My house is in a transition phase....

Our outside lights are still up, albeit switched off....too windy and rainy to get them down. Sea today pictured-we're all developing gills/webbed feet here.

I wondered if it replaced the fairy on the top Ana
Presumably unique to jingl, bless her!

I was wondering about that 'tree hat' as well, loopy!

It's the lights I miss too. We have a couple of tall spriggy things with small red flowers and the middles are fairy lights. They stand in a tall vase and we put them on in the dark. But naff though (came from Lakeland).

I miss candles too and that's set me off on smelly candles again. At least I always have a good stock of them. But it's not the same without the penguins sliding in the snow.

pink tree hat I put in son's room ?
I'm going to decorate the living room this year not waiting any longer for DH to pull out his finger and I'd love to have a new kitchen too (we've been here 19 years and it wasn't new when we moved in, so it's falling apart) I'd love a big fridge/freezer too but that will have to wait ?

Somehow I will do it!

I can't find where I have hidden the row of ebony elephants (inherited from v v ancient great aunt) that go on the chimneypiece - AAARgh!!! I wonder when and where I will find them.

says they're almost gone here so must be still popular. I am tempted. But I'd need at least three strings to match Xmas. And then there's the outdoor ones too....

A few years ago chili lights adorned many kitchens all the year around!

Btw, don't get the wrong idea about son (pink tree). He just likes pretty.

It's the lights I miss. Why don't we leave 'em up? Indoors and out?

You just have to shove Tegan. I've got a very pretty little pink tree hat I put in my son's bedroom. I'm ruthless with hat and it always comes out looking ok.

Thanks nina. Your rocket worked. I went into town and looked round the shops. (That was what I was supposed to do, wasn't it?)

But doesn't the house look bare without the cards? I don't quite know how to brighten it up.

Neither did mine, twenty or so years ago. I bought a tree bag (I think from Betterwear but it may have been somewhere else) You can wrestle the tree into that by shoving in the branches one by one.

I can't work out why my Christmas tree came in a box and there is no way that it will fit back into that box ...

The only place ornaments are allowed is in my glass cabinet. If it needs dusting it gets put away. Life is too short. Does mean that I have to hastily get things out when we have visitors or questions are asked about where items are that they bought for me

Suggest you fly to the canaries. Works for us. And next year take a lighter approach to Xmas delegate to anyone u can, be lazy let the next generation do the Mother Xmas thing. See u in tenerife !

Exocet missile on the way jings

DUCK !!

Oooh yes! (What I really want is redecorating. Husband!)

I always take the opportunity to lose a few bits during this phase and to move others about. Gives us a whole new outlook!

I blame Gransnet anyway.