Despite Chicago's insistence that it should be drizzly, hazy and all around gloomy I'm still in the holiday mood which makes, what? Eight weeks now? I got my little tree put together, the holiday show I'm working on will be going up this week, there's a staff holiday party and a decreed Ugly Christmas Sweater day that I am pumped for. I'm already making plans to bake cookies and knock out all of my Christmas shopping this week, and even better plans to see friends over the next couple of months. Chicago drizzlies can't knock a girl down when she's high on the love of the season...that's not a euphemism for something drug related.
Friday night I called my Mom and asked what the possibility of me flying home for 48 hours was. She said they were great, especially for Christmas. Saturday during my lunch break I booked a plane ticket for right after the Sunday matinee of the Christmas show I'm working on, and now I'll be home for Christmas! We'll drive back to Chicago Christmas night so I can be back at work the day after, and then I'll get some quality time with Reid and Mom leading up to New Years. My fears of sitting alone in my apartment Christmas morning and shedding tears in to my oatmeal have all but vanished, and I'm super excited to see my family and get some Tim Horton's. How I miss Tim Horton's...and also my family.
Can't wait to see you C-bus, I'll be home for Christmas!
The complaints about the holidays coming earlier and earlier keep rolling in, and right off my back. Obviously since I was ready to listen to Christmas music in mid October. But think about it folks, if we start decorating for the holidays early then there's an extra month to enjoy your hard work making your dwelling look festive, three if you're like me and let some x-mas stuff slip by through January.
Here are a few understated ways to inject some holiday cheer in to your home without driving you nuts before December:
Greenery is always a nice touch, especially in winter where you start to become tree-deprived.
Stick to either red or green while decorating, that way the Christmas spirit isn't all up in your face.
Use good old fashioned paper snowflakes! You legitimately can leave these up all winter long.
These metallic starts are festive yet not over the top.
Add some glitter: cheery and stylish.
White lights put some warmth in to your space, I love the glow they create in the evenings.
It's begun! Chicago Winter took me by surprise this morning. I woke up and looked at my phone which was sporting little crystallized snow flakes. I rushed to the window and this is what I found...
Eeps!
It snuck up on me to say the least. Luckily the windows are taped, the heat is finally turned on, and we've already decorated for Christmas! I would like everyone to meet my Christmas tree, Albert!
Albert in all his dining table glory
Now, as expensive as Albert looks, he was actually quite the bargain from Target. He had many brothers in sisters in shiny red, sparkly purple, shimmery silver, and crisp white. But we found Albert sitting by his lonesome with his less than eye catching matte green pre-lit cousins. Albert's color? Roommate described it as "dirty silver". He has kind of a Silver and Gold theme going on, and we love him for it. And since the ornament selection was not so great, Albert is decorated with things we found around the apartment. Earrings, feather hair clips, and beer bottle caps attached to the tree with scotch tape and thread. I am one proud mama.
From his good side
Roommate inadvertently picked out the tree topper when he spotted this peacock. He has one eye and his name is Azuleanno.
And Azuleanno matches the other new addition to the dining space, the blue twinkle lights.
All in all, the Macaque's Igloo is looking pretty spiffy for the holidays. And now that it's stuck in my head...
