You see, I'm a decorating stickler. I put up my fall decorations, not because I want to in August, but in September when the air starts getting chiller. Pumpkins and all that goes outside on the porch right around the end of Sept/beginning of Oct. I don't want rotten pumpkins by Thanksgiving now do I? And Christmas decorations DO NOT get put up before Thanksgiving weekend.
Really. I AM one of those people making fun of those people with Christmas lights outside their house, or Christmas trees I can see from the window before Thanksgiving, and AFTER February. Sorry, but I am. I can hear myself saying when I pass these places, "Really, are those people crazy?"
I am eating my words.
I have children who bother me about decorating for the seasons WAY BEFORE it's the actual
season. Grace has literally been driving me crazy to put up our Christmas decorations for weeks now.
Believe me, I WANT to. I do. I love everything about all the seasons and the Holidays. I'm looking forward to going to my grandma's this Thursday, because I love getting together with my dad's side. They make me laugh so hard my face hurts!
But, I'm also looking forward to coming home from Thanksgiving and decorating for Christmas. Usually the day after, the kids and I are putting up the tree and all that goes along with that. We're not ones to hit the town for Black Friday. Really. Brent has to work, so shopping with kids on that crazy day is NOT appealing.
So, where was I going with this...oh, yes...I'm a stickler who has fallen off the wagon.
Grace wore me down.
This is what is sitting on my counter between the kitchen and the living room.
AND this is what is currently, as of 10 minutes ago, in my living room.
My Christmas village is up. I can't believe it! It is TECHNICALLY getting close to winter, and this is really a WINTER village, right? Sure it is. It's supposed to be 65 degrees tomorrow. In Indiana. WHAT am I thinking? I broke down. I lost it. I gave in to the persistence of Grace.
I walked down to the basement and looked at this place good and hard.
It's all the tubs filled with Christmas decorations. Only one or two of these holds tax documents. The others hold Christmas decorations.
Yes, I have a problem.
Unpacking pandemonium. Houses came flying out of the box as well as little people, barns, an ice skating rink, and many other things.
I got the two tubs marked Christmas Village, and took them upstairs. It took only a minute for this to happen.
Unpacking pandemonium. Houses came flying out of the box as well as little people, barns, an ice skating rink, and many other things. 
(This is not really helping at all.)
This village has come to be from purchases at Goodwill, garage sales, and even a store or two AFTER Christmas. Some things have broken, and some have been sold, and this is what is left.
This was the BEFORE.
Now we have bumpy roads in town...
A wedding party...and a policeman who hastily got his arm repaired with tape tonight...
An ice skating rink...
Complete with hidden magnets that make these people go around in figure 8's, etc. It really is quite cool.A train station that has a Thomas train track and trains leftover from Evan's obsessive train days.
A "glass" pond and bridge with a very disapproving man looking over the side.
And lastly, my favorite part of the whole village. The farmhouse and barn outside of town.I bought it because the house reminded me of our own yellow one.
Yes, I realize that the barn is not proportionate to the house...they were bought separately. But I LOVE the house!
It looks so homey, and the front porch is like ours.
The whole reason why I finally gave in was because of this...
My kids are absolutely in LOVE with this village, and always have been. They spend hours rearranging the people, making up voices for them, and acting out little scenes. Many things have gotten broken over the years, but their joy far outweighs that I suppose.
At least Grace has finally been appeased. At least until Friday!
I caved and worked on decorating our front porch today. I figured I might as well take advantage of the warm weather. At least your early decorating isn't so visible to people driving down the street!
ReplyDeleteI think you've made the right call on this. Look at those happy little faces placing the village scenery in place. They will never forget it. You know how I know this? It happened to me as a child and I still remember my mom and dad getting the box out after I begged and begged and they let us put up a few things. We put our village under the tree so that had to come later but I will never forget it and neither will yours :)
ReplyDeleteAmy
Oh my, I've got some catching up to do. I love my Christmas village too, and my kids love playing around with it....they will be so excited when it comes out. Luckily with everything else that's been going on around here they haven't asked for the Christmas decorations yet. We will be getting our tree after Thanksgiving and then the decorating will begin. I did find the cutest gingerbread village at Michael's the other night, with 5 buildings so we each get to decorate our own...I'm sure I'll post pics. So much to do I get overwhelmed just thinking about all the tubs. Hugs-Carrie
ReplyDeleteI love your village by the way. I love how you've gotten pieces at different places and put them all together...I'm especially fond of the yellow farm house, and the bumpy roads. Your kids are so adorable, they look like they are around my kids ages. Hugs again-Carrie
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