Why we only decorate for Christmas on the odd years

This is not some strange boycott against the materialism of Christmas or a bah humbug approach to the most wonderful time of the year.  For good reason, in our first 5 years of marriage we will only end up decorating for Christmas twice-in 2011 and 2013.  It pains me to see friends' photos on instagram of freshly decked mantels and their homes lit up with christmas lights.  I've walked through Target's holiday section multiple times already this year, picking things up and putting them back.
Merriest hearth in Atlanta 2011

You see, in 2010 months after we were married, we were in temporary housing until we moved to our little rental house (which I miss even MORE this month) a week before Christmas.  R didn't quite have a job, and he definitely didn't have a paycheck.  We were spending 6 days in Florida with my parents right after our move for the holiday, and it just wasn't practical to decorate for only a couple days.
cutest house on the block all aglow (2011)

So last year I made it my mission to decorate to the hilt! I had 2 years of Christmas to make up for in one.  We got a live tree and put up out door christmas lights. I made ornaments from our wedding invites.  There were wreaths on many doors, and christmas photos spanning the years of both of our lives on display.  I made my own felt garland and passed out homemade lemon curd to everyone at work.  We did Christmas well last year.
homemade lemon curd gifts and my pink poinsettias

Where do we find ourselves this year? In temporary housing.  Moving days before Christmas. Spending the holiday in Florida with my family before we move to China.  Sounds eerily familiar.  So we will hold out on decorating.  But you KNOW my Christmas ornaments are going to Shenyang and post-Christmas I will be looking for discounted artificial trees (a must for life overseas).  2013 will be a Christmas to remember in Shenyang for certain...

our first live tree- 2011

And 2014? Well, this is a 2 year tour in China so I have this sneaking suspicion that we'll be transient for a THIRD holiday season come the end of R's tenure of consular duty.  Time will tell and it might not turn out that way, but I am prepared to decorate extra in 2013 and 2015 to make up for the years we've missed!

our chinese nativity- now somewhere in storage in Hagerstown, Maryland

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