This Year's Christmas Decorations

I feel as if I should apologize for not posting more this week. I have yet to eulogize Abby Dalton and I do feel badly about that. Unfortunately, I have felt under the weather all week. Don't worry. I don't have COVID-19. It is simply my allergies flaring up again. On top of feeling physically unwell, I have been thinking about Vanessa all week. Perhaps it is because it is her birth month. Perhaps it is because it is the holiday season. Either way, I have found myself missing her much more acutely than usual. I long ago concluded that grief never completely goes away, but it comes in waves. And right now I am caught in a wave of grief.

That having been said, I have not been idle all week. It is our family's tradition to decorate for Christmas in early December. My sister and I have been busy decorating much of the week (Mom willed the house to all three of us kids, so I share it with my sister). We have part of the living room completed and a few of the outdoor decorations up. We are hoping to get more decorations up over the weekend. Anyway, given I still feel out of sorts, I thought I would share with you four pictures of our decorations.

First is my favourite ornament. I am not absolutely sure when we bought him, but it was either in the late Nineties or early Naughts. When we bought him, I commented that he looked drunk, and he has been "the Drunken Elf" ever since. We always display him with a miniature liquor bottle for that reason. I joke that he is far better than any old Elf on the Shelf because a.) he is way cuter than the Elf on the Shelf (who I always thought looks a bit creepy) and b.) he won't snitch on you to Santa if you've been naughty!

Next up is our Christmas wreath. We bought it last year. The reason I bought it is because it has butterflies on it. Vanessa always said her name meant "butterfly," so it is yet another way I have of remembering her.

Next is our single oldest ornament. It is on the tree in the picture, but I took it down immediately after taking the picture. It is one of those balls so popular in the 20th Century that would break if you dropped them. I am not sure how old it is, but my parents had it for nearly as long as I can remember. I am guessing it could be older than me, dating to the late Fifties or early Sixties. It is certainly older than 50 years old!

Finally, here is our tree. We bought the tree a few years ago and we got it used at that, so I am not sure of its age. Most of the ornaments on it date back to the Nineties and Naughts. I really ought to get a new topper for it, as the old one is getting a bit worn out (we bought it nearly twenty years ago). The decorations at its base also date to the Nineties and Naughts. The skirt is only about two or three years old.