Tigger Says "Come On In!" Eeyore says "Wipe Your Shoes."

It hit me this morning: Right now, at 35 weeks pregnant, I am Tigger in Eeyore’s body.

Tigger is my natural personality. I’m enthusiastic. Talkative. Demonstrative. I bounce. I am unrelentingly (some might say nauseatingly) optimistic. My primary motivation in life is fun.

But lately, my body – she isn’t cooperating with my inner Tigger. She’s taken to behaving like one sad little gray sawdust-stuffed donkey. She sighs and plods and mutters gloomily. It’s hard to get her motivated to roll over in bed much less attempt something ambitious like getting dressed.

Which might explain why my Christmas Home Tour is a bit late to BooMama’s party.

Whenever my inner-Tigger would mention the FUN of the tour to my Eeyore-body over the weekend, Eeyore would answer with something like, “If we have to. I really don’t have the energy right now. Not that I ever have energy these days. It’s all I can do to put thistles on the table for dinner tonight.”

Sigh.

But this morning, after a little peppermint-mocha coffee, Tigger was able to convince Eeyore that the Home Tour would be worth the effort. (Tigger might also have mentioned that it would be a heck of a lot easier than cleaning the house, which was at the top of Eeyore's to-do list today.)

Either way, it worked. Welcome to my home.





















Please note: I realize blue and silver aren't normally the colors associated with Christmas frivolity. But here in Minnesota, we know our outdoor "holiday" decorations are going to be in frozen in place until after Easter. So this year, I opted for a more neutral winter decor.





















Besides, I'm a big-time sucker for blue.





















As many of you know, we moved in August from our much-larger (and still on-the-market) home to a much smaller (but cozy-and-affordable) townhouse so our family could be in the same area code again. It's been a good thing. But since space is at a premium, the Christmas decorations have been kept to a bare minimum this year.

There's a Christmas display on top of our three-sided fireplace.





















Another on our side table.





















And ... oh yes! The tree, which is perfectly situated next to our front windows.
















It's covered with mostly homemade and sentimental decorations, such as this classic Christmas rooster.





















Yes, I made that. I was in first grade, if I remember correctly. I have other examples of my crazy art skills.





















I carved that in second grade.

Which is a lie.

And not very Christmas-like. Sorry.

The tree also holds all of my "remember this" ornaments, which may be my favorite Christmas tradition. It started with my Mom, who gave us all a special ornament each December, designed to commemorate some milestone or memory from the past 12 months. For example, here's the ornament from the year I was our college's magazine editor.





















And here's one I bought for my husband and me during our first year in San Diego, to immortalize our first year as official Californians. (Get it? A snowman? Made out of shells?!?)





















Since this is one tradition I absolutely adore, I'm continuing it with my children. Here's Connor's ornament for this year.





















And here's Natalie's. (It commemorates one of her favorite memories from 2007 -- the time she got to dance with the princesses at Disneyland.)





















And other than the decor on the kids' bedroom door...





















...that's just about it for Christmas decorations at my place. I realize it's slim pickin's compared to many of the BEAUTIFUL homes I've visited on the tour today.

But honestly? I'm OK with my pared down Christmas this year.

For one, we don't have the space right now to fling Christmas decorations hither and yon without turning the whole place into a giant jumble of knick-knacks. And knick-knacks make me twitch.

Second, the fewer decorations I put out, the fewer I'll have to put away. (Which will happen in roughly 15 days. Not that anyone is counting.) And since our new baby girl will be joining us in early January, that's a good thing.

And third, I've discovered keeping it simple helps me actually enjoy the Christmas season and frees me to love well. And something tells me The One who started this whole crazy holiday by sending His Son to dwell among us has loving well as His priority.

May it be mine too.