It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I love Christmas -- the lights, decorations, cards, gifts, cookies, music and gathering with loved ones. And THE COLOR!

Even the T. rex in front of McDonald's in Tucson is getting into the spirit.

I'm one of those people who actually loves to write a holiday newsletter and add handwritten notes in each one -- all 70 this year, down from 100 in some years. I've moved around so much that I have friends and family all over the country, and I always look forward to catching up with them through holiday cards. I display them all over the house and truly treasure them.

I bought the cactus cards months ago when I saw them at a local gift shop, and this year I bought snow globe and piñata stamps.

Since I moved away from December's rain and snow, I've been decorating my yuccas with ornaments without having to worry about them getting ruined by bad weather.

My neighbors REALLY got into outdoor decorating this year. They used a cherry picker yesterday to raise a worker high, high, high and wind lights around some very tall trees. For perspective, those are the tops of big RV trailers that are dwarfed by the trees! This was the site that greeted me when I went out before sunrise to take out the garbage this morning. (We can't put it out the night before because the javelinas might get into it.)

I'm almost done making/buying and wrapping gifts, most of which I have to box up and send far and wide. Because most of my gifts get mailed, I have to get a jump on them. I can't wait until the week before Christmas to do my shopping.

 My rotary cutter is perfect for cutting wrapping paper (I use a separate one just for paper). The wrapping and ribbons are sharing space with this pile of fabric that's being turned into a special gift.

I put my skinny tree up last weekend and it really brightens up the corner. I don't have room for a fuller tree.

I decorate it mainly with homemade ornaments that each carry a special memory.

 

I also collect ornaments with the string that you can pull to move the arms and legs. I've had the little girl below since I was young, but I pulled the cord so many times over the decades that it finally broke.

And candles! Candles everywhere, battery operated so I don't have to worry about fires.

After I get the letters all written and the packages in the mail I can turn to baking. That's the dangerous part! I hope all of you are enjoying yourselves in whatever way you prepare for the holidays.

Have a colorful day