I think my household set the record last year when everything was finally back up in the attic on the last weekend in January. This year we're hoping to have it all done by Valentines Day.

Half of that s**ff still looks edible? (the word was stuff.)

Last year the Santa plates never got out of the China cabinet. We looked quite on top of things at Thanksgiving.

And are you following the Portland tradition of taking the outside lights down around July?

We take them down last, but never past the end of January. We do have other, nonseasonal lights that we string up on the front porch from time to time. The dark winters of Portland need all the light we can give them.

Holy bow! Impressive, in a certain fashion.

Jack, you must have found this, (but if not, yet, do so), that if childhood Christmas memories include any whiff of that evergreen-sap pine-needle aroma -- either brushing through a snowy tree lot in the evening dark or as a citrus-y sniff-cloud hovered above the pile of presents -- in Oregon it is easiest to find that flavor again, full-force on your amygdala, and flashback all the way to Jersey half a century ago.

The spray (pictured) reminded me. One waft of winter pine needles takes fifty years of grown-up groan off my mind. Cross-country skiing is an especially easy way to imbibe.

I wish our Christmas stuff was that organized!

Looks like you have a few vintage goodies in there!

After much perusing of modern Christmas deco each year, I usually go for the vintage stuff on Etsy and Ebay. It's made so much better (besides bringing back the happy childhood memories of the '50s when we got more than one present and didn't have to draw a name out of a hat!).

Could it be? Hi Jack, I think I see a Santa on your table that my mom made 100 years ago! Would you ask Nolee if it's the case? She made several of them out of clay while in AZ before she died. If it's one of hers, I'm so pleased he has a good home!

Happy New Year!