Cluttered Cozy Christmas

Howdy, Howdy, and Merry Christmas to all from big, wonderful Wyoming!

Behold my living room at Christmas time. As I look around I see just about eight to ten Santas, but who’s counting, and nine stockings lining the fireplace mantle. We used to put the tree in the corner, but somehow this year, it ended up right smack-dab in the middle of the living room. We have all decided we love it there and intend to do so from here on out.

The bakery has been put to good use this year as we have made everything from an English Christmas pud, to peanut brittle, to gingerbread man. You may have seen our reel on Instagram when we lit the English pudding on fire with Adele singing along. It had thousands of views! My little, old, mottled hands are almost the stars of the show as they dumped the contents of a seven-hour boiled pudding onto a platter, poured rum over the top, and lit it on fire! It was miraculous. We laughed, we cried, we ate, and enjoyed every bite.

The wrapped gifts are beginning to gather under the tree and there’s a set of drums in the closet patiently awaiting my husband‘s arrival home from Tennessee so he can put it together for my granddaughter to come over and bang on Christmas day. Rum puh pum pum! This should be very exciting as she is quite musical, not to mention a very hands-on child! I am believing it to be the perfect gift this holiday season even if the parents say it cannot come home with her.

Come January 2, the secondhand tree will go back down the road or even in the trash (it’s been loved well,) the stockings will go back in their box, the ornaments in theirs, the congregation of Santas will disperse and the house will look extremely bare and decluttered. That will be OK with me as my OCD kicks in some days and I struggle to get anything done with all of the cluttered Christmas commotion afoot. Tis the season though and I’m making peace amidst the scattered winds that whip up Wyoming snows for the holidays.

I hope you are having some peaceful moments as well. I hope you have all your gifts wrapped and don’t wait until midnight on Christmas Eve. I hope your kids and grandkids eat, sing, laugh, play games, and enjoy one another’s company. That is almost the best gift of all! I hope that you know the true reason for the season, Jesus Christ, and the day he came to earth to take up his manger and his throne all the same time.

Saddle up Missy, we’ve got a trail to blaze. Love you all!

Diane