Red and Green Friday

I don't do Black Friday. Lately when I say that I feel like I just stood up in a Twelve step meeting and said "My name is ... and I don't do Black Friday".
Everyone rushes to tell me how to remedy my condition, about how amazing 10, 12 or 24 straight hours of shopping really is.
If only people coul hear what you think while they are talking. Admittedly murder would increase but, Wow would we have to clean up our thoughts. Needless to say I don't agree on the fun factor of such an adventure. If I cannot find it cheaper on the internet or a quiet non holiday store morning, I don't really need it.


I dearly treasure my Red and Green Friday. That's the day our family decorates our house for Christmas.

our Tree

I was pretty excited to tell the kids we got two small trees for them ($10 4ft'ers from Family dollar). They collect an ornament each year. My daughter gets a nutcracker or ballerina and my son gets an M&M ornment. I on the other hand, love gingerbread ornments. We all had a good time and appreciated the finished results.
Okay, maybe the cat thought it was a bit much.

I once saw a gingerbread ornament with the phrase "Jesus warms my heart" on it and something clicked for me. It just seemed to capture how I feel the whole month of December. Snuggly, home, music, family, worship, sharing love with others, warm food, etc... all the great things about celebrating the birth of Christ.

I do struggle with wanting to spend too much money in all this. Finding that elusive gift- not expensive but also useful, not tiresomely hard to make but heartfelt, something just right. Trying not to "Martha Stewart" the house because I do know that's really not the point.

I have a pretty cool idea for hand painted ornaments next year, that might keep me on the straight and narrow.

I have nothing to complain about, my Red and Green Friday was great.