Beating the Winter Blues & Cabin Fever...how do you do it???

We are hosting the neighborhood party so I wanted a small tree and a wreath for the front. I got both at G-M.
The tree has blown down 3 times so SIL and DD can deal with that when they hang the lights on the house. I love the short needled ones.

Pretty Ge, I really like the wreath.

Thanks Pixie

the kitty's stay away from them Celeste?... they are all beautiful

I only have one cat and I have them in a room where someone is always in :) also, they are on piece's of furniture that Romeo knows not to be on!

Very pretty cyclamen! Didn't realize Gro-More had winter stuff....nice decorating, Jo.....

Love your choices, Celeste! That poinsettia looks like it has a dusting of snow on it.

JoAnn - lovely decorations you came up with! Simple and elegant and natural. That pretty much describes you too! lol

Thanks Louise. You forgot frugal. I just cant justify spending so much for a holiday baubel for the door and then tossing it.
We even have a tree budget.

That's because you're very organized! I guess I'm frugal, too. When I was a kid, my friends would squander their pocket money....I never did, & the mothers held me up as an example....my friends didn't appreciate that!

Grandchildren dont have a clue about making choices and saving.
Creditcards have ruined that dicipline.

Lovely Christmas decorations everyone. Such wonderful colorful blooms. Love the wreath.
I have learned that Santa is bringing me a kindle so I guess I will have to get back to reading more again. You can get books online electronically and save $ and a tree too. I like it. Anyone have one of these e-readers?

DH made a cone wreath which we used for some years, just changing the ribbon. When we got fiber glass doors a few yrs ago that was the end of hanging wreaths. Must get out the wooden Swedish Christmas trees which go on the mantle piece.

I don't get the winter blues --but my husband does. He has one of those small light appliances that give off the light at the right wavelength. I didn't think it would work (I bought it after a lot of research) but it did! When he works at the desk he leaves it on for a short time.

Me - I snug down and read. I crochet (but not well...just a looooong scarf) (or two). If you like Puzzles - you can go to jigzone.com and do some... can be large pieces and classic shapes or a zillion pieces and wierd shapes. You pick the puzzle from a group of photographs or you can upload your own. Move the pieces around with you mouse and 'drop' into place (with a 'click') ... it is fun. Can be timed too if you like competition.

Yes, full spectrum lighting actually does help.

Rosie, if I was living in NC, I don't think I would mind winter as much...it's just so loooong here in the northeast.

I can imagine - I just got back from PA and upstate NY - it was sort of gloomy. It gets dark here so early with the time change and I think that is more the winter gloomy aspect that gets to us as compared with the length of the season. Sometimes we travel to PA in Feb for the grandkid's birthday --- and then the wind peels the skin off of us -- and the cold just flies through ---and so I can imagine how hard it must be for you. I guess if I knitted or worked with fabric --it would have to be a hot/warm color to combat the winter. One great thing about the northeast tho -- you get to choose a balsam tree -- with that wonderful fragrance. We mostly have Frazier Fir - nice trees that hold up the ornmanents OK - but hardly any fragrance...an occasional 'whoosh' is all we get.

Missingrosie !!! Did ya wave hi when you were in upstate NY?

LOL - no Jo - I was afraid to lift my arms too high... it was so cold! But the HI was in my head!

I did see snow in PA -- a dusting off road - nothing on the asphalt.

I'm looking for another concolor fir....no needle drop from them!

I had one many years ago.
It was wonderful.

There's a local Christmas tree farm that has the concolor...I need to call them and find out if the do balled.

What a wonderful idea.

My niece goes out to a tree farm every year....you pick the one you want and they chop it down then and there! ^_^

They have a tree farm around here that takes you on a wagon ride to pick out your tree, another provides free hot chocolate and treats.....usually chop your own or they will do it for you. Most places you can go and pick your tree and mark it with a sign or special ribbon, put a down deposit and then you can get it closer to Christmas if you want.


I just remembered last night I started a journal about my life so I need to continue on that this winter.

We usually get our tree at a town education fund sale. Have to do it by Dec. 12 this yr so may get it later elsewhere. DH doesn't like to get a tree that early as it usually comes inside about the 23rd of Dec.

Am I the only one too lazy to put up a tree? Haven't done it in at least 5 years. I do decorate a 2 ft potted evergreen that I bring in to protect it from the cold. But doing the full live tree bit? Not for me--too much work for two people--no children around.

No! I'm too lazy to put up a tree too! lol!

...but DW isn't so maybe this year I'll get her a small 4' tree. No kids here either, (counting my blessings...). I can't be spending money on $50 dollar trees that I have to throw away in a couple of weeks!
- I still need to buy some more presents for myself! Weeeee!

We put up an artificial tree. Relpaced ours last year, it lasted 21 yrs. We found one that looks close to real.

Um, I do it. I have never in 50 years NOT had a tree......and i'm not starting now :)
I only have one child who lives with me and he' only here 4.5 days of the week now. I put the tree up for him and I......there's a feeling that comes over me at night when there is nothing on in the house but the lights of the Christmas Tree. ^_^

I know that feeling! It's the compulsive feeling of counting the presents again! lol!

Ha ha ha!! NOOOOO!
At my house...with 5 children and 5 grandchildren there are lots of presents, to many to count!

I do know that feeling too, when I was young, my mom was tucking my little sister in bed and asked me to go downstairs and get her rag doll. I was afraid of the dark, and even though the tree lights weren't on, I wasn't afraid. The tree had a calming effect on me, and still does.

Same here. Would never be without it. Would not be Christmas.

Beating the blues with RED!
This started opening last night.

When the day dawned it opened all the way :)

Good one. Nice way to start Dec. I forgot to say Rabbit Rabbit. darn. Patti

6 buds on apricot flowered Christmas cactus. It is starting decorating by itself.

Once again I am kicking myself for not starting Amarillis.

OOPS Celeste you just reminded me ... I did not pot up mine... AGAIN... LOL

such a pretty bloom!!!

It's a beautiful bloom! I bought an amaryllis this year called Neon Pink....can't wait to see the color! I know what you folks are saying about the tree.....even though I'm alone, I will put up a small tree this year....have to have that wonderful smell, and it is,somehow, comforting...