LAST REMNANTS of 2011 CHRISTMAS SEASON!

I hope you had a wonderful Holiday season this year!!

If you would like to read about My One Little Word that I have chosen for the year of 2012 that will guide me through the upcoming year, please click HERE to visit Debbie-Dabble, regular blog and see what word I have chosen....

As this year winds down and the Christmas season is drawing to a close, I thought I would share with all of you what I have been up to.

Yesterday, the 29th, was my oldest son's 30th Birthday! I can hardly believe that 30 years have passed ....

I made turkey for Christmas Day and after I make turkey, I usually make Turkey Soup several days later.

I just make a broth soup and then have noodles cooked up and add it to the broth. I usually send 3/4's of it home with the boys as I did yesterday.

And I did get to do some after Christmas shopping.

Many of you may remember that I had gastroenteritis on Christmas Day last year and remained sick for several days and never got out to shop until almost everything was gone....

Thank God I did not get sick this year...I kept praying I would be well this year....

The day after Christmas was a bust as far as where we went for sales. If you read my previous post, you will see why.

Then several days later , Target started to put out all the Christmas items that they had over
stocked and had still had in the back.

I knew this because I have several inside sources that told me there was 40 pallets of Christmas things not brought out yet.
Target usually does this every year.

I picked up 3 sets of these at half price so they were $3.50 each.

Battery operated Warm white LED that you could put anywhere and use year round...

And here is where I used them.

2 sets fit perfectly on the 3 shelves of Joe's Grandmother's Hutch that is part of my Dining Room set. I have never been able to light this hutch up.

By the way, I bought another new camera. A better model of the the one I had , which I will be sending back to Kodak for repair. I thought it would not hurt to have 2.

You know how much I LOVE the candlelight feature on these cameras!!

I just love how my Moss Rose china and depression glass pieces look lit up in the hutch!!

All I did was wind the wire around the dishes on the shelf and place the battery packs so that you could flip the switch when you slide open the glass doors a bit.

Michael's is a disappointment because they actually had better sales BEFORE Christmas.

I bought this tin container that I stuck this little tree in for 70% off and I had a 20% off total purchase coupon. It was originally $9.99 so that took this down to a little over $1.00. I bought 2 and I put all the Christmas cards we received in the other one since I truly have no where to display them.

Next in Target were these little tinsel trees. They are 12 inches tall and were $2.50 at half price!
I bought 2 silver and 2 white because I figured these could be used for other holidays too and you could place these little cuties anywhere as accent pieces!

Now on to some crafting materials.....

These were in Target for $1.00 a pack at half price.

These were down to 50 cents a roll at Dollar General....

And I finally did get my Deco Mesh at Sam's Club. It was originally $6.92.

It never did get marked down to half price but at $4.91 a piece, I knew that was a final markdown.
A little Birdie has told me that if a price at Sam's Club has a 1 on the end, it is a final markdown and will not be marked down any further....

Bought 2 packs of this vintage looking garland at Target for $3.00 each....

This was $2.00 at Target. I saw the stars and I am thinking of using it on my Patriotic tree in the summer....
I also bought a set of red lights for that tree. Last year I had only blue and white lights on my Patriotic tree because I had packed all the red ones away with the Valentine's day decorations.

I bought 3 packs of this garland before Christmas for 70% off at Boscov's.
I saw this used on a blog and since I will have a white tree somewhere next year, I am thinking of maybe using it on that tree next year.....

And a set of purple light at Wegman's Food Store for $1.72.

I am thinking Easter.....

You may remember that I used these lights on the inside of my two 7 foot trees.
They were originally $20.00 at Sam's Club and I was lucky to find 2 sets marked down to $12.31!!
A great price for 150 count.

Okay, I always say the reason why I have so many trees in the house at Christmas is because I am addicted to ornaments...

Here are some new ones that I bought...

These were bought at Boscov's for $2.09 each with discount..


$1.50 each at Target and will go on my Summer Rose and Tea Cup tree...

