Images courtesy of West Elm
I am getting in the holiday mood over here…I know! I know! don't rush the season!…but in retail 'the season' starts in August. All of the buying for the shop for holiday 2010 technically started last January (gasp!). I do that so I am fresh off of the past season and can have a good vibe for what the shop looks like all decked out. It also helps that it is still winter. I find it very disconcerting to think of snow, and reindeer and hot chocolate in August.
I guess I am a seasonal purist.
That said, the boxes are all in for the most part and we begin the decking of the halls next week!! This is exciting for me for two reasons.
1.) I get to spend a few days making a mess and rearranging things, which I love to do.
2.) I get to start playing Christmas music.
I know I said I was a seasonal purist just a second ago, but there is one caveat. Christmas Music. If the people around me allowed it, I would listen straight through the year (if you ever get ahold of my iPod…you were warned. Also, I hope you like musicals.) Mostly though, I have a rule. No holiday music until AFTER Thanksgiving. I like to give each holiday it's due, and though Turkey Day has no #1 hits that I can recall, it is a very special holiday, and there is loads of food involved and I feel that warrants my full attention.
But while decorating the shop for these few days, I will let it fly! Break out the Bing, the Tabernacle, the Dean Martin's Holiday Hits, Etta, Ella, Straight No Chaser (squeeel!) and of course, the mother of all Christmas songs; Maraih Carey's “All I want for Christmas is You”. My unparalleled favorite. I will sing it right outloud complete with imaginary microphone and imaginary back-up singers (every one should have “Pips”…) and love every single solitary one of it's 241 seconds.
So now you know what I am up to next week.
Today, however, I was thumbing through the new West Elm catalog and came across these lovelies. They look so crafy and hand-made…in fact, it looks as if WE is doing a big 'hand-made' concept for holiday this year. Love that. I bet I know a whole lot of crafty ladies that could whip up variations on these…hmmmm?
Got any clever hand-made holiday ideas to share?
xoxo
