'Tis the season

Here are some photos to highlight the craziness that is December. I really get  into Christmas. I love preparing to celebrate with my family, decorating, cooking and doing all those sensory overload things like blazing Christmas lights, listening to Christmas carols on repeat and even burning a pine-scented candle to make Southern California seem a tad more "White Christmassy." It only comes once a year (though sometimes wouldn't it be nice to only have to do it every other year or so?), so I want to get my fill before we pack it all up again.

Our annual advent calendar and the aforementioned pine candle.

We just got our Christmas tree, but have yet to trim it. Why is  it necessary to wrestle with the Christmas tree stand every single year?

Ahh! Flashbacks to moving. Here's the contents of my desk as I'm in the middle of setting up my new one. More on that later...

I made a chart to gather all my ideas for Christmas gifts for my family this year. When I obtain a present, I add it to the chart in a different color so I can see which gifts I have yet to get.

The dregs of the first batch of Christmas cookies. Chewy gingerbread was a hit. I'm making sugar cookies next.

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com