We Have A SITUATION Here

Ummm, yeah, we do.

But before we get to that, let me explain that I am one of those people who can find any small reason to enjoy having a special celebration here at home.

For example, I already have some food and activities planned for Groundhog Day (February 2), then Mardi Gras Day is shortly after that (February 12), followed closely by Valentines Day (February 14).  All good reasons to celebrate with those we love.

And then, before we know it, St. Patrick's Day and Easter will be upon us, along with many other less well known holidays and reasons to do something special between all of those dates.

Generally, I like to decorate my house for each holiday several weeks before the event.  And, I can now announce, I've got my few silly Valentine's Day items in their places.

Come with me and take a tour.

I have my kitchen table centerpiece ready.  Starting with an ungodly big vase I have had around since the beginning of time, I placed a large white candle in its center and coiled some Valentine wire decor from Michael's craft store in around the candle and around the outside of the vase.  I stuck three spikey things in there too, just because.  Then, and you can see them if you look closely in the photo, I wound a strand of battery powered tiny red lights throughout the mess.  The little battery pack is hidden under the back of the placemat.

So if I'm feeling festive at dinnertime, I dim the kitchen lights and turn on the centerpiece lights.

Continuing to the other end of the kitchen, I have set up our annual Valentine candy bar.  My son claims he spent all of 2012 working off the "results" of the candy bar from last Valentine's Day.  I myself am not much of a candy person (I'd much rather eat pretzels and potato chips), but I do like the way it looks, and I enjoy watching family and guests do a walk-by-snatching on their way to other places.

Over in the living room I had a few items to place on the fireplace mantle.  I need to find a few more items yet, I think.  

Maybe it's just that after the Christmas nativity scene was taken down, it just looks so naked.

And last we have the obligatory front door welcomer.   And here is where we get ourselves in trouble.  Yes.  Here is where we have THE SITUATION.

As nice as this little deal is on the front door, and as obviously Valentine-ish as it is, it is on the same front porch as our leftover exterior Christmas tree.  This is a heinous instance of Holiday Overlap.

Perhaps you may recall how I feel about Holiday Overlap, and if you don't, you can read about those thoughts of mine in this blog post.  I even insinuated that borough officials could consider this to be some sort of v-i-o-l-a-t-i-o-n.  

When I discussed this problem with the husband/lover/Director of Exterior Illumination and Decor,  he whined and groused around for quite a bit, something about temperatures being in the twelve degree range or some such excuse like that.  Valentine's Day has nothing to do with temperatures, and the celebrations with their appropriate decor must go forth in and around this household.

So yes, we have A SITUATION.

It's a good thing I'm not a borough official, though.  I'd be seriously considering giving myself a fine, and that would just be another SITUATION altogether.