Christmas is an odd situation for midwesterners transported to the desert regions of Arizona. Temps remain fairly constant in the upper 60s to low 70s (the main reason we came), skies are their normal pure bright blue, and the primary colors of our surroundings are variegated shades of winter beige. In reality, Christmas needs a bit of crisp shivery cold mixed with skiffs of snow, and small awestruck children scattered here and there...all of which are scarce in this community.
I would like to tell you that we have decorated like crazy at our house--like this:
But we didn't.
Or, wild and crazy people that we are--like this...
But, we didn't do that either.
NO! NO! NO!
Actually, we're not very good at outdoor decorating--it's that thing about mixing ladders, roofs and brittle bones. So, we set the mood in small, subtle ways.
Like Christmas music--Mannheim Steamroller mixed with a bit of Kenny G and George Winston, and a little Christmas color for our Christmas spirits.
It works for us.
