Making a Start

Getting ready for Christmas involves a lot of deconstruction: taking down paintings and objets that I consider part of the fall decor, stripping the throw pillows of their autumn leaf fabric covers, moving house plants upstairs to make room for the tree, taking down the somber hued quilts that have been on display since September . . .

And then there's the unpacking of the Christmas odds and ends that all have to be put in their traditional places -- starting with the gaudy red and green and white quilt made by my great-grandmother.

John will get the tree today and it'll get put up and the lights draped around it. But it won't be decorated till Sunday when friends and family assemble to string popcorn and cranberries and eat chili and cornbread. (I made the chili yesterday.)

The packages for out of town mailing are ready -- so I'm off to the P.O. There's greenery to cut and a door swag to arrange and more presents to wrap and maybe I need some poinsettias . . .