Wednesday as I contemplated four boxes of Christmas decorations, I wondered if this was the year to go minimalist. And although my friend Karen, who is minimalist personified, encouraged me to walk away and go drink something instead, I couldn’t resist the siren song of stuffed and appliqued snowpeople, hand-carved wooden Santas and glittery silvery stars — if I could only find them. And that reminds me: Why do we use the terms “up” and “down” when we talk about Christmas decorations? I’m always “putting boxes up” and “taking boxes down” when clearly the main direction is “out” … of the guest-room closet. But I did restrain myself when decorating this year, 
remembering that every January 2 is the day I deeply regret my early-December enthusiasm of adding touches of red and green 
to every empty space — and some not so empty. This year, inspired by my friend Debbie’s elegantly simple holiday mantle, I tried to adopt an unusual-for-me less is more approach for my own. I mixed candles, a pine garland, red and green glass bottles and a lantern that usually sits out on the deck in summer with some snow people I’ve unconsciously accumulated through the years. It’s fresh and clean — I think, anyway — and gave me the added annual bonus of decluttering and deep cleaning the mantle. One holiday decorating project down, @$%& to go.
Christmas Decorating
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Christmas in our family kicks off with the annual hunt for the Christmas CDs — which I found this year, strangely enough, in the look-through-these-and-get-rid-of-what-you-don’t-want box of discs slated for giveaway. Some years they’re in with the tree ornaments, some years they’re wrapped up in the stockings and one year I even found them with the Easter decorations. But we always find them. And am I glad, because we love these CDs. I am not a music critic — proved by the fact that I remember every word of the Monkees’ “Daydream Believer” and most 1970s TV jingles — but I do know that my family’s favorite Christmas CDs are some of the best around. And it’s not hard to find them in stores, at least: Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret always offer stellar collections, as do Pier One and Starbucks. Really! You just thought those CDs were at the cash registers to spur you into another impulse buy, didn’t you? Give in to the impulse. You’ll be glad you did. I especially am impressed with these collections because they feature such a variety of artists and styles, with some beloved classics as well as up-and-comers. Here are some of our top choices from years past (find them on amazon.com and other sites):
Coffee with Cathy 