Mixed feelings

I would like to thank the people I know who are overflowing with Christmas spirit and have their homes decorated already. I have been admiring your lovely photos and getting ideas for my house. I do things in a little bit of a different order. I like to get the Christmas cards and photo/photo newsletter done first. A few years ago, it snowed at the beginning of December, so we threw on our red sweaters and took a photo. It turned out really nice. We took another one last year of the three of us sitting on the new red sofa. My idea this year was to have Sean sitting in his '98 Taurus and us standing next to the car on either side. I don't know if they like that idea. We may skip it this year. And the photo newsletter isn't a brag letter (you know the horrible ones you get), it's a few shots of us through the year. People know I like to take photos and enjoy this kind of update on us.
One thing I would like to do is decorate the tree in something other the multi-color lights and a mismatch of ornaments. Not to get me wrong, I cherish all of them, but I want a Victorian tree with no red on it this year-mostly pink and white and silver. I've been saving these gorgeous Martha Stewart ornaments for a while, so it's my turn to do the tree as I please. Maybe just this once or whatever. I do most of the prep work for all the holidays, so that will be my reward.
My mixed feelings are the way people are handling gift buying. I was sickened last year by the people rushing in the stores before the crack of dawn to purchase the 'popular' items at various retail stores. The stores know what happened last year (and other years), but their greed gets in the way. What's the holiday about anyway? I am hoping that people will learn and celebrate the holiday like it is suppose to be celebrated-surrounded by family and loved ones.