I can't believe that I actually found snow flakes the color of my Craft Room walls.

50 cents a pack at Target!

And these will also be used in my Craft Room.
70% off at A.C. Moore's.
I am thinking of hanging them from my Chandy in there..

More white snowflakes and a natural bird ornament. Planning on using these on a Winter tree or two.....

And Shatterproof Balls!!

The large packs of red, gold, silver and burgundy ones were bought at Wegman's for $2.12 a pack and the tubes were bought at the Dollar Store for 50 cents a tube.

These will be for wreaths that I will make for the Craft Fairs I will be participating in next year.
I also use the Christmas flower bushes from the Dollar Store as fillers in my wreaths so I bought about 20 of them at 50% off and they are stored in our storage shed for next year's Christmas crafting...

I had also bought green balls at Wegman's too and they are on my Craft Room tree...


Love the pink, white and green on this tree...


Now these were $2.09 at Boscov's. Loved the Birdhouses with a heart opening.
Great Winter and Valentine's Day decorations.

You can see that my mind is turning anf turning, don't you?

And I bought several of these birdhouse ornaments at Dollar General that were 75% off before Christmas!!
25 cents each!!

This cute birdie was $2.09.


I guess you can see that there is a theme deveolping, don't you??? Stay tuned ......

And I loved these silver and gold framed ornaments also for 25 cents each at Dollar General!!
Can be used any time of the year...

Bought about 4 of each....

Even though this year's Christmas season is over, I am already planning for next year's season.

I will also be showing you a Christmas Organizing Project that I am working on and I plan on posting Christmas things through out the year here on this blog.

Money cards for great nieces and nephews and mailman and hairdresser for next year.
Clearance at $1.29 a pack....


4 packs of invitations for my Christmas Open Houses for next year.

Are you ready for this one...
34 cents a pack at one of the Party Marts!!!!!!


I send out close to 70 Christmas Cards.

Sandra Kuck Cards for $2.50 a pack....


These were $2.50 each......

And I forgot to take a picture of another kind that I bought for 75 cents a box!!

You are probably tired of seeing this nativity set but I bought the gold trees at Wegman's for $2.52 each to add to this vignette!

Also at Wegman's were these mercury glass candle sticks for $4.72 each!!

These can be used year round....

And Mercury glass votives for $1.12 at Wegman's.....

Christmas computer stationary for $1.50 a pack at Michael's....

That was a glimpse of my Christmas Organizing Project!!

And now a few beautiful gifts that I recieved from my dear friend, Anne Marie....

Love the little pink birdie that I placed on this little tree.....

And these sweet little ornaments.....


I wanted everyone to see these ornaments so I hung them on my Dining Room Chandy!!


So that is all of my haul so far!!

As you can see, many things I will be using year round and for other holidays!

You have to think outside the box!!

Many of you have asked when I started decorating for Christmas and when will I take everything down.

I actually had the upstairs decorated before Oct. 31. I like to have the entire house done for the weekend after Thanksgiving but I got really behind this year and did not finish until the first weekend of December.

That really set me back in regards to other things that I wanted to do this Christmas Season.
I will be doing a post about this in a few days so please come back for that one.....

I used to take my decorations down right after New Year's but I have gone back to the old tradition that is still quite popular in my area of leaving the Christmas decorations up until Jan. 6th which is the Feast of the Three Kings in the Catholic Church.

I will be honest...
I also don't start to take everything down until then because I am working full time and just can't seem to get to it until then...

Now I DO leave a lot of the decorations up as Winter Decorations and I leave up 5 trees and convert them over to Valentine's Day trees. This is actually easier for me with the volume of decorations that I have.

As I mentioned before, I will continue posting Christmas related things on this blog through out the year.
But for the most part, I will return to my regular blog, Debbie Dabble, and be doing the majority of my posts there.
I would like to invite those of you who signed up as new followers of this blog this year to please also follow me on Debbie-Dabble.

I will be celebrating my 3 year Blogging Anniversary in Jan. on Debbie-Dabble and I will be hosting a Giveaway!

