The Christmas Decorations of a Semi-Scrooge

My mother is a version of Mrs. Clause at Christmas, decorating every nook and cranny of her home while baking platters of intricate cookies and candies that could dazzle any Food Network star. My father, on the other hand, has been lovingly referred to as the Grinch. He enjoys the family time that the holidays bring, but would probably skip the Christmas tree if my mother would let him. And his passionate love for my mom is the only reason the Helms home has ever seen outdoor Christmas lights which he begrudgingly is in charge of every year. His only reward is when Mrs. Clause claps her hands together with joy at the first sight of them.

I happen to have lots of empathy for my father's point of view. I see outdoor lights as an electric bill sucker and am not a fan upheaving the order of my home to decorate for Christmas (which the U.S. now celebrates for one-quarter of the year...which drives me up a wall!) Such sentiments have earned me the nickname of Scrooge in my family. 

But I protest that I am merely a Semi-Scrooge. I actually do enjoy the Christmas decorations while they are up (I have a soft spot for mantel decorations), but I'll enjoy it even more when I get to put them away. Sorry; sad truth.

So I'll share the decorations of this Semi-Scrooge. Not because they're so special, but because I actually enjoy it when bloggers post their decoration photos and wish I could see insides of each of your homes decorated for the season.

My mother-in-law gives the kids each their own ornament every year having to do with their interest at that age. It's like a Hallmark moment and the kids really get a thrill out of hanging their ornaments and talking about each of them. But this year, as I decorated the tree for the first time in our new home, I told Steven, "I really, really can't bring myself to hang Spiderman on my lovely tree."

So we decided it was time for a kids tree. (How could be accused of being a Scrooge when I've actually allowed two trees in my home?!?) They were enthralled with the chance to have their own tree; and we put it in right outside the schoolroom so that they could find more ways to be distracted from doing their Math.

Christmas book nook:

An attempt to hide our unsightly doorbell chime with Christmas cheer:

And if you work the photography just right you can make it look like your home is perfectly clean with no Christmas baking messes. Because here's what it looked like right outside that last shot:

And no, I won't be serving pickle cookies.