CHRISTMAS DECORATING: Day 4

The tree is up! Lights, camera, action!! And, the first big box of ornaments is hung. There are two or three more big boxes to go, but bedtime is calling the little girls.

There is nothing like the delight and exuberance of a nearly 2 year old and one just over 4-1/2. We ooh and ahhh, climb on stools and step ladders, stretch our arms high and find just the right spot for each snowman, santa, angel, teddy, and lollipop. There's a Tinker Bell and a Cookie Monster; Rudolph and Big Bird. We have a mouse climbing a ladder and ma in her kerchief and pa in his cap just laying down for a long winter's nap.

There's a whole flock of sheep and clusters of stars; glitter and dazzle and feathers to boot! We hang a glitzy gold spider along with his web. Somewhere's a pickle, a cupcake, and ice cream cone. Shout-outs to Austin, Charleston, New Orleans, Santa Fe, San Francisco, Paris, Scotland, Slovakia, Prague, and Budapest. Papa's red ballon guy commemorates his 30th birthday ride, with frogs and French striped socks for JE; baseball and football guys for DM. We hang pies and tarts, and a small Swedish chef for Marielle's vices, along with copper pots and silvery whisks.

The stockings ARE hung by the chimney with care on the lovely silver hangars RvH so generously gifted.

More ornaments tomorrow, and SOMEONE has to solve the tree skirt problem: to skirt or not to skirt, that is the question.