Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Happy Humpidays!

It's time for me to unveil my very favorite camels ever:

 

These were carved by TG's grandfather, Old Pap. (If you'd care to see more of Old Pap's carvings, you can look here.) We've had these camels forever, and always display them prominently at Christmas.

Okay, the one in the front isn't a camel. Obvi. It's a donkey with a rider. Somebody has to lead those camels around.

And that's a brass and crystal Nativity scene on the humidor behind the camels. In case you couldn't tell.

(No, I didn't put away the humidor for Christmas. Yes, I'm lazy.)

Oh, and that's not a real guitar. It's the miniature one I got TG one Christmas to represent the guitar I was really giving him. I know nothing about guitars, and thought he should pick out his own, so I very cleverly wrapped the tiny one, thus keeping him guessing about his real gift until Christmas morning. I may have even *cough* implied it was socks. Which was mean* of me, yes, but that's just the way I roll. Mean, mean, mean Linda. It's possible you've noticed this about me.

*But not that mean. Really mean would have been if it had actually been socks. Like I'm getting him this year, in case he's reading this. Reindeer socks. With bells.

(Hi, sweetie! *waves angelically*)

Do you have any decorations you drag out year after year, for whatever holiday you celebrate?

Or, if you're feeling confessional, what's the meanest gift you ever got for or from someone?

13 comments:

Kerry Schafer said...

I love your camels. And yes - same decorations every Christmas. My carved wooden Nativity set, made in Bethlehem. The pottery wise men my mother made - these are gorgeous, by the way. And a whole slew of other stuff. : ) As for socks - my whole family is getting socks this year.

Delia said...

There are people who put stuff away seasonally? I mean, other than the seasonal decorations themselves? Ambitious people. Love the camels, the carving is gorgeous.

I'm not a mean gift giver. I'm more of a mean all the time person. ;)

abby mumford said...

i love holiday traditions, but most of them are centered around my parents' house, so it never really feels like christmas until i get home....

the meanest gift wasn't so much a mean gift as a mean wrapping. i taped up every inch of the present so fingernails weren't enough to open it. scissors and other such tools were needed. heh heh heh.

J.L. Campbell said...

I wish I was creative like that - to carve things. My Christmas decorations haven't been replaced in a while. My ten-year-old tells me they're sooooo dead. Been too busy to do anything about them. That could be the meanest thing - not replacing them and getting the tree up. Too much work, so little time.

Anne Gallagher said...

How did I ever think you could do a Wed. post without camels. Those are beautiful!

Same decorations since I was a kid. I took all the old ones from my mother when she switched to monochromatic blue and silver.

Happy Holidays to you and TG, the kids and grand kitties. See you next year.

Kimberly Sabatini said...

Old Pap's little piggie is my favorite!!!! Makes me want to squeal. Happy Hump Day!!!

Carol Kilgore said...

We have the same Christmas decorations as always. I have a few from my childhood. A few people on my list will get socks this year. But fun socks :)

Diane Henders said...

Same old decorations every year. I prefer to call it tradition. :-)

My favourite decoration is a cluster of cheap foil streamers a couple of feet long, tied together at the top with a piece of plain cotton string. When we were kids, that decoration hung in the window, coincidentally right over the hot air vent.

On Christmas Eve, we'd sneak out with our tiny flashlights around 2:00 AM (we weren't supposed to be "officially" up until 5:00 AM) to see what Santa had left. In the darkness and silence, the silvery rustle of the foil in the air currents was part of the whole experience of wonder and excitement.

So even now, I hang the streamers over the hot air vent. I don't spend much time sneaking around in the dark of early morning anymore, but when it's quiet enough to hear the rustle, all the memories come back. So much joy from ten cents worth of cheap foil. :-)

Sarah Tokeley said...

Love those camels :-)

Every year I hang the pictures and ornaments the kids made when they were very small. They'll thank me for saving them. One day.

Jennifer Shirk said...

I have a santa and train set that was my hubby's grandmother's that I love to pull out and place in the house.

Hubby bought himself a guitar a few days ago. And downloaded a lesson book too. This is his new 'goal" of the new year.

Yeah. A yikes. LOL

Merry Christmas!

Steph Schmidt said...

There is a book I read every year at Christmas (yes I get my nerd ways from my parents) The Jolly Christmas Postman. I somehow always forget the ending, tear up like I'm five again as I read it and then read the whole book over again instantly.

Al said...

Even meaner would have been to imply a guitar and then buy socks!

Pearl said...

My mother decided a while back that I collect "Snow Babies".

:-) I am now guaranteed one a year.

Pearl