Wow! You all are amazing! When a girl is down, you all
really know how to pick her up, give her support, offer hope, advise, personal
stories, hugs and love, your own tears, empathy, sympathy and understanding. I
thank you all from the bottom of my heart for everything. If I could give you
all a hug, I would. Better yet, you know what I would love to do? I would love
to have a little party, invite you all over to my apartment in Paris and we
could talk about everything, laugh about everything and try to move forward
perhaps with 2 to 300 cocktails. The good news about me is that I very quickly
pull up my knee socks and move forward. Unless one wants to wallow in the
misery (I hate people who do that), I think the best thing to do is move
forward…with a smile. So…here we go…
It’s officially Christmas season. I have been listening to
Christmas music since 8:30 AM this morning. Loudly. My caregivers think I’m
weird, my nurses think I’m weird, my kinesiologist looked at me funny and guess
what… I don’t care because I loooooove Christmas! My tree arrived today, the
ornaments are out, the garland is on its way and we are ready to decorate!
Gracie told me that she wanted a very traditional tree this year. I am not one
for traditional so I thought, “How could I do a traditional tree… With a kick.”
I know, I know, I know… I will use tinsel! Christmas tinsel. I have never used
tinsel in my entire life but I thought that it is the epitome of Christmas
traditional… And chic! You are going to laugh but I swear to God I watched a
video of how to put tinsel on a tree. My caregivers are going to be so thrilled
when I tell them that they have to put on the tinsel strand by strand. They are
either going to quit or murder me. (Gracie already refused to do the tinsel.) But
guess what? Come hell or high water, that tinsel will be on the tree by
morning.
So, I had an idea. I thought it would be fun if we had a
Christmas contest! What’s a little competition amongst friends, right? C’mon,
it will be fun! Here’s my idea… Send me photos of your decorated Christmas
tree, I will share my top 10 choices on the blog, then I will choose my
favorite one, and I will send a copy of my Christmas book, A Very Chic
Christmas, to the winner along with a little gift from Paris! Even if you already
ordered my book, you can give the other one away as a gift. (No, mom, you can’t
enter.) Don’t be shy, don’t be intimidated, just go for it… It will be fun!
Show me your best… Traditional, modern, flocked, old-school, children’s, fancy,
casual… Whatever it is… Make it unique. I only have one request… Please,
please, please, for God sake, do not send me a photo of your upside down Christmas
tree. I think that is the most ridiculous Christmas trend I’ve ever seen. You
will ruin my Christmas spirit if I see one upside down Christmas tree. :-)
The deadline is December 15 because if you don’t have your
tree by December 15 you might as well just just skip Christmas.
I am so excited to see all of your trees. It’s always good
to get fresh inspiration each year for your Christmas tree so I have put
together a great board on Pinterest of some seriously inspirational Christmas
trees. Click here to see all of them. You will love them! Here are some
inspirations…
Your tree doesn’t have to be huge to be wonderful. Your tree
doesn’t have to be matchy matchy to be wonderful. Your tree does not have to be
perfect to be wonderful. Your tree doesn’t have to be expensive to be
wonderful. Your tree does not have to be professional for it to be wonderful. I
like all sorts of trees… White lights, colored lights, just lights, lots of
decorations, no decorations, garland, no garland, solid color, lots of color…
You name it, I like it… if it is done with some style. Your tree should be
filled with love!
I am so excited to see everyone’s trees. My caregivers are
currently in the living room decorating my tree. Uhhh… Stay tuned for that. I’m
pretty sure I should keep my expectations low. Better yet, I’m pretty sure I
should just go to the George V hotel and steal their Christmas tree.
Let the competition begin! Send me a photo of your tree to
my email address: havesomedecorum@gmail.com. My cat, Frances, and I will look
at every single photograph and judge with a softly discerning eye our favorite
tree. Remember, the deadline is December 15. Start decorating!
*Something you don’t know about me? When I was young, on
Christmas morning, I would wake up very very early, go to the living room and
see what Santa had left for us. Then, I would run back to my sister’s bedroom,
wake her up, and tell her everything that she got. And then she would cry
because I would ruin her surprise. “Heather, Santa brought you an Easy Bake
Oven!” I just couldn’t help myself. She’s probably still mad at me.
