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This year I put up indoor lights and some decorations. If I had a tree I would have decorated it. I am doing it for myself. I figured no sense feeling down because no one is coming to visit. I can suffer alone or make the best of it and cheer myself up. Heck, I even listened to FM Christmas carols this morning and sang along. That hasn't happened in years!
Either you have grand kids coming around or you don't. Just fake it til you make it.
This year I put up indoor lights and some decorations. If I had a tree I would have decorated it. I am doing it for myself. I figured no sense feeling down because no one is coming to visit. I can suffer alone or make the best of it and cheer myself up. Heck, I even listened to FM Christmas carols this morning and sang along. That hasn't happened in years!
Either you have grand kids coming around or you don't. Just fake it til you make it.
We ran a string of lights around the family room where the S.O. stays and up over his hospital bed. Have a wreath hanging on this contraption over his head that was supposed to help him be able to pull himself up but is too far back for him to reach that the Ontario medical services people never came back to get.
I bought some greens and sparkly things to stick in them that are next to his TV.
Retired, but still have an adult child with developmental disabilities at home, so tree, lighted reindeer and sign in the yard, 6 Christmas scenes in music boxes, two lighted snow globes, stuffed singing Santa, lighted standing Santa the reads "The Night Before Christmas", Rudolph who nose lights up and a wind up fluffy stuffed dog that plays Jingle Bells while wiggling all over.
When our son moves out, I hope he has room to take all of this. I would go maybe 2 or 3 things that mean the most to me.
Is that vinyl (or aluminum) siding? Wish MY historic district would allow me to cover the peeling original clapboards on my 800 sf 1875 Freeman's cottage in the downtown district. I also bought mine for a song, but am ready for a nice modern condo next having gotten "living in an antique house" out of my system.
Beautiful fireplace! I have a cute little one; originally coal-burning, but now strictly ornamental (bricked up).
I'm also ready for a working alternative heat source (either wood or gas fireplace).
UPDATE: I finally hung my fake wreath on the nail outside. With care.
It's vinyl siding probably installed decades ago. I wish it wasn't because I wanted a house with all the original stuff on it like the gingerbread decorations which were probably removed when the vinyl was installed. It was bad enough the transom windows on both the front and back doors were covered in vinyl. The only thing I can do with the vinyl is pressure wash it which I've done but it never looks totally cleaned.
I had the vinyl removed above the doors and now at least I have nice transoms. They had turned the dining room into a bedroom and put up drywall to close in the large open space into the living room. When I removed the drywall (all other walls on that level are still plaster), I found a nice surprise in that they had covered beautiful old 9' pocket doors. The floors are what they are, painted original wood. I wasn't going to spend 10 grand refinishing the floors.
When I bought the house, they sold it as a 4 bedroom. In reality it was 2 bedrooms with a dining room and a large walk in pantry. They even counted the pantry as a bedroom because it has a window and little closet. It originally had 2 windows but one window was sealed and covered with the damned vinyl.
To me, the house has good vibes and has a perfect location. It's out of the flood zone but an easy and quick walk to the Ohio River and downtown.
I lived in modern stucco houses almost my entire life until now. I love the old house with all it's flaws and quirks and metal roof. Maybe someday I won't anymore but until then, I enjoy it.
I'm looking into getting a permanent generator which is hooked up to the natural gas as an alternative source for lighting and heat just in case there are ever any prolonged outages but that's also very expensive and not sure I want to spend that money.
BTW, my fireplaces are also coal burning and probably haven't been used for 70-80 years but at least they look nice
Congrats on getting your wreath hung!
Last edited by marino760; 12-24-2022 at 04:05 PM..
This year I put up indoor lights and some decorations. If I had a tree I would have decorated it. I am doing it for myself. I figured no sense feeling down because no one is coming to visit. I can suffer alone or make the best of it and cheer myself up. Heck, I even listened to FM Christmas carols this morning and sang along. That hasn't happened in years!
Either you have grand kids coming around or you don't. Just fake it til you make it.
Couldn't you find one? Every Goodwill has half a dozen trees for sale - cheap. Along with all the trimmings!
Although I am not retired yet, I am getting there (smile) but I found myself agreeing with some of these responses.
Based upon some of the responses, decorating depends on whether there are young’uns around or not; this may have a lot to do with if one decorates and how much decorating is done for the holidays. ( very simple or extravagant).
Also, some decorate for their own happiness regardless of young-uns present or not.
These two sentiments I can relate to the most. In my case, young-uns living far away decorating is more about the joy I get.
However, this year was minimal decorating as I am doing furniture rearranging, etc so my Christmas tree spot has disappeared, and the current disarray makes it impossible to decorate for Christmas this year. But I have some poinsettias around for the holiday vibe.
The great memories of holidays past I think have a lot to do with why I still decorate- the great joy those memories always bring.
I am sure one day in the distant future-whether from infirmities of age or changing interests, etc, holiday decorating may become a simple tabletop tree, instead of all I currently do.
I am so tired of putting up our artificial tree....but DH loves that tree, so we do it. We have decorations our daughter made in school 30 years ago, they still go on the tree, so do my childhood decorations from 60 years ago. I am happy with just candles in the windows.
This was our first Christmas as empty nest parents; however, we did bring my elderly in-laws in to live with us earlier this year.
Since DS is no longer here, I will not be resuming the role of the guy climbing the 12ft ladder and reaching to hang the lights up on the house.
So, this year we did the fake candles in all the windows and a 24" lit wreath on the entry door.
DW decorated the interior to a lesser degree than normal. Most noticeably, her pride and joy Dickens village set up stayed in storage this year.
I did dig out the fine china for dinner on Christmas. I think it's only the 4th or 5th time we've used it since our marriage a long, long time ago.
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