ziparumpazoo had a nice idea about a Virtual Parade of Lights, wherein people take photos of their lights, or displays they see, and post them, and then we all don't have to go out into the cold to see them. I'm all for not going out in the cold...

My decorations this year are kind of sparse - at our previous place, there was a really convenient picture rail from which we hung icicle lights, all around the room. And I did have a small, old, artificial tree, that I decorated with blue lights and orange butterflies (see icon), but we chucked that tree in the move, and buying a new one seemed a little excessive, especially as we do already have one huge tree (that we decorate in very traditional style).



But I do have this scary nutcracker on it. It looks like it'd bite your fingers if you got too close.



One nice decoration I do have, though, is my glass Christmas tree. I've had this for several years now, and I have this tiny, private ritual of unpacking it slowly from all its wrappings, and hanging all the baubles on it (they're all loose). After Christmas, I pack it away again with equal care. It reminds me of my childhood, when I had a similar thing with an angel... thingy, I don't know what they're called, but it was this fragile metal setup that sits over a candle and spins in the heat, and the metal hangings tinkle gently. It's long gone - but I have my tree, and I think it's a thing of loveliness. 



So, those're my lights. :)