Christmas Plans

Oh man, I am so ready to dig out my Christmas tree.  I'm extra excited this year because we have a brand spanking new white Christmas tree.  This will either be the very best or horribly worst tree purchase I've ever made. 

You may remember I broke my Christmas tree last year.  Yup, you read that right.  I broke it.  Not like it was a huge loss considering it cost $15 almost ten years ago.  And it was a 6 foot tree, so obviously very real looking and high quality.  I was pulling the garland (or tinsel as I like to call it) off my tree and yanked too hard and the whole dang tree came crashing down.  On top of me.  I broke the whole base.  Well, when you wait until New Years Day to take down your tree, there are not a lot of trees left to buy when you go to replace it on January 2.  Thus the white tree.  Still only 6 feet tall but lots fluffier and it was only $20.  I'm super cheap.  I want a tall tree, but I don't want to pay a tall tree price.  Cheap.

But I'm pretty excited to decorate with my new tree.  And I'm pretty sure I'm going to be making some new ornaments.  Like I literally cannot wait to go to the store and buy a huge package of the clear ball ornaments and just go crazy.  But I'm making myself wait.  I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year for my family and that will make me crazy enough without adding in Christmas crafts.

But, this is what I'm thinking.
-A few beach inspired ornaments like these.  Complete with sand and shells from our Florida vacation.
-Maybe some cute sparkly monogram ones like these.  Because you can just really never have enough glitter.
-And some filled with glitter like this or this.  Or even some glittered styrofoam balls reminiscent of my childhood.  I may have a glitter addiction.  My husband totally loves it...  Or maybe not.
-I also love these that are just filled with paint.  Obviously, not literally filled with paint.
-And I'm thinking some other randomly filled ornaments with tinsel or feathers would be super cute.

I'm also thinking any of these would be great to give as gifts.  Pretty sure the person I have for Secret Santa at working will be receiving a couple.

And just for fun, here's a quick flashback to Christmases of past.

 

Our mantle the first Christmas in our house.  I was super excited to have a mantle to decorate! 

   

Front door wreaths.  Unless I get super creative, these will be the same this year.

  

Looking at our tree up close, I'm reminded it was definitely time for a new tree.  But I love the pretty silver and gold.  It's also seeming not very decorated...  Strange.

 

The whole tree/mantle last year.  I loved how it looked.  But apparently precariously perching your tree on the hearth and a crate is not the best idea ever.  Lesson learned.

Anybody else dying to decorate for Christmas?  Or maybe you already have.  Like I said, I'm hosting Thanksgiving for the first time ever so get ready for some panic posts about Thanksgiving prep.  Any tips for first time holiday hosters?  I kinda feel like it's a lot of pressure for everything to be perfect.