Well I did it.

I decorated for Christmas, finally.  Got the elves up on the new built-in, did the tree, even hung a red ribbon and bell around the big fish hanging in the kitchen.  :~)

Maybe the arrival of my Daryl doll motivated me--"Fallen Angel" came in the mail Friday and he's just as compelling in person as he was on Daryl's blog.  So... 

The first day, I put up the elves, toys, Santas and greenery.  I put Santa hats on the dolls--but I've promised myself that this time next year at least five of them will have Elf suits or Christmas themed clothes.  Mr. F. Angel got a place with some of my handmade elves (old and new), my Jack Frost, and an elf doll that Pam (Yoborobo) gave me years ago.  The Father Christmas doll has pride of place at the North Pole (well, there was this empty wrapping paper tube, so...)

But the second day was Tree day.  I love tree day.

Every year since Phil and I got his one and my three together--til the kids all grew up and moved out--we made ornaments.  Of course, I continue this tradition for the kids and each of the grandkids, so they'll have their own to start out with too.  But I also have the ones my kids made through the years when they were little.  You know, the ones their teachers help them make in school.

I even have one pathetic little scrap of felt in the form of a camp fire, (I was a Camp Fire Girl).  Not much left of it--the little gray paper spiral of smoke is long gone, and it hangs by the merest little black thread.  But it's doing all right for having survived 45 years and the tornado in '79.  (That storm  eliminated almost everything everything we owned, including the house we were in at the time, but we survived to tell it, so it's good.)

So here are some special bits and a peek in general at the results.  Hope your weekend was great, and your week will be greater.  (Read the captions first, then if you click on the first photo, they all show better.)

Guess who has one wall to finish painting?  Oops.

Elves...

The Santa shelf.

Lord Elfwin and Astrid the Yoborobo doll

Elves, Jack Frost and F. Angel...

Is he great, or what?

The North Pole is in Arizona--who knew?

More elves.

 Tansy has her own hat, of course.

The girls who hang out behind the couch (they face the built-in).

And of course Martha Baby has her own hat--with sparkles.

Pere Noel.

Carol and Socko getting into the Yuletide spirit.  (And we have to watch Socko, lest he get into the other spirits as well.)

A reindeer from my son Jason.

My daughter Renee made a tiny wreath frame in first grade.

My step daughter Casey painted this as our first ornament as a family, back in '93.

This is a photo of Phil holding our first grandchild.  Dig that fancy frame!

My son Josh made this in first grade.  The green sparkly trim has long worn off the rim (a coffee can lid), but I don't remember when.

A lovely warm campfire.  :~)

I wish that each of you will have a chance to rest in the love of family and friends this season.