Hints of Christmas

Is it just me, or is it ridiculously difficult to take a good picture of a Christmas tree?  This serves as your warning that our tree looks nicer in person than in these pictures (hopefully).  I really need to learn how to use my camera...

Also, our tree is wild.  It needs some serious trimming, but at this point, I think I'll just let it be. 

Here is Sydney about to put the first ornament on the tree.  It took me a while to finally put lights on it (I appreciate pre-lit trees more than ever now!), and we went with colored lights (something new for us).

All lit up, sans ornaments.

It took me a few more days after finishing the lights to finish putting the ornaments on, and Wednesday night I made the garland I had been wanting to make.

(You can't see the star tree topper because the branch it is on sticks up at least a foot above the rest of the tree, ha!)

 

Random close-ups:

Perhaps I will post another picture once there are presents underneath.

Our "mantle":

 

 

By the front door:

Living room:

Lone Christmas bear:

Christmas cards (on the wall between the dining area and kitchen):

Avon Advent calendar:

Kitchen bar (bad lighting, sorry):

There you have it, folks!