Sunday, December 07, 2008

Black Holiday Decorations?

Some decorative Parisian Christmas chocolates. First the advent calendar:

Then some chocolate ornaments, a chocolate santa, and my favorite: chocolate letters.

I've noticed a disturbing trend here, lots of black christmas tree ornaments and decorations. Yuck. I guess that's trendy and chic, but I definitely don't care for it one bit.

These black trees look diseased to me.

I've seen black ornaments for sale in the expensive stores.

Give me happy colors!!!

Speaking of happy beautiful Christmas items, check out these cards by Moonboots. They are gorgeous. ComicBookLady was lucky enough to meet the artist and see the cards in person. Jen, check out this card in particular, there's a hedgehog in the sack of goodies.

So yesterday was the long-feared trip to the vet. Or should I say, trips to the vet plural. You know, it actually went as well as it possibly could. I distracted the cats in the kitchen by opening up a can of wet food while my husband started closing off doors to the rest of the house. Howler caught on that Something Bad was happening, but not fast enough.

Luckily Howler has learned that we stop chasing him around if he goes in his cage - it's his safe place. So he ran right in, but continued to blubber and wail - that's how he got his name in the first place. Howler howls.

We had a wonderful english-speaking vet - she was great. The one bit of badness? Turns out little Pokey has a heart murmer. Ack. We'll take her in for an ultrasound once we get back to america.

After the not-as-traumatic-as-it-could-have-been-but-still-stressful morning, my husband and I went to the Murphy's House pub for lunch. Yummy. And then we watched While You Were Sleeping. As I've said so many times, love love love that movie. It's the movie equivalent of comfort food for me.

24 comments:

Amanda said...

Dark chocolate is quite black enough for me! Glad your trips to the vet went as well as can be expected. It's never fun is it? We're down to just the one cat now, but when we had three all due their annual jabs at the same time it involved three separate trips as we only had one basket. And, oh, the fuss and the noise. Will you have to sedate them for the actual trip?

Tazzie said...

Ohhh yum - the chocolate looks really yummy, wish we could find stuff like that here. And I'm with you - I don't think I could go for black Christmas decorations, just doesn't seem in the spirit of the holiday.
I'm glad the vet visit went well, it's usually just not a fun thing to do - the kitties just sense somethings up.
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

Joyce said...

I'm with you on the black decorations. Give me bright and cheery any time. The chocolate looks delicious though.

Kim said...

That movie the Nightmare before Christmas started all that. DD has a small black tree with ornaments of all the characters. When she puts it up I'll post a pic on my blog....

ranette said...

I love, love, love While You Were Sleeping as well. I think I'll watch that today while I stitch! Thanks for the idea!

Unknown said...

Thank you for the chocolate pictures! What fun!

Black trees and decorations? I guess it had to happen. Let's hope it's a style affectation that passes fast. I bet it will.

jovaliquilts said...

Looks like Halloween, not Christmas! But that chocolate looks great. Love the idea of a chocolate advent calendar.
Glad your vet trip with the kitties was not as bad as it might have been. I hope Pokey's OK.

Sarah said...

ick - i don't like the black ornaments or trees either. while you were sleeping is one of my favorite christmas movies. i was planning on watching it tomorrow night.

Bonnie K. Hunter said...

I too can go for Dark Chocolate as a Christmas Color...but BLACK!? ACCKK! It's like Christmas Died or something. DEPRESSING! Maybe they think it is "Tuxedo Classy" or something Vogue? Who knows.

I'm glad the cat adventure is done and over with and no one is the worse for wear!

Bonnie

Lynda said...

The black trees look awful! I can't do with these awful themed colour schemes. Christmas is about all colours (although trees have to be green!)

Browndirtcottage said...

oh wow....those black trees and ornaments look like they belong in tim burton's "nightmare before christmas" movie...those black trees are just awful!!!
i'm so glad your "kitty" ordeal went un-eventful!

hhmmmmm....there's that "noel" word again.....hhhhhmmmm.....

Anonymous said...

Tonya,
My kitty had a heart murmer for years and eventually died of something else. There are certainly lots of different degrees of murmers, but don't stress too much about it. My kitty took meds and they helped a great deal. Of course, that assumes your kitty is good about taking meds, but some meds are available now for kitties to rub in their ears (not in pill form).

I do have to agree with you on the black ornaments. Yuk. Not in my house.

Lois

Rosalyn Manesse said...

Reminds me of an elderly lady I once knew, who was born on Dec.25. She thought it was bad luck, and said that she was born under a black star!

Unknown said...

I agree about the black...isnt Chrismas supposed to be happy and bright!?! I LOVE the Advent Calendar!

Kristin Shields said...

I agree about the black. I can't imagine what they're thinking. The chocolates, however, look marvelous!

Holly said...

Okay, I'm not afraid to say it. I kinda like those black ornaments. They look classy. I think with the right "go-withs" (like diamonds) it could work. I absolutely love "while you were sleeping". Wonderful that the kitties managed their appointments well.

Chocolate Cat said...

Glad the vet trip wasn't too traumatic! I'm with you, I don't like the black christmas trees at all but I do like the look of those chocolates!

Victoria Findlay Wolfe said...

oh! no more chocolate! Jenny Egg just ate an entire bar of dark chocolate!! (she's fine, after some peroxide) I agree the black ornaments, not attractive. But then again, I have a fake silver aluminum tree at my house... But we'll get a real one here in the city next week...no black... glad your cats survived their weekend!

Janet said...

Hi Tonya
Love your blog as it combines my two favourites - cats and quilting. Rabies shots sound very scary - I am also quite scared of the thought of cats on longhaul flights - it sounds like you've done it before but I would be worried sick about my cats.
Also do the cats have to go into quarantine when they get back to the US?

jacquie said...

i hate to admit it, but i had a black christmas tree in my collection...i gave it to my son a few years ago for christmas...he's a nightmare before christmas fan...he decorates it too.

julieQ said...

I have never seen black decorations before! They would certainly look out of place in my home of hodge podge country antique stuff. Maybe OK in a Macy's window display or something! Love your Hope quilt, it is just beautiful.

Hedgehog said...

Ooh - love the advent chocolates and the hedgehog card!

Sandy's Quilter's Block said...

I'm with you on the black theme for Christmas. I've seen a lot of that here, too.
Hope Pokey will be OK with the stress she's about to face with your move. Glad the vet trip went well overall. Have a great time in Amsterdam. ;o)

jmb_craftypickle said...

Black trees??? Yucko! I love that movie too....I watch it over and over again. Very nice!