Christmas Decorating

I made possibly the best rib sauce in the world tonight for supper. I loosely followed this recipe from Epicurious, but I didn't really measure, and made half of it following a similar recipe earlier this week. Whatever happened it was AMAZING, sweet and spicy and garlicy! Sooo good!

But that is just a side note to my actual purpose of blogging...which is that IT IS CHRISTMAS TIME!!!

This is my first offical on-my-own christmas where I wasn't worrying about exams. I am taking full advantage of this.

The "mantle" is decorated

Christmas!!!

The mini tree is up!!!

It is shorter than me!!!

Straight No Chaser's 12 days of Christmas was listened to whilst decorating the tree!

I love that I get to do this all again when I go home closer to Christmas. 

I really wanted to share with you all a nifty little Christmas idea:

Awww homemadeness

I know I totally read this idea somewhere, but I can't remember where (probably a blog). The people got an ornament to represent something new in their lives that year. I think that idea is fantabulous so I stole it. 

At first I was just going to buy a 2011 one, but they were all red and green and expensive, so since I went with a blue and silver theme (to match my normal decor) I decided to make my own. 

I started with a cheap plain silver ball. I bought some scrapbooking letters and numbers and put 2011 on the front, and a M + K on the back (for Mike and Kaylee, if you didn't figure it out). This is our 4th Christmas together, but our first actually being in the same place!

Next I took a pencil and traced the CN tower and city skyline to represent moving to Toronto. I then added silly "Welcome to Toronto" lettering. I then traced over the whole thing with a black pen to keep it simple. 

It probably cost me a total of 50 cents, and is way more personal than a wal-mart 2011 one. I like that anyone could do this and totally personalize it. Yes it looks homemade and kinda thrown together, but I like that about it! I also like that it has the potential to become a tradition, which is awesome!

Christmas decorations make me happy!

Anyone else have cool holiday traditions?