Perfect timing as im home recouping from surgery & its rainy & cold so its a pperfect day to trim the tree!
ReplyDeleteIt is a well-known fact Jeannie, that decorating a Christmas tree cuts recovery time in half! Here's to a speedy recovery! XOXO
DeleteOh hooray!!! And now you have me excited about seeing everyone's trees too. I swear that only you could make me want to slap my forehead in a "I could have had a V8" moment over tinsel. Tinsel! But suddenly it sounds like THE perfect option. Hmmm...as we haven't gotten our tree yet (*pause for sadness*), I could always just flat out copy you and you would never know! Aha!
ReplyDeleteAnd you have a Sister named Heather?! Well, that explains everything now, doesn't it? ;)
Bisous,
the Other Heather (or OH for short)
PS. I like me a Charlie Brown Christmas tree but this year I think that we are going adult Human size just because we can!
ReplyDeleteI had your shoes and knee socks too........how is that possible when I am 10 years older then YOU!!!!!!!!!!I too remember the EASY BAKE OVEN......think SANTA brought that too...........I loved SANTA he brought gifts in a big RED plastic bag........I still have it!Adore XMAS.......
ReplyDeleteNow,talk about UNDER pressure for the BEST TREE...............this is something!Once again YOU put a SPARK under me to get GOING!Every year our tree is the same.......I want white lights Italian husband wants Colored........guess who wins this one!Husband..........I have to let him have his own way once in awhile!My Mother for years gave us a RADKO ornament every Christmas...........every Christmas I do the same VERY TRADITIONAL I AM!I even have the ornament I made in 5th grade!An eggshell no less......painted ORANGE!Hermes, was chatting to me even then!I will give the TREE my BEST SHOT this weekend........and pray YOU like it!!!!
OFF I GO...............XOXO
I think we might be sisters separated at birth… XOXO
DeleteDefinitely going to send you a picture of my tree. I wait until after my son's birthday on the tenth (he'll be 17) to 'start' Christmas, as I am easily overwhelmed!
ReplyDeleteLast Christmas I bought a small red Smythson notebook that had "I Love You Because..." stamped in gold on the cover. I wrote a different reason I loved her on each page and gave the book to my daughter in her Christmas stocking (we're all too old for Christmas stockings but I do them anyway). I'm thinking, after reading Comments from yesterday's post (not to mention all of the other days' Comments), that we need to start a virtual "I Love You Because..." little red book for you....
ReplyDeletexoxoxo, Nancy
oh man, the first year that I don't get a tree! can't wait to hear about the tinsel situation! you legitimately had me laughing thinking about you instructing them to place it on strand by strand.
ReplyDeleteEllie learning about how you managed to ruin your sisters Christmas surprise in such a cheerful way made me laugh out loud. Seriously, very funny! Wouldn't expect any less of you and I'm glad that you can still laugh about it!
ReplyDeleteI do two versions of a Christmas tree. The radio one exclusively with radko ornaments and the crystal and gold one. This year it's glass and gold and I did it yesterday will send photos when I get home.
I am leaving to NY for four days will send you photos of the store windows which are supposed to be spectacular this year!
Hi Ellie... I am so embarrassed. When I commented the other day, I called you by the wrong name. Oh well, you're in good company... I can't remember my kids' names either. I'm excited to see all the tree entries. Mine probably won't be in there because my dog keeps eating all the ornaments. Have a great evening.
ReplyDeleteFuN! I'm in moving mode, yuck, boxes, I'll give it a whirl to the 2 sweet little pieces I brought with me. (if I can figure out this new cellphone!) All my and mom's gorgeous ornaments are packed in a mini warehouse! yuck….staying the course for the 28foot truck to pick me up. Oh my Gosh, I love Christmas trees, love love love them. I am like a child the night before Christmas so can't wait to see everyone's pics. And I am playing Christmas tunes too, Nat King Cole tonight as I pack away! XOXO
ReplyDeleteHmm... I have to respectfully disagree that the Christmas tree should be up by December 15th. Actually, when I was a child, the tree made its first glorious appearance in the living room on Christmas Eve. It was the Christ child's angels who brought it and left presents beneath. During Advent, the four weeks preceding Christmas, there was a beautiful Advent wreath with candles on the dining room table. One candle was lit on the first Sunday of Advent, two the second Sunday, and so forth. My mother frowned on Christmas carols during Advent, however, from Christmas Eve until the Epiphany she would play carols on the piano and the whole family sang. Old but beautiful traditions, full of symbolism.
