I’m one of those people who thinks it should be illegal even to THINK about Christmas before Thanksgiving.
Usually.
But ever since my highly organized sister-in-law asked me what I wanted this year (dessert plates and Steve Jobs’ biography, if anyone’s listening), Christmas has been on my mind.
Let me back up. I don’t know that I’ve ever bought a Christmas decoration in my life (not counting trees and other things that die or can be eaten). Both John’s and my parents have downsized, so we’ve been the (mostly happy) recipients of lots of Christmas…ah…accouterments.
For the most part, I embrace the tackiness. I really do.
But for several years, I’ve wanted to buy new stockings. (The kind you stuff with stuff, not the kind you stuff with yourself. You know.) Our stocking situation is dire. We’ve got super-sized calico and gingham stockings from John’s family (which are a Herculean task to fill – thank goodness Santa takes care of it), and from our side, we have James’ and my childhood stockings crocheted by Aunt Judy,
which are shaped in such a way that you never can reach whatever it is that’s shoved in the toe. We also have two droopy acrylic stockings, the provenance of which is unclear.
But that’s the thing: we HAVE stockings. We don’t really NEED new ones; I just WANT them. For the past three years, the day after Thanksgiving I start saying to myself, “You know, I’m just going to bite the bullet and buy new stockings before Christmas.” And then I get distracted, and Christmas comes and goes.
Then I say to myself, “I’m going to take advantage of all those post-Christmas sales and buy new stockings for next year.” And then I don’t.
I don’t even think it’s a budget issue – although we do need 9 stockings, which adds up. But as John will be quick to tell you, I’ve been known to spend money much less important things.
In any event, Gentle Readers, you will be thrilled to learn that this is the year. I’ve done it. After coming pretty darn close to succumbing to the lure of those tree-murdering companies who mail me three catalogs per week, such as The Company Store:
And even (gasp) Pottery Barn:
But most definitely NOT Restoration Hardware…after something deep inside me prevented me from buying any of those perfectly fine but mass-produced-made-by-The-Man stockings, I realized that the answer was in front of me all along.
Etsy.
Dear, dear Etsy. From which I have purchased so many items of late, both for my clients and for myself. It took about 7 seconds for me to find the perfect stockings, made by Allenbrite Studio, a husband and wife team.
How adorable are these?
And what’s awesome is that while some are really Christmasy – almost kitschy:
Some are more random and quirky, such as the series of bears:
And this cat:
Best of all, there are so many creatures and color combos that finding 9 different stockings was no problem. And they’re made by hand, by real people, with love. I’m so happy!
Oh Lord. Now I need those little hooks you hang the stockings from.
Maybe next year.
Annie Elliott – aka bossy color – is an interior decorator and design blogger in Washington, D.C. She has been quoted by publications from The Washington Post to the Associated Press and is considered an expert on color, residential space planning, and telling people what to do in the nicest way possible.
