Christmas Spirit

Christmas is just over a week away but you wouldn't know it by looking at my house.  The Christmas spirit is definitely lacking here which makes me sad.  There is always a delay on putting up the Christmas tree here because of it's location in the house but this year the toddler in the house has stopped me from putting up any decorations at all.  You see, the only location in my house that is (sort of) available for the Christmas tree is in front of the picture window in my kitchen that faces the street.  There is no other spot that doesn't contain furniture that can't easily be moved and stored in place of the tree for a couple of weeks.  Instead, I have to move the dog's bowls and mat from it's normal spot in front of the window to another less convenient location on the other side of the kitchen.  Plus the tree blocks access to the pantry which makes life all kinds of difficult.

Throw the toddler into the mix and it's just a recipe for disaster.  One of my twitter friends posted about her son who is a month older than Jackson pulling the tree on to himself within days of them putting it up and I decided right then to delay the tree even further.  My current plan is to ask Chris to start getting it out on Thursday since tomorrow is Sean's last day of school.  It will give them something to do during the day and give me less to stress about.  If that doesn't work, then I will be decorating alone while corralling Jackson all weekend.  Also, baby gates will be in place to prevent said toddler from entering and exiting the kitchen for the duration of the Christmas holidays.

I have two Nutcrackers up on the very top of my entertainment center and a a snowman table cloth in the dining room but that is the extent of the decorating that has happened here.  The Nutcrackers only made it out because they were purchased on Black Friday this year and haven't made it to the decoration box(es) yet.  I normally have my Nutcracker collection, my International Santas, and my Nativities covering the living room and dining room at this point with stockings hung on the fireplace.  But little grabby hands who can climb made me re-think that since I would like to keep my decorations in one piece for future use.

I am sure this all sounds very grinch-y but I promise I'm not trying to be.  I have tried to find all the Christmas related activities I can for us to do.  We hit Santa's workshop at my office and the Christmas Stroll in a neighboring town all in one day two weeks ago.  We also checked out the Living Nativity/Life of Christ production at one of the local churches.  Plus we have attended a couple of Christmas parties.  I still have plans for pictures with Santa and going to see Christmas lights this weekend plus a family viewing of Polar Express.  I sure hope that makes up for the lack of festiveness in the house.