Christmas decorations

Last weekend I headed home to my parents house to help set up all my mom's Christmas decorations...this is no small feat as the woman has boxes upon boxes of decorations. So many boxes of decorations that we actually lost one this year and some key decor (ahem my angel tree topper) is MIA. I'm sure that since a Christmas store has opened up in town recently, my mom will be able to replace (and then some!) her decorations in no time. 

I like to help because, to be honest, I like things done my way...some call this bossy but I like to think of it as helping people make the right decision. Anyway, here is the finished tree looking all sparkly and pretty (despite the angel at the top which I take no responsibility for...she's not my fav but I was overruled):

I take ornament placement pretty seriously and will often have to 'fix' ornaments placed by others. Here are some basic rules my brother and dad cannot seem to follow:

1. ONE ornament per branch. We only give my dad three ornaments to hang up since this isn't exactly his favorite activity- last year he placed all three on the same branch and called it a day. This year he improved by placing them on different branches but all within arms reach from the chair he was sitting in so he didn't have to get up :-). My brother on the other hand likes to place his ornaments in front of mine on the same branch...unacceptable. 

2. Filler ornaments go in the back or near the trunk...gotta leave space for the favorites. 

3. No ugly ornaments in front...while I love my mom kept all the ones we made her in school those always find a nice place waaaaay in the back and ideally along the bottom.

4. Decorating the tree requires Bing Crosby and his 'teenage tunesmiths' (my mom's rule) and I highly recommend lots of wine. 

And now for some of the favorite ornaments- although now that I've taken a closer look, I see that we are in need of some Americanadian-ness up in there:

Disney section as my mom is a HUGE Disney fan

Bears that my brother and I got one year when my brother was still young enough to exclaim 'he's so cute!'

Token horse ornament...this year jumping over a branch

Santa ornament I painted the summer I got mono and was miserably sick for months

Token ballerina ornament...how could you not love this little mouse. 

We also managed to decorate the rest of the living room, dining room and kitchen. All that decorating definitely got me into the Christmas spirit...and I am now CRAVING my mom's gingerbread cookies. Better get on that one mom since no one else can make these as good as you...seriously, I've tried many times and only came out with decent cookies once. In related news, I'm going to SantaCon this weekend...drunken fun will be had by all and I will be sure to take pictures.