Small "d" decorating

If decorating for Christmas brings you joy, by all means, do it. If, like me, you know that what comes out of boxes in December must go back into boxes in the gray days of January, and that thought depresses you a little, consider small "d" decorating. It's subtle, and just enough to add a bit of cheer to the season. At our house, that means a Christmas tablecloth, festive pillow cases and table runners, tee-towels and pot holders (thoughtful and practical gifts from Christmases past). And our story tree, of course. It's enough to suggest that this season is special. I leave the rest of the decorating to my son. He likes to create a nativity scene on our fireplace mantle using the Usborne Advent Activity Book. Each day, he takes out a character from the book and sets it up on the mantle. We used to read the accompanying Christmas story every day, and by Christmas he could recite it by heart. But now, we read it a few times over the course of the month, as a reminder of why we celebrate Christmas.