Merry Christmas!

Yes, I know we're still a few days away. But I've gotta say it if I'm gonna post about all my Christmas decorations.

(I have to admit that I used to be a Scrooge... or is it Grinch? about "no Christmas before Thanksgiving." Not anymore. I don't know exactly why or how my perspective changed, but it did.)

I love, love, love decorating for Christmas. I started asking Brad if I could get things out on Halloween. He said no. Lots of times. He finally gave in a couple days before Thanksgiving.

I actually wasn't going to take many pictures of my decorations and tree this year. I asked myself, Who needs Christmas tree pictures every year?!  ...especially since the tree is the exact same kind as last year with the exact same ornaments.

But then, I was reading a few blogs. People were posting about their own Christmas decorations. And I read phrases like "my theme this year" and "blends perfectly with my home decor."

Seriously?!

In my world, that's not what decorating for Christmas is about. There's no theme. Or, I guess, "Christmas" is the theme. Nothing blends perfectly; if it does, why put it out? Shouldn't a tree in your living room stand out a little bit?

In my world, decorating for Christmas is about a real tree, purchased on Black Friday and slightly crooked despite our best efforts, covered with colored LED lights and a random hodge-podge of ornaments from our childhoods.

In my world, decorating for Christmas is about pulling out Grandma Lu's Santas (for the first time this year) and mentally picturing where they were placed around her home.

yes, there's a Santa wall hanging on top of my kitchen cabinets.

In my world, decorating for Christmas is about arranging the Willow Tree nativity that was a wedding gift from my aunts and uncles and thinking of our families, scattered around the country.

In my world, decorating for Christmas is about unwrapping the nativity from my childhood pastor and his wife, and reminiscing about Christmas Eve programs at Grace Hill, from the angel costumes to the paper bags of peanuts and candy to the cookie reception.

In my world, decorating for Christmas is about the newly handmade nativity, smiling at how my dog chewed up the Holy Family's heads, which I'm sure I'll do for years. (Yes, those are teeth marks on baby Jesus. He was the only body casualty... the rest was just heads.)

In my world, decorating for Christmas is about setting out the Fontanini Nativity from Grandma Lu's, replaying the childhood days when I rearranged the set on the sunroom table.

In my world, decorating for Christmas is about setting the puzzle nativity, made by Grandma & Grandpa Klaassen's friend Harold, on the cabinet in the dining room that came from Grandpa's parents' house.

In my world, decorating for Christmas is about unwrapping the nativity that Grandma Donna chose to give me and putting it way up high, where the donkey can't lose the other ear.

In my world, decorating for Christmas is about finding the nativity that dad picked out for me the year he began the surprise present tradition.

In my world, decorating for Christmas means a random but completely put together collection of ornaments, nativities, and Santas. It means important memories and sappy sentimental stories. And I wouldn't have it any other way, even if my theme doesn't coordinate perfectly with the rest of my home.