'Tis the Season

I really wanted to start this posting with "I was at my ancestral home over the weekend..." which, though true, doesn't quite ring true since where I really was was my parents' house where I grew up.

But, anyway...

I was there to celebrate Thanksgiving, and - since I was there, anyway - to help start decorating for Christmas. We've never been an over-the-top decorating family, but the house lends itself very well to Christmas decor. And, since the whole family is descending upon the house next month during the Holidays, it seemed like a good idea to pull out some of the stops. 

I'm not going to get all misty-eyed about it. Or philosophical. Or even wistful. But I did want to show off one piece of my handiwork, just so you have an idea of how cool it looks. 

It's funny, though. When I pulled up the pictures, it seemed to lose a little in translation. So maybe the Grinch and the Whos down in Whoville have it all correct when they make us all realize that the real Christmas comes from the heart, and not from the greenery with the really cool bows (all of which looks oddly plasticky in the picture because of the flash). 

So, as we stumble through the crowds and the hustle and bustle of the next month, here's to finding your Holiday cheer - may it come to you with or without decorations and ribbons and bows. 

(But, if you happen to be around my parents' house in the next 6 weeks, it does look pretty cool in person - possibly because the home is where the heart is, and all that misty-eyed, philosophically wistful stuff.)