How do you get motived?

15 years ago

I still don't have my tree up.

Usually I don't put it up till after Ulrike's birthday (Dec. 16) but this year, it is harder.

For one thing, till earlier this morning there was still a stack of boxes from the move, where I would like to put it.

Jerry left about 9 for the gym. I blew the leaves and dirt out of the garage, while the van is gone. Then went in the attic and got the tree down.

Since then I emptied the boxes! Yeah, that is a relief.

I put potpourri on, and Christmas music, and am ready to assemble the tree.

Sure is harder, when you do it all by yourself... , I miss my "little girls". Drat on them for growing up and leaving. :)

What did you do, to get motivated?

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Comments (15)

azzalea
15 years ago
More and more of my friends and acquaintances are doing what I do about the tree.

I put it away decorated. I don't use breakable ornaments on it any more. At the end of the holiday, DH just picks up the whole tree--lights, decorations, garland, etc--and takes it to the basement. We drop a large trash bag over it, and when it's time to decorate next year? Takes under 5 minutes to put up the tree. We just did that yesterday. Put the entire tree up in the space of a commercial on TV.

If you have the space, I'd highly recommend doing the same. It really does make the job seem like less of a chore, when it's so quick and easy. I've already figured out and ear-marked the perfect spot to put our trees at the new house. No way I'll ever go back to decorating and undecorating a couple of trees each year.
lydia1959
15 years ago
If I am having a hard time getting motivated, I invite people over for drinks or dinner. I'll want the house to look festive for them. That works when the house needs to be cleaned too!
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OklaMoni
Original Author
15 years ago
Oh, I used to do that all the time. Then we moved in to a house without a basement, and we moved, and we moved... and all had no basement. :(

Thus, I had to go back to storage for the tree (dismantled) and the ornaments.

My tree is up, and the box with the decorations open. :)

Moni
irishdancersgram
15 years ago
We put up a big tree this year, don't know why, but it sure is pretty...So far even the cats have left it alone and it's still vertical....But it did take a long time to even think about it...I haven't done any baking, gifts are still in the bags and I have a quilt on the rack that needs to be finished and I just can't bring myself to "get with it"....There are times, I wish it was all over and into next year! Oh well, enough of my complaining, maybe I just need a good kick in the you know what!
Happy_Go_Lucky_Gayle
15 years ago
I got all motivated to clean house. Started vacuuming and the darn vacuum sent a dust cloud into the room all over the furniture. So I drug out another vacuum and tried that one it didn't suck.

I'm feeling defeated. Company coming...dust everywhere. I had planned to bath the dogs. But, company will just have to wear a clothes pin on their nose. I quit.

So much for motivation.

Gayle
jannie
15 years ago
I get motivated by inviting someone over. Unfortunately, no one is around this year. DH and I are both sick. He has MS, has immense difficulty even getting around the house. And I have kidney dialysis in the hospital three mornings a week. And right now I have a headcold, there's eight inches of snow, and I'm not feeling like celebrating. Even the wreath on my front door fell off and broke!
Zipper_TX
15 years ago
(((((((Moni))))))

Just wait until that first grand baby gets here you will be motivated then for sure.

Here's what I do, I have one of those pencil trees, you know tall and thin and it came pre-lit so I decided to pre-decorate it too. I've had it for about 10 years now and I've only changed the decorations on it one time and that was last year so that I could go with a blue theme ;o) Anyhow, we just tuck it into an unused closet, and then drag it out and plug it in when we get ready to "put up" the tree. Easy peasy and no messing about!
sooey
15 years ago
I have a hard time with motivation also. Our tree has been up since the 2nd. Our youngest 'little girl' thought it would be a good thing to do before she left to go back to grad school after her Thanksgiving break. I thought it was waaay to early for a Christmas tree to be put up ( a thought which I kept to myself) so, the three of us put up the Christmas tree on December 2nd. After it was done I could not believe the sense of 'Ahaaa' I had, that chore was finished. I agree with you, Moni, it was so much easier to get this type of stuff done when we had our little Kid-Os around. Who knew that those little products of conception would turn into adults with homes and lives of their own? I miss those days.

