights. You know the ones I’m talking about, the big C9s that perfectly line the rooftops of the “big fine houses.” There’s something about the perfection of straight lights that calls out to the OCD part of me. So when my master of exterior illumination began to plan our first home’s inaugural lighting, I knew exactly what I wanted. Being the economically savvy couple we are, we went with the LED C9s. Not those horrid cool white ones, but the warm whites. 4 boxes, 4 trips to Pineville, 2 boxes of the wrong clips, two boxes of the right clips, two freezing boys on a tall ladder, and two nights later, we’ve got perfectly straight lights on our house! And we’re saving $7 a year per strand.

And I really wanted Candy Cane columns. Which are really hard to do. Like really.

And Jacob really really wanted NICE lighted garland. Not that cheap stuff we bought last year, but legit garland. We tried to put ornaments on the little trees, but after a succession of really windy days and nights and several glass casualties, we had to call it quits. The poinsettia bit the dust too. And yet it’s still on the porch…

Next year, prepare yourselves for the Light Show…

I’ve decided a mantle is probably the best Christmas decoration ever. Finally stocking holders make sense. Jacob picked out his own. And of course we needed one for Charlie.

With the help of a ladder, push pins, and fishing line I created this with the ornaments that didn’t match our tree.

And my Michelle Palmer “Paris” collection is now complete! If only I could get it to stay straight all the time.

I decided the topiaries from the wedding needed the Christmas Spirit too. And I’m thinking they’re going to keep that Christmas Spirit all year round.

No Christmas is complete without a leg lamp....

And now for the tree itself. We went with a Noble Fir which was an excellent decision. It sheds way less than other trees I’ve gotten. The tree reflects our marriage: baseball and bling. And damask. But you know what we never got? An “Our First Christmas” ornament. I wonder if they make a “Second Christmas” ornament…

Charlie has done surprisingly well with the tree. He doesn’t try to take the ornaments off or jump on it, but he does like to drink the water out of the stand… He’s also very intrigued by the presents. Wrapping them with him was pretty difficult. He decided he needed to stand on them all. So apologies if you have puppy feet in your gift this year…

And here is what happened to the cheap garland. Which looks like it will be an all year thing too.

The dining set got a paint job, but I still need to upholster the chairs.

Now the bedroom is an odd place for the Nativity, I know. But I didn’t have any other good surface to put it on. Besides, the bedroom needed some Christmas anyway.

And there you have it. Christmas with the Upshaws 2010.