Happy Holidays to you and yours, December 23, 2016 Gratiana Lovelace (Post #1019)

First for some razzle dazzle!  I updated a Richard Armitage *Purrrr!* wallpaper that I made in Winter 2015, and put a holiday spin on it!  Enjoy!

I’m doing the low key holidays this year–necessitated by my health.  Which I don’t mind a bit–the low key part.  And my hubby was thrilled not to have to bring the XMAS decoration boxes up from the basement.  Frankly, he had been lobbying for that as soon as we hit Thanksgiving.  Ha!  Love that man!  But next year, we’re bringing up and putting up a few more decorations than the few hanging decorations that manage to stick around all year.  A fake red berries wreath on my oval gold framed mirror over the fireplace looks festive year round.  *wink*

I had some more outpatient spinal injections on Wednesday for my herniated discs–my third set this year–since my left side was also beginning to be affected painfully and mobility wise.  Yet with the injections, I think that things are gradually improving.  Certainly, my right side is improving.

But I slept the rest of the day and into the next morning–for 15 hours !!!, except for getting up a few times out of necessity.  Best sleep in the world from that sedation!  I highly recommend it.  Too bad they have to stick you like a pin cushion to get it. Ha!  But I will say that my doctor is young, good looking, and is very kind and considerate.  So he gets an “A” from me–especially since he is having to work on my backside.  Ha! And of course, I couldn’t help but draws comparisons to the handsome actor portraying a doctor below (Richard Armitage in The Golden Hour, 2005):

     

Back to the holidays.  I have delivered–or better yet, shipped–two thirds of my holiday gifts. Then I ran into wait till payday to reload the credit cards to pay for more shipped presents.  Ha!   So the older members of our family will get their presents after XMAS.  C’est la vie!

But this year, I had fun making gift choices for the younger members of our family–rather than fulfilling their usual requests for cash.  Cash is easier on me timewise, etc.–sometimes.  But now and then, spending time hunting for a gift that I think they’ll like–even doing it online–seems more connected to the holidays for me.

One of a few gifts we gave to our littlest family member,  was a snow ball maker from LL Bean (right). And though I ordered it for him when there was snow on the ground, dang it
if the snow has melted by now.  Ha! So I’m crossing my fingers that we’ll get snow for Christmas so that he can try it out.  And a disclaimer:  I am not affiliated with LL Bean in any way, I am just as a customer who likes their stuff.

My Christmas/Holiday cards will go in the mail on Friday/today to close family, friends, and colleagues.  I’m going to try to keep it under twenty if I can–mostly sending cards to those who sent me a card.  The days of me sending out 80 cards each year are long past. But I do still like to send cards to our older family friends–it just won’t reach them by Christmas. Ah well.

And for those sending me a Holiday Newsletter about their very busy lives?  Frankly, I’m too tired to read them–the effects of the surgery sedation is still in my system, no doubt.   Besides, didn’t they already share all that on Facebook?  Ha!  So, I hope that they save a tree and pdf the whole XMAS newsletter thing on Facebook.  *wink*

Oh and for those who missed it, here again is the link for Richard Armitage’s Christmas Message on his Facebook page.

I haven’t made my Christmas candies yet and I will probably settle on one batch of the least labor intensive version–which everybody seems to like best, the peppermint candy cane almond bark candies.  And again, I am not making dozens of everything to give out.  ‘ll just eat them ourselves.  My hubby used to pout really cutely when he would see me make up big batches of desserts to take into the office for some party or other.  Though I would always leave some for him at home.  So, I will concentrate my candy making skills just for him this holiday.

And we will give to various charities again this year, rather than buy ourselves huge and
unnecessary gifts.  My hubby is getting LL Bean ragg wool socks from me (right).  And I haven’t decided what he can get me, probably nicely scented hand lotion or yummy special hot cocoa mix.  We’re just not into the expensive gift giving craze out there. I think it must be a factor of getting older–and not wanting to have to dust anything, let alone  find a place to put it.  Ha!

So with me being in the groove of taking it easy, relaxing, and just enjoying being together with my hubby for another Christmas, below is one of my favorite holiday songs sung by the late and great Nat King Cole.  And I hope that you enjoy it.

Wishing you love and friendship, health and happiness in the new year!

Hugs & Holiday Cheers!   Grati  ;->