Holiday Buzz Beginnings

I am starting to get in the holiday spirit...Trader Joe's was already playing contemporary holiday music when I went in yesterday.

I think (!) I am done with my holiday shopping. Except for tiny things. I got Daniel, my brother / SIL, sister / BIL... ok, I'm not done. But I know what I am getting for my mom's cousins, my dad, step-grandpa, and a few select friends. I even have a few boxes ready for faraway friends!

Last night, I hauled out the Christmas decorations (which consists of one medium sized moving box, and the tree itself packs into a remarkably small space). I think I am going to get a Rubbermaid plastic box to store away all the ornaments this year, and possibly upgrade the wrappings to bubble wrap? I managed to hang the Trader Joe's greenery on the front door (can't beat $6-7 for a spray of evergreens), and also put up the base for the mantel's white swag.

To attach things to walls, I have fallen in love with the 3-M temporarily-sticky hanging hooks (they have that glue-tab on the back that you pull down when you're done, and it all - magically - comes off the wall / paint / etc.).

I'll show pictures when I'm done.

Tomorrow night, I'm having a Holiday Party! I'll be making mulled wine and mulled wine cupcakes (with chestnut butter frosting!) to go with it. Gotta love Trader Joe's - I snapped up two bottles of Chuck's finest Merlot...for $6. (OK, so I also dropped $25 on 5 bottles of their 2008 Ale...but it is always very good, and is quite tasty if you leave it alone for a few months). They even had (wait for it) steamed and peeled chestnuts! Sweet Jeebus!

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In knitting news:

I finished the scarf. Yesterday, I broke down and bought the pattern for Habitat, by BrooklynTweed. His patterns are awesome. I cast on for it last night, using my two-ply handspun Gotland. The yarn is kind of fuzzy, so I am praying it shows stitch definition... if not, this hat doesn't need to be supremely cabled, and I can just make a ribbed hat and buy some smooth (or spin some smoother) yarn for it.

Off I go!