My Christmas Spirit in photos.

Last year one of my favourite people in the world and her boyfriend randomly appeared at our door with Christmas beer. He works in a brewery so it wasn't weird. Well, Stephanie and Jared inspired me to do a little Christmas giving of my own this year. Since I've never brewed beer in my life and there were some children I wanted to share love with, too, (children with parents I also wanted to share love with, not just random children...) I decided to do what I do best: My cookies.

I also wanted people to have photos of us on their fridges all year round. I LOVE having pictures of friends on my fridge, wedding photos, baby announcement photos, whatever. I want you on my fridge so every time I go for some milk I can look loving at you and think how popular I am. Since we have an apartment sized fridge and way too many awesome photos for it, I'm planning on making a picture wall above the couch in our living room. Like popular and trendy people.

"Merry Christmas from Happy Karl and Drag Queen Anna!"

This picture didn't quite make the cut.

In case  you can't read it, the small font says "Now put us on your fridge!" Even Christmas lovins need a little sass. Also a little dead fish in the background.

So Karl and I set out last Sunday after a morning of church skipping, mitten knitting (for me), and It's a Wonderful Life watching to deliver my cookies.

Delicious, delicious cookies.

We were both very excited, as you can see. It was a beautiful day!

Christmas elves delivering Christmas cheer.

Naturally, I wore my Toms because I'm West Coast and trendy like that. Then it started typhooning and my shoes turned into water socks. Good thing I had so much Christmas spirit to spread around. We'd watched Elf a couple nights before, so now we know just how important that kind of thing is.

Speaking of Christmas cheer, last night I went to Girls' Christmas. It's the third year a group of 15 or so of us ladies get together and shower each other with love, Secret Santa gifts, and baked goods. I didn't eat dinner before I went. I've finally learned my lesson.

While I got awesome tea as my gift, I think the bow was my favourite part.

Notice my polka dot dress? I wore polka dots Monday through Thursday this week. It was awesome. I was going to wear them again today, but couldn't bring myself to wear anything but a cozy sweater to casual Friday. The polka dots understand. For the record, major tangent here but whatever, I've decided that if I haven't hit a limit on how much polka dot clothing I can reasonably own yet there really isn't one. I'm just going to keep buying polka dots until it's all I have and I get a reputation for being the crazy polka dot lady. You know what? At least I'll think I look cute. Because I will, obviously.

So Girls' Christmas ended around 9:30 last night and, since I'd been feverishly working on a pair of mittens to gift for it, I found myself with a bit of spare time that didn't necessitate mitten knitting. So I made another ornament tree.

Gorgeous, I know.

I made one before after stealing the idea from Angi's blog. Apparently I just want to do everything she does. The first one I made was okay, but I wasn't totally thrilled with it. I've found it a good home, though.

This picture makes me feel like a DIY goddess. Please note the bathroom literature.

It had a few patchy spots, though, and the green cone thingy was pretty obvious. The second time I used a smaller cone thingy because I had fewer ornaments, but this time I painted it gold. More or less. Probably less than more, but whatever. I fit the ornaments closer together and things are looking mighty cohesive.

For comparison purposes only. Mighty cohesive, indeed.

Since I was getting all Christmasy up in the bathroom, I decided to give you the little Christmas tour around the corner of our "dining area." I mean, I was busy this evening, trying to ignore horrible zombie movies.

All the presents were wrapped under the tree with care. 

What's that, you say? You want a close up of the ornaments we buy each year? Twist my arm.

Our First Christmas. 2010. Terribly original.

From 10,000 Villages. All sorts of pretty. 2011.

10,000 Villages again. This year it's an elephant. I like it.

My mom bought me this sterling silver nativity scene last year while she was in Mexico with a broken pelvis.This year she's stuck around here with a broken femur. You know, a little trivia for you.

The mini Ferrari is not seasonal decor.

Alternative "artistic" view. You're welcome.

The year after I graduated high school I did a really awkward Gap year in the UK. Calne. Look it up. Pretty sure some dude discovered oxygen there. Anyway, it was my first and only Christmas away from home so Mom sent me a mini Starbucks ornament. My tree is way too classy now for that stuff, but back then when Starbucks was my happy time luxury in a sea of suck it was amazing. So it gets a spot of honour on the teapot.

The teapot is also not seasonal decor.

Last year I went on an epic quest to find an advent calendar like this. I talked the guy down to $50 from $75 or something. Dave Ramsey would have been proud. This year Superstore sells cheap knockoffs for $20. Mine's prettier. And full of Lindt.

Adults still need advent calendars. 

The family we've been Financial Peacing it up with have two girls and their oldest made us this amazing snowflake on Wednesday night. She stayed up late and everything to finish it. I'm in snowflake love.

It makes the transition between tree and bookshelf so much more fluid. We really do have a white Christmas!

Alternate present view of the tree. Because, really, everything comes back to the tree in the end.

I may have snagged the polka dot Christmas paper from Walmart. Don't judge me.

Oh, did I say you always end with the Christmas tree? I lied.

I am in love with this bow. I am also going to kill you while you sleep.