The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

(Do I have that song stuck in your head now? It's stuck in mine!)

It snowed today. Much more than expected. And since State College can't seem to get its act together when it comes to clearing the roads of the awful wet stuff, The Boy™ and I decided to stay in (once I got home from work.)

(The view out our living room window.)

So, instead of grocery shopping and buying Christmas presents, as I had intended to today, I made myself a cup of really hot tea, cranked the Holiday Mix on my iTunes and pulled out the Christmas decorations.

Yes, I know, it's only the 5th. I'm breaking my rule of not putting out Christmas Crap before the double digit days of December.  But what good are rules if you can't break them? Besides, since we're going to be gone so much of the Season this year, I figured if I want to get any enjoyment out of them, I better put them up now.

Or you can blame Nutcracker rehearsals, this cold and lack of sleep for my having lost my senses.

This was once a prop from a show. The stage manager gave it to me as a closing night present. This is the first year I thought to stuff lights inside it. It looks nicer at night (though I don't think the picture would come out as well.)

The reindeer displayed on the bookshelf. I think he sneaks in some philosophic reading of Lila and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance late at night when we are asleep. Last year he was with the theatre books. He's a well-read reindeer.

 Even Betty is getting in on some of the action with lights around her bowl and the LED angel to keep her company. The angel is less creepy in real life, let me assure you.

This is our small attempt at a tree and my collection of Christmas books that only come out for the holiday. One of these days, we'll be in a place that has the room for a full size tree and I'll be able to put up the decorations from my childhood. But until then, they're safely tucked away and we use this little tree instead. Since we're not actually here on the Day itself, it's not as depressing as it sounds.

It's been a long day, and it's time for a well-deserved nap.  The Boy™ has already found his chosen spot under the comfy quilt Grandma and Cousin Suzie made for us.  I'm settled in my chair with my laptop, knitting and cough drops.  This cold I picked up over Thanksgiving is still lingering. Just kind of a stuffy nose and cough at this point, but it takes a lot out of you.  In a way, it's probably better that we stayed in today. Wouldn't want to subject my germy self to the populace, would I?