Or Deck The Halls with an animated Santa Claus doll that plays "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas."
#7 of 31 Things I Love About Christmas: Browsing/buying Christmas Decorations.
Yes, I even have fun just looking at stuff I'm not gonna buy.
For as long as I can remember, Christmas decor wasn't just about a tree and some lights on the house. It is a full on bombastic display of yuletide glory. Stuff on the mantle, the end tables, the coffee tables, the floors, the kitchen, all the doors, in the window. Our house was a mini-Macy's. Just looking at them in the stores brings joy, Christmas is on its' way and it's time to decorate. I used to bring stuff just to decorate my dorm room in college for those few weeks in December. My decorations probably take up 6-8 boxes and I usually pick up one or two items each year and I look forward to bring out everything and putting it all up each and every year. Sometimes before the sunsets on Black Friday, everything is decorated.
Doesn't matter if it's tacky or traditional. A timeless keepsake nativity scene that can be passed down to the next generation or a nativity scene featuring the characters of the Peanuts comic strip (don't laugh, I want one terribly). Tacky and tasteless is best in my book. Anyone who roomed with me in college and now my wife, knows this.
Drugstores are always the best bet for Christmas decorations. Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid are packed floor to ceiling with decorations of all kinds. From simple lights and tinsel to a 2o-inch replica of The Old Man's Major Award ("A major award? Shucks, I wouldn't of known that, it looks like a lamp."). Ornaments of all kinds and tons of treasures with two of my favorite phrases "Press Button" or "Press To Play." Oh how I love musical Christmas toys and god knows I will try out every single one of them. There is something hilarious about Santa Claus in a bathtub that sings Bobby Darin's "Splish Splash". A Nutcracker is tasteful. A pair of Elvis Vegas style Nutcrackers, not so much.
Our old pals, Kmart & Big Lots take tacky to a higher level not to be outdone. Kmart has a $119 model of Elvis' Graceland that lights up in blue lights and plays Elvis' Christmas songs. I want. Walmart's selection varies in quality from year to year and Target generally stick to the more tasteful decorations.
The majority of my collection has been bought on sale after Christmas. It is hardly necessary, unless of course it is some major find, to pay full price for any Christmas stuff. A electronic countdown to Christmas clock (calibrated by the second) I got it for about $5 instead of $20. The stores sometimes slash prices to 75% off in the days after Christmas, making it important to hit the stores on Dec. 26 to make sure you have a chance at prime bargains.
Decorating is and always will be, one of my favorite things about Christmas.
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