The Countdown to Christmas--A Poinsettia Christmas Tree

The clock is ticking and the countdown to Christmas begins. Are you ready?  I can't believe how close we are getting to the holiday and presently, I am not any where close to the completion of all the preparations.  Anyone in the same boat?  I think it has been our lack of snow and warm temperatures that have kept me from accepting the fact that it is truly December in Wisconsin and we are nearing the Christmas holiday.  Although I don't much like tons of snow building up outside my windows, there is something to be said about having some fluffy white snow covering the grass and rooftops that puts me in a holiday mood and creates excitement and motivation.  Add in some Christmas music and I am off and running!

Unfortunately, my hope of finding at the stores some pretty holly garland or holly sprigs for this year's tree was not very successful.  Therefore, to maintain the holiday cheer I possessed, I now moved to my second option (Plan B) for my Christmas tree and that is to use poinsettias in place of holly.   Actually, the use of deco mesh and large poinsettias resulted in a blessing in disguise.  Adding these large items to the tree has cut down on the time I would have needed to add in a lot of smaller size ornaments, ribbon and garland.  The tree was completed in no time and without having to compromise on the wow-factor.  Much more drama for a lot less time.  I think I can catch up on the rest of my holiday preparations, including creating a Christmas e-card from pictures used in this posting (shown below).

A few quick touches on the side table, front door and plate rack provides Christmas cheer without requiring a whole lot of decorating time. 

Choosing some of my pictures from above and using them in a collage in the photo-editing application, PicMonkey, has helped me make a simple but beautiful e-card and once again saving some time during the holiday crunch time. (To explore PicMonkey, go to http://picmonkey.com. )  I am still the old-fashioned girl who likes to send out the traditional Christmas cards through the postal mail, but when you find time is limited before the holiday or someone missed the list, an e-card is always a good way to save time and save the day.

I just might have gained some time.....now on to cookie baking!  I would love to hear from you about your time-saving tips for Christmas.  I hope you all are finding enjoyment in your anticipation of the holiday!