Making Cakes & Fighting the HalloThanksMas urge!

Every year I battle the “HalloThanksMas” urge. You know, that overwhelming need to decorate for Christmas before you’ve even finished putting away the Halloween stuff.

Last year I gave in, I caved, my tree was up on November 1^st.  But since I was getting so much: “Shame on you! Every holiday deserves its own time!” & “DON’T RUSH ME!!!” feedback, my little one & I TP’d the tree so it would feel more like leftover Halloween tricks rather than hurrying Santa. Of course the moment Thanksgiving was over we stripped that TP off and went full-on Christmas glory.

I should mention, in my defense, that I get very busy this time of year and want to have ample time to decorate and enjoy the sparkle of Christmas without “trying to fit it into my schedule”. Also, I adore Christmas and all that goes with it – the crazed shoppers, the decorations, the crafts, the gift wrapping, the cookie exchanges, the whole feeling of LOVE and FAMILY that the Holidays seem to bring. Not to mention the “Elf on the Shelf” and the wonderous, magical powers he holds over all small children with the ever-threatening “Hmmm, what do you think Elfy will have to report to Santa tonight?” Yeahhhhh, that’s what it’s all about.

This year I’m fighting the urge. It’s already November 7^th, the Halloween decorations are packed up, leaving only a few random pumpkins, leaves, pinecones, turkey crafts, and cornucopia’s to represent Thanksgiving. My plan is to leave those fall decorations alone until the 25^th then engage in an all-out fury of decorating. A veritable Christmas tornado, if you will, to get it all pretty before the madness of cookie season sets in. I’m not gonna lie, I may not make it. But at least I have a plan… and chocolate, plenty of chocolate.

I’ve done most of my shopping to keep myself super busy, ya know, so I wouldn’t be tempted to decorate “just a little”, but I don’t know how long I can last. I mean, I only have so many hiding places before I need to start wrapping gifts, and if everything is wrapped then surely I’ll need a tree (or two) to put the gifts under, right? Ok, ok, stop now! Before I go hunting for the trees.

I've also kept myself busy with caking. Have I ever told you how much I love it when someone orders a cake, gives me the theme and maybe an invitation to work from, and then says "Go!" and I get to do my thing?!?!?! Well, I love it! Here are a few examples of me doing my thing from the last couple weeks...

It's like a little gift when I get to do it however I please (for the most part, anyway). 

Oh! Speaking of gifts, I will be posting a “Few of My Favorite Things” giveaway later this week – and it’s ALL CHRISTMAS stuff! (I gotta get my merry on somehow!) So keep your eyes open for that – I cannot wait! I love gift-giving, I love wrapping and ribboning and shopping for those special things that I just know will make someone happy J

I know I’m not the only one who jumps the gun on decorating (my SIL already has trees up), when do YOU do it?