So, Ms. Moni, if your tree is in place and assembled and the box of ornies is open, you are well on your way to being able to cross 'put up tree' from your to-do list. I say...Well Done! Make yourself a cup of tea, sit down and knit...a nice reward...

sooey
trinitytx
15 years ago
For me, yes, it is the grand kids. Otherwise, it probably wouldn't happen. We have cut trees down in our yard for the last 3 years, and I waited for DH to cut one,,and waited, and waited.....
After he saw how paniced I was, he went and bought us our tree this year.
Now I have to watch the puppy for signs of interest in unwrapping gifts...so far so good.
I am sitting her at almost 3 pm needing to go buy stocking stuffers, and all my kids are fighting about who needs to be at who's house when. It's driving me nuts. I may not have a Christmas on the 25th, but I WILL have a Christmas soon I hope.

Trin
OklaMoni
Original Author
15 years ago
Aww, I decided to fight over when who comes where is not worth it. Lori is flying to Kansas City to spend Christmas with her husband and his family. He is flying out two days earlier. Lori's shift work makes Christmas celebrations tough.

When the day comes, that I want to spend Christmas with her too, I will just invite myself at her inlaws again. LOL, been there, done that, and it worked out great.

Who knows, with next years schedule, it looks like they will stay at home... maybe we can invade them?

Moni
Eliza_ann_ca
15 years ago
Christmas music and company comming usually motivates me..I said usually...LOL
This is our first year away from our kids,so everything seems not quite right.
God willing we'll be driving to Ontario and invading them next year!
minnie_tx
15 years ago
If I get my porch decor up I'm happy. This year I got a prelit tree at Lowes and just put some old ornaments on it mostly dollor store type. This summer I cleaned out 40 years of decor and it is all in DS' shed waiting to be sold or given away.
I saved my angels for the top of he entertainment center and my S'More's snowmen and afew other things I did the kitchen window area in Gingerbread people. But otivated? I don't really think so just felt I had to do it. No spirit at all. had an argument with DS here and just going to watch football and a few old movies.
This is not tosay I'm not spiritually motivated with the message the season brings just not so much with the trappings this year.
besides I just had two dental implants last Friday
nan_nc
15 years ago
I finally got the tree up and the LR decorated, but I'm just not into it. If it weren't for DH, I probably wouldn't do it at all. We have some family here, but they aren't close, and we probably won't see them. A few friends may drop by, but probably not. The display gives me a little pleasure, but not much..because I did it all, with no help or suggestions, and no recognition. Why bother?!

Can you tell my Christmas spirit has gone south? Wait a minute..I AM in the south!

Anyway, MERRY CHRISTMAS to all y'all!
debnfla8b
15 years ago
It was hard to get motivated this year. Our daughter moved to Arizonia and it just didn't feel like Christmas without our girl here to help with the tree. I still haven't adjusted to her being so far away. But hubby and I got the tree up, wrapped some presents and picked our baby girl up from the airport for a week home!!! I was so excited I was light headed...LOL It is a joy to have her home for a week. Jessica is 22, college graduate and we are so proud of her. Christmas is back for her Daddy and I. We are just soaking up our daughter being home for a short while...they sure do grow up fast!

Deb
gemini40
15 years ago
If you were to walk into my home today you would not know it was Christmas.I started projects in this house in early fall thinking everything would be done in time for Christmas. Wrong wrong wrong!!! So this is the first time in 40 years I do not have a single decoration up. Kind of a bummer .So I am spending Christmas at my sons home along with all my kids and grandkids.That is what it's all about anyway.
Next year, God willing, my house will look like it's supposesd to look at Christmas.
Have a wonderful Christmas everybody!!

June

How do you get motived?

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