Angst Loves Spinach: glitter and good will

If you look back over posts from Decembers Past, you'll find I don't usually have time to enjoy The Most Wonderful Time of the Year due to working like a maniac. Since I find myself working a retail position this holiday season, I figured I would once again miss out on the fun due to a busy schedule. It has been plenty busy but since I am now in the city from the moment I wake up until I fall asleep again, I still have enough leftover time and energy to enjoy the holiday - how welcome a relief!

I hope you found my last post more inspiring than depressing or mean. I expect this one to be of a far more light-hearted nature.

In years past, as in, those that came before full-time jobs and adult responsibilities, I used to love the weeks leading up to Christmas. Everyday I would open my eyes in anticipation of a snowfall that usually didn't come. At night I would decorate the envelopes in which I would send off treasures - Christmas cards and sometimes invitations to a grand party. One year, I even managed to have a formal party - I wore a full, floor-length gown of midnight blue georgette and satin! I was the most dressed of all my attendees, but they did humor me and dress to the nines. Although I'm not yet back to the point of being able to host a lavish, gilded soiree, I have decorated my home for the first time in many years and tonight I covered myself and my dining table with the glitter that fell from the Christmas cards I was addressing in my finest script. It feels good to have a box full of treasures for mailing!

In the hopes of pulling you into my Holiday Spirit, let's have a Picture Parade!

Here is a tiny ceramic nativity scene. It seemed like the best place for it was beneath the tree, since I do consider the birth of my Savior to be the greatest gift of all. Despite that truth, I will probably have to move it when I start putting presents beneath the tree (which I hope will start happening this weekend!).

Anyone remember Beanie Babies? This is my angelbear beanie - its name is Halo II (good name for a friend, right?) and we share a birthday (even if we are 22 years apart).

I have a lovely angel ornament who is currently too big and heavy for my little Charlie Brown tree. Fortunately, this year we have a mantel and a fireplace and I think she looks just lovely suspended there, just beyond the tree.

Santa's keeping a close watch over my watercolor of Lake Tahoe (I think he'd rather locate his toy shop there).

Initially, I thought I'd clear off the mantel completely and put up green garland, maybe with some lights and ribbon, then weave some candles and other Christmas decor (like my tiny nativity scene) in, but then I looked again and saw what a beautiful job Mister had done, arranging one of my favorite wedding photos amidst some candles and other works of art created specifically for us, and I thought I would rather just augment his work. So, I added another Santa.

Eleven months of the year, this guy lives inside the santa box above. He's a painted ceramic snowman lantern. Think about that. A snowman lantern. It's a little twisted, don't you think?

"Hey, what should we set on fire?"

"How 'bout this snowman over here?"

I mean, really? What thought process goes into making a snowman lantern?

Nevertheless, I love it and will keep him burning as long as I keep finding tea-light candles.

This is a little pewter nativity scene candle. Again, with the irreverent things to set on fire, but anyway... my father-in-law gave me this little token at my first Greek Christmas. He did so because he didn't know if the hostess, Yiayia (Greek for Grandmother), would have included me in the gift-giving and he didn't want me to feel left out.

So I love it.

That's a little tin pail, painted up to resemble Santa. It appears Santa is like the Beans-n-Rice of my decorating world - can't have too many versions, can I? This one makes a great candy holder, so there are individually-wrapped peppermints in there right now. Candy canes may or may not be next.