Where are you Christmas?

I am in quite the quandary people. Or, as my Auntie would say (shout out Auntie Lucy!), "In a bit of a pickle."

*side note here: That little saying is part of an inside joke between us and never, ever fails to make me smile because the events that transpired in order for her to first utter those now infamous words were hilarious. Got you wondering now, don't I?*

But back to my elusive point.

I ALWAYS have my house decorated for Christmas by now. Not necessarily the outside lights because I hate doing those and therefore con the hubby into doing it on my birthday/day after our anniversary as part of my "present" because I am evil like that.

The girls and I, (well, okay, the girls because I have a bad back, remember?) get out the decs from the attic as I suggest give the orders as to the best places to put them.

And I have some really awesome Christmas decorations people.

Like my Christmas Village that lights up AND has a train. The Bean is usually in charge of putting that up. So what if it is really a cheap one that was bought on sale for half off at JCPenny and now sports a few nicks and some broken church steps? I LOVE it and that is what counts.

Then there is my snow globe collection. I only have maybe 5 or 6 of them but I consider it a collection.

My favorite one is of the manger scene with Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus and plays "Oh Holy Night" when you twist the little twisty-key thingy. It is probably my most favorite Christmas decoration because when Ellie was only 5 and I was about three months pregnant with The Toots, she gave the hubby very strict instructions on what she needed him to get for her to give me as a Christmas present.

It HAD to have the manger scene AND play Oh Holy Night! And after going to nearly every store at the Maine Mall, the hubby finally found it in Macys. And naturally paid and arm and a leg for it but it was EXACTLY what Ellie had requested. Then she gave it to me on December 23rd because I had been sick in bed with a migraine and she thought it would make me feel better. Love it, love it, love it.

Then there are my family Christmas stockings that Gram knit for everyone. They have our names and a Christmas scene knit into each one. They also hold an unbelievable amount of presents. Pure awesomeness.

There also are all the other little Gram-made decorations. Stuffed felted Santas, table runners, fir filled scented pillows, crocheted tree ornaments complete with photos of us and the girls, and one very small stuffed stocking that is supposed to read "ho ho ho" but, because she didn't notice when she made it that the material was upside down, reads "oh, oh, oh".

It is funny to us because she made it for me the year that I was diagnosed with cancer and we realized The Toots was not developing normally thus we deemed it fitting that it should read "oh oh oh" instead anyway (yes, we all can appreciate sick humor in my family). I still crack up over it when I hang it up on my door knob.

But why the quandary you might be wondering? Well folks, it seems as though we may actually be moving. Yup, our house on East Boston Road, the hubby's Magnum Opus if you will, will finally be ready for us to live in.

While it will not be completely finished off, it will be done enough to move in to. For Christmas. That is the plan as of right now anyway. The hubby is working like a mad man between his "real jobs" and the house so that we can be in it for the holidays.

Or to be more exact, our anniversary. December 5th. (I wonder if that means no outside Christmas light chores "presents" for me this year?

We are not sure yet if we will make it. But we are hopeful. Enough so that I do not want to put up my Christmas decorations here only to have to repack them and then put them back out there.

Which leaves me feeling at very loose ends Christmas-wise.

As of right now, there is one small pitiful little Charlie Brown-esque tree that is sitting on my wood stove and some white twinkle lights that I leave up all year long in my Kitchen and on a floor plant.

This just does not work for a girl who loves all things Christmas and has been listening to Christmas music since September.

I feel like my decorations are sitting up there in the attic talking amongst themselves and saying things like, "Why aren't we out on display yet? Doesn't she love us anymore? What have we done wrong?"

You know, sort of like Toy Story (where the toys all come alive when no one is looking) only with Christmas decorations.

Don't worry my little decorations. Your time IS coming...