Beginning to look a lot like something, I guess

We don't get in a hurry with Christmas around our house.

It's December 11th, two full weeks before Christmas, and I got the tree up yesterday but it's still naked.  We'll get the lights and decorations on over the next few days. It will happen.

Wife said yesterday that "we just got a late start this year" but really, I think two weeks ahead of time is plenty. Since we still get a real tree, there is less time for it to get dry.

I put up a garland around the front door and hung wreaths on the windows this afternoon.  I'm sure the neighbors, most of whom had their outside lights up Thanksgiving weekend, were thinking we would just not participate this year.  Be patient, folks; we still observe Christmas.

I don't have to worry about shopping because we agreed long ago that Wife would take care of that. I am not, shall we say, inclined that way. I just hate it and Wife knows it, so she doesn't even try to get me involved. I think she knows how much I appreciate it and that I'll help in other ways.

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We are invited to a "Christmas Murder Mystery" party tonight. It's one of those theme parties where there's a whole story involved and you're assigned a character to play. We went to one a number of years ago (not at Christmas) and I can take them or leave them, but I try to be a good sport.

Wife is assigned the part of Mrs. Santa Claus and I am a Gingerbread Man.  Wife, of course, is taking it very seriously. She considered a number of options and ended up getting a costume from a rental place.  She tried it on for me and it looks great on her. Only the white wig gives a bit of a George Washington look so I told her she might pass on that.

I told her from the start that I would participate with a smile on my face (there is no assigned part for Ebeneezer Scrooge) but I would appreciate it if she would not involve herself in my part.  I could just see her getting me some costume that I would refuse to wear and that would not go over well. So she kindly agreed to stay out of it.

Earlier this afternoon I asked Daughter if she would help me. I gave her a brown sweater that I have and told her that, whatever she came up with, I would be fine with it.

She took some black felt and made some buttons to go down the front, and took some white felt and made some "icing" to put around the collar.  Perfect.  I'll be a splended Gingerbread Man. 

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Younger Son made it home Friday night, a semester of college now under his belt. He'll be here about a month and the supposed empty nest will swell even more later this month when Older Son and DIL, as well as my in-laws, come for Christmas. It will be a merry time.

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I recently told Wife that one of my goals for 2012 is to meet one of my blog friends in person.  Kelly doesn't count, of course -- my hometown friend is the one who got me into all of this and I'm fortunate enough to get to see her once a year or so. Her sweet sister Pam doesn't really count either because I met her years ago, although she might want to be on the lookout. Since Older Son lives in Dallas now, I might just show up on her doorstep when I'm there visiting.

For any of the rest of you whose blog titles are on the right on my homepage (except for my son and daughter, of course) -- you have been warned.