Would you like some cheese with your holiday whine?

 

So, a while back I wrote a post about what I missed and didn't miss about being in school.

Let me amend that post by saying the thing, so far, that I am most upset about is the complete and utter lack of any sort of winter/holiday/Christmas break!

People prepare you for the reality of no summer break, but this just completely bums me out. I want to try and be excited for the hols, but it's almost impossible knowing that I get, literally, ONE day off, that being Christmas day. I have to work Christmas Eve and December 26th (because in the US, Boxing Day doesn't count). And I shouldn't be such a whiny, petulant child, but...

I am used to having like, a week and a half at the VERY least to just lounge about in my jammies and cozy socks, read so many books my eyes feel like they'll fall out of my head, "play" with all my new stuff (here meaning "clean out your closets and bathroom and rearrange everything" and "use ALL the new soap"), watch Christmas movies, go light-looking, drink hot chocolate like it's my job...

...and this year, I just feel like I have no time for that. This is the first time in YEARS that my shopping's not been done by Thanksgiving. I'm especially bothered that I won't have time to wrap all my presents the way I like to, and I certainly won't have time to do any wrapping for the neighbors. Just BLAH, guys. This would be a great time for me to be Scroogey, but I promised I'd try and LIKE Christmas this year, and it's just hard when you feel like Bob Cratchit. 

Look, it's my blog and I'll whine if I want to. Maybe I'll feel better now that I've aired my grievances to the internet public. My aim is to be grateful this season. I want to focus being grateful that I have a job at all when a lot of people don't, and that I have an opportunity to work when I could have nothing. Because I am grateful for those things. It's just a matter of perspective. And growing up and out of "school mode." Give me time, okay? I spent 20 years as a student, that's kind of a hard schedule to break out of in less than a year. 

Perspective, perspective, perspective....

So what I told you was true...from a certain point of view.

Deck the halls.

Last weekend, I went with a friend from work to the Winter Park Festival of Trees. It's something they do annually. Various companies and organizations decorate Christmas trees and donate them to the Orlando Museum of Art, where they're put on display. Then, at the end, the trees are auctioned off and the proceeds go to charity. It's a really nice thing, and it's so visually dazzling that I had to share (a TON of) the pics I took. It put me in the holiday spirit, and that is a no small feat.

The theme this year was Fairytale Christmas. 

One of my favorites was the Beauty and the Beast themed tree.

I couldn't get a good picture of this whole tree, but it was jam-packed with all kinds of birds!

Barbie. Of course.

 

I was also fond of the Celtic tree.

They had a rainbow cuppycake tree!

For Beth. ♥  

Disney donated a tree in honor of the new Fantasyland. It was almost entirely Beauty and the Beast! LOVE.

BOOKS.

A tree full of doggie treats!

Yep. That's a cardboard manatee ornament.

Puff the Magic Dragon.

I'm pretty sure this table was supposed to have a Snow White theme.

I love the apples, and I ADORE the idea of hand mirrors as coasters!

I loved this "Under the Sea" tree! 

Pink unicorn tree might've been my favorite.

I would just like to point out that there is a walrus AND a pirate in this tree. =D

It was a nice idea, but this tree is just creepy.

 To my delight, Alice in Wonderland was a pretty popular theme.

My favorite detail is the felt caterpillar lurking on the right.

 This was my favorite Alice tree. They had an absolutely delightful set-up with lots of neat little details.

LOVE the flamingo/hedgehog croquet!

LOVE.

They also had a section of INCREDIBLE gingerbread houses! They're too pretty to eat!

The 3 Little Pigs! Too cute!

Just look at that freaking adorable candy snail!

A very artsy "fairy dwelling" gingerbread.

Hansel and Gretel. PERFECT for a gingerbread house!

Henceforth, I think all Nativity scenes should be made from adorable marshmallow snowmen.

Had to have some wreaths, too...

Bird nest!

I really liked the sea-themed decorations! It's not something you typically associate with Christmas, but in Florida, it works.

Deck ALL the halls!

And, of course, no Winter Park event would be complete with a GIFT SHOP.

These were adorable little banners. They'd be cute in a place-setting or as part of gift-wrap, I guess.

EPICALLY AWESOME sweet shop!

They had a display there from Lydia and Pugs, who makes adorable dog-themed gifts, but I was thrilled to see the cute pug things! Aww!

Some beautiful soaps...taking note of the packaging!!

Glitter disco-deer?

 And I'm still not entirely sure what the point of this whole little mock room set-up was, but it combined stripes and plaid, so I kind of loved it.

 Doesn't it just look so cozy? WANT.



Anyway, I hope that ENORMOUS picspam gives you some inspiration for your holiday decorating. Or if nothing else, gives you something kind of pretty and seasonal to look at (also hope it didn't crash your browser! Whoops...). =]