ReplyDeleteI've adapted them slightly in my own family. Our tree goes up on the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. We listen to Handel's Messiah while hanging the ornaments, some of which are now antiques, having been handed down from Granny, ornaments the children crafted over the years, along with quantities of gold balls and strings of twinkly white lights. Our ornaments speak of family history, and the tree itself is a symbol of light.
... and because it goes up only a few days before Christmas, it's beautifully fresh, fragrant and keeps its needles.
Somewhere in the living room, we place a small hand-crafted crèche. Perhaps in a future post you might share photos of the many beautiful crèches seen in France?
I love Christmas too. I've managed to get wreaths on the outside doors today and I put a red collar on the dog.. Toward the end of the week I will purchase a Frasier Fur. I love the sturdy structure of this tree. My tree is pretty traditional. Nothing unusual. My ornaments are a collection going back 20 years.
ReplyDeleteEach year, depending on the tree size, I usually select ornaments from my collection. No real theme to the decor, but lots of love, color and memories decorate the tree.
I can't wait to see your traditional tree with a kick. Anything juxtaposition is perfection to me. The unexpected is good too.
I love the idea of a party with 3 to 200 drinks. Joy abounds. All is well.
Susan
I'm in! So excited you're excited!!
ReplyDeleteXO
Hi Ellie,
ReplyDeleteOf course tinsel goes on one strand at a time! My mom drilled that into us. She was picky about her Christmas tree. She even made us return one....after it was up. Happy decorating.
Ellie, I am so glad to see a happier post today. The Christmas tree contest is a great idea! I hope you post many of the entries. I will be out of town for the rest of the week and will most likely only get to shop for a Christmas tree once I am back and have time which will probably put me out of contention. This year I would like to buy a Norfolk pine tree, which grows here in Hawaii, and we can cut our own. If it very different looking from a regular Christmas tree so I am excited about how it will turn out.
ReplyDeleteWe travel a lot and keep picking up new ornaments everywhere we go. This year the new additions will be an ornament from Scotland and one from Amsterdam. If by some miracle I complete the tree, I will send you a picture, in the meantime here are some photos of our tree two years ago: http://smallthingbrightandbeautiful.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-at-our-home-tree.html
Ever since my kids were little, we have had two Christmas trees, one of which I decorated and fussed over (I usually adjust just the tiny white lights about 50 times before they are "perfect") and the other tree in the family room for the kids to decorate. That tree had colored lights and lots of handmade ornaments by the children. Last year they did not want to have a separate tree. I guess it is the end of an era...
Looking forward to seeing your tree too! Aloha.
Love you Ellie!!!!xxxxx
ReplyDeleteSuch a fabulous blog! I found you through -"The Preppy EmptyNester". I hope you are fairing well and I look forward to visiting you blog often. I also have to get my hands on that book!!
ReplyDeleteBest,
The Relished Roost
I so agree about the upside down tree. As if the holiday season is not confusing enough! Can't wait to see the winning tree and read your comments…..I probably will not get my tree in because it's my busiest time of the year with pillow emergencies. But I am very grateful there are so many people who have pillow emergencies:)
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'll bite. What in hell is an "upside down Christmas tree"? Is the truck standing up in the air? How odd - but it does sound like fun.
ReplyDeleteOk, I am syked for this! Looking forward to seeing the variety of trees that your readers create. Great idea Ellie, and so glad that you are surrounded by a million people that care for you:)xob
ReplyDeleteI would love something sent from Paris. Oh my. But you wouldn't like my tree. The holidays are not my favorite time of year. My mom passed away on December 14, 1984 when I was 14. (I hate 4's now). But I manage to put a little tree up to pretend I am festive. :) Love from Florida.