I am linking up to these parties:

Home Sweet Home Friday

Show and Tell Friday

Potpourri Friday

Vintage Inspiration Friday

Thrifty Things Friday

Pink Saturday

Seasonal Sunday

Masterpiece Monday

Mod Mix Monday

Amaze Me Monday

Metamorphosis Monday

Blue Monday

Tabletop Tuesday

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Wow Us Wednesday

Rednesday

Open House Party Thursday

Please stop in to visit these Hosts and those who are playing along!!

Wishing all of you a HEALTHY and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
( I will be at work!)

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit today and everyday that you took the time to visit me during this Holiday Season!!

Many Hugs,
Debbie

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!

We had a wonderful time with our family and they ate me out of house and home!!

That is fine though!!

I worked last night on Christmas Day night. Not too bad, only 9 patients and very quiet.

Joe was off today so I sent him to Sam's Club for this.......

I would not be out of work in the morning for the 7 am opening.....

Yes, deco mesh which I thought would be half price!

WRONG!!! Regular price was $6.92 so I thought it would be $3.00 and change. Joe fought off about 40 people he said to get in the doors and he was so proud of himself being first one up to the registers and then he finds out all Christmas is NOT 50 % off and my deco mesh was one of the items not reduced!!

He tells the clerk she better beware because it is going to get ugly when all those other shoppers come to get checked out!!

Never got my Deco Mesh but I will check tomorrow on my way home from work....

We went to Target and I was very disappointed so that was a bust!

I drove home and went to bed while Joe ventured out again.

When I got up in the afternoon, I found that he had bought me one of my favorite Calendars at the Calendar Kiosk in our Mall for 50% off.

Love the Cynthia Hart Calendars.....

Then I had been talking about wanting a white tree.

And I was pleasantly surprised to find out he had gone to WalMart and braved the crowds there and bought me a 6 1/2 foot pre lit white tree for $19.00!!

WHOA!!!

Now you are thinking where in heaven's name am I going to put this tree. Well, I will figure that out next Holiday season but I think it will be replacing a tree I already have.

So that is it as far as my bargains or lack there of.

I did get another camera and it is charging so hope to have some new pictures posted tomorrow. I have to send the "old " new camera back into the company.

Hopefully, I will be back with another post in a day or two when I figure out the new camera......

Hugs,
Debbie

THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!

Well, the food is in the oven and on the stove for Christmas Eve Holy Supper.

This is a Polish tradition that both Joe and I grew up with.

It is traditionally a meatless meal.

Tonight, on Christmas Eve, I will be serving Pierogies, Scallops , Shrimp, whole boiled potatoes with butter , mushrooms and Chicken Fingers for Joey who does not care for fish.


Jim and Danielle and Joey will be here tonight to celebrate Christmas Eve. I am off tonight.


We will exchange our gifts after our Christmas Eve Dinner.

I really do not buy a lot of gifts anymore as the Boys ask for money since they are out on their own.

This will be the second year that Joe and I will not be exchanging gifts. We have reached a point in our lives together that when we need something or want something we just go and buy it.


Plus in all honesty, I love to shop after Christmas when you can get better deals!!

We give Joe's parents gift cards for gas and food because at their age, they really do not need anything either.

Tomorrow, the Boys and Danielle will be back for Christmas Day dinner.
I will be serving turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, ham, kielbasi, horseradish and corn.

I have had every holiday meal here at our home for the past 24 years. Ever since my Dad passed away and my Mom sold her home 3 months later and moved to a Senior Citizen's Apartment. She used to come to both my sister's and my house for holiday meals.


Tomorrow morning , Joe and I will go to Christmas Day Mass and celebrate the true Reason for the Season, the Birth of Jesus!

I am working tomorrow night but that is okay as everything will be over by then....

And Joe is off on Monday so we will be hitting some after Christmas sales as soon as I get out of work in the morning!!

Wishing you and yours a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Hugs,
Debbie