ReplyDeleteDear Cassandra, I've been thinking about you after reading your comment. Not that you need any of my advice but I have a little so I am going to give it to you. All I ever think about is how Gracie will go forward in the future without me one day… Especially on Christmas. My wish and hope for her is that she has taken all of our memories and will put them forward in her own Christmas. There is nothing more that I want for her than to have a happy Christmas even if I'm not here. I'm sure your mother wishes the same for you. In fact I know she does because I am a mother on the verge of losing a daughter with my ALS. Or should I say, Gracie is on the verge of losing a mother. No, we are both losing each other. But what we have left our our memories and they are strong. So, celebrate these holidays as you would if your mother were here! And sent me a picture of your tree! XOXO XO Ellie
DeleteThank you for this. So, so much. (and I will send a picture.) xo
DeleteOk you've got me inspired! And i would do the same with my sister ��
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear your spirits are up! ❤️
Nathalie
I suspect you are still very sad about Carol and everything else...but you put on a wonderful face and hey, a contest! So well done to you and I'll enter my Charlie Brown Christmas tree photo (like our dear Heather, that's our recent default..really only because we have an English Bull Terrier...need I say more?) This year my husband and I will only have Christmas day together as I am away house/dogsitting (yes, it's a great gig!) so I am grateful you will be with your lovely family. As it should be. Wishing you a tacky-less and warm, loving Christmas, Ellie.
ReplyDeleteEllie,
ReplyDeleteIts Alex. Who writes two books in one month? I am a slug compared to you. I am honestly dazzled.
I have a tree, Do last year's photos count? Have not started yet this year, but it would basically be identical. You will see why, when I post. Will find photo and submit.
I have naturally curly hair, that I blow out every single day. I think what it would be like to have a disease that inhibited my movements i.e. cannot brush my own hair.....Arrrrgh, would go bonkers. Never mind all the other indignities.....
At least you are very pretty without daily blowout and caregiver makeup,, I would need to hire hair and makeup EVERY morning. Alas, even at my hairdressers, I often blow out my own hair...(We are close.)
Paris apartment, cocktails, great company.....Can you sip champagne through a straw ?Ellie...you could fill a Normandy castle with your friends and admirers, I am one.
Alex
Someone please enlighten me......what is an upside down Christmas tree? I have never heard of one.......maybe I'll google it. I will pass on photographing and sending my tree....my 8 year old daughter loves to decorate our tree and no matter how much I would like to move things around I couldn't do it to her as she is so proud of her creation. Needless to say,it probably wouldn't make the cut. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's pictures and enjoying the lead up to Christmas with you all. Lots of love,Katrina xxx
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I don't think either of my Charlie Brown trees are picture worthy but maybe I'll add some tinsel - one strand at a time of course - and send in a pic anyway ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Ellie,
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why, but it seems like whenever I try to send a response to a blog, it disappears. I won't go on and on like I did yesterday (and it disappeared) but I wanted to tell you that I think you are an amazing Mom. I lost my dad when I was 20 and he was 46, many many years later it is still traumatic, but I carry him with me and honor him everyday - especially during the holidays that he loved. You are awesome and you humble me.
Hi Ellie,
ReplyDeletePlease tell Frances that tinsel is not recommended as a dietary supplement, (though she may disagree with you on this point). My own kitty, Lunacy, fancies ribbons and always feels free to help herself to large portions whenever she gets the chance...which has resulted in unwelcome trips to the veterinarian to help her, "pass them." Naturally, she and I are fortunate that they did no further damage, as many who nibble on such munchables are not so lucky to still be around celebrating Christmas or anything else.....
I would love to come to cocktails! You are so much fun, and if,(when) I am next in Paris do not be surprised if I show up with champagne and margarita fixings.
Love and hugs,
Sabrina
I don't know how to post a picture but I will tell you about my Christmas "tree". Instead of a tree, I put garland in a copper bucket that belonged to my stepmother. I decorate it with twinkle lights that my grandmother and I had made beaded bell covers for. I have 2 balls that used to be on our childhood tree, 2 ornaments that were chosen by our children when they were very young, some balls that I painted as a craft project years ago and topped with an angel my best friend crocheted. It is small, but each time I look at it, I am filled with memories of previous Christmas's. Other people looking at it might find it boring and perhaps even silly, but for me it is precious.
ReplyDeleteWell you are just adorable! I may just seriously have to rethink my new "thing" of only putting white twinkle lites on my tree! I just met you but I know I like you already! Tinsel on, my friend, tinsel on!
ReplyDelete