It's my favourite day of the year. Christmas Eve Eve. You still have all the excitement and anticipation of Christmas without the pressure of the Christmas Eve party and the sinking feeling that comes at the end of Christmas Day. My life has been made slightly better by the fact that I've decorated my chicken coop for Christmas. It will stay decorated until after New Years.
So Christmas Eve Eve it is! The most wonderful day of the year.
I plan to take things a little bit easy today. I have a few things to get ready for my annual Christmas Eve party, but it's only family so it's not like I'm out to impress anyone. I just want to have a warm, comfortable night where none of the adults leave crying.
I'm going to knit a little, drink some Eggnog and see if I can't start to like wine or any other alcoholic beverage for that matter. I used to like Cognac. I used to have class. Now I like Diet Coke out of the can and sometimes I suck water out of the tap.
Of course I'll spend a small portion of the day with the chickens. I wander out to check on them several times a day, usually when I take my coffee break, so I expect today won't be any different. I'll put on my parka, pull on my Bogs and wander outside to see if there are any eggs. Then what I typically do is go inside the run, squat down and have a little chat with the chickens. Yes. Yes I really do. I can't tell you how many times people have come wandering into my backyard to find me sitting in the run with Cuddles, the friendly chicken, in my lap, sleeping. The chicken is sleeping. I am not. You can never let your guard down that much in an enclosed area with animals that can't tell the difference between a grape and your eyeball.
If you don't care about seeing a chicken coop all dolled up for Christmas (gasp) you can take a look at my house decorated for Christmas over the past several years.
So in an effort to make us feel like we're spending a bit of this, my favourite holiday, Christmas Eve Eve, together, I have for you my final post until the New Year.
THE CHICKEN COOP DECORATED FOR CHRISTMAS
Update: These original lanterns on my coop have since been replaced with black, matte lanterns very similar to these.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Gorgeous coop! I love that you decorated it for the girls. Merry Christmas!
Thanks, Karen :)
Hi Karen,
Thanks for all of the great chicken posts! I'm wondering what kind of lights you use inside your coop?
Thanks!
Christie
Hi Christie - In the winter I use a regular energy efficient light in the lower part of the coop (the run) and a heat lamp in the upper portion. It certainly doesn't heat the coop but it keeps it warm enough to help prevent frostbite on their combs. ~ karen!
Those are some happy chickens! With hay, and apples, and some greens. A little grit. Some cheery lights. That's great. Thanks for posting this little bit of happy!
Oh my goodness! I pinned your coop before and then I found this decked out for Christmas, I'm in love! Could you share how you built the coop? We're getting ready to get Chickens and I'd love to see more photos of it. :)
Cindy in Oregon
Cindy - All the photos I have of the build are on the site. There are a couple of posts on it if you search "coop". I'm afraid I don't have any building plans for the coop, I just did it sort of from the ground up and hoped for the best. I had an idea of what I wanted and the size, etc. but ... I'm afraid it would take much more than a blog post to teach someone how to build a coop. :( If you're in any way handy at all and you have some help you can do it yourself but it's a LOT of work. A LOT. If you want the same basic idea as mine, I'd show the picture to a local handyman and ask what he'd charge. But be warned, the materials alone were around $1000, so to have someone build it would end up being quite expensive. One way to cut down the cost is not to side it like I did. (I used 1 x 8 spruce to side the entire coop and run) The more materials you can salvage the cheaper it'll be. I was in a rush and had to get it done as soon as possible, so I didn't have time to source our salvaged wood. Good luck and let me know if you have any specific questions. ~ karen!
I found your blog tonight & was enjoying it at first (you are hilarious) then I discovered that you have chickens - that bumped you up to YOU ROCK!!
Bethkay - Hah! You scared me there. Thought you were going to say you liked my blog at first then discovered you hated me because (... insert random reason here). Glad you found the site and my chickens! ~ karen
Thanks for sharing your hardships, crazyships and relationships with us! I've enjoyed reading your blog!
Happy New Year's!
I hope you're enjoying your couch & jammies today like I am :) Can't wait for the new year - I'm hooked on your blog, or maybe it's a feeling. Might be the chickens!
All the hoopla was on Friday night at my house so it's nice and quiet, just me, the dogs, cats and birds. Even the cats have declared a peace treaty for now. Usually they at least curse as they pass by one another. You have the right idea about just chilling. I'll remember this Christmas as the year of the poop. My oldest grand and I were buxy with last minute details and putting the ham and a couple of side dishes in the oven when I smelled something and it wasn't pine scent. I had given the dogs a nice treat of canned dog food which they never get and it made them sick and it hit all of them at once. I was running around with paper towels and disinfectant spray while she was cooking. I finally found I had to get the carpet shampooer out. It went on for two hours and then I had to bath them to clean up the south ends. I'm not a drinker either but I did chug a glass of Lesa's wine at one point just to give me the strength not to just call everyone and tell them not to come so I could go to bed and cry. When my daughter got here early she walked in and said,"Gosh the house smells good". Evidently all the sprays, cleaning stuff and lit candles did the trick. I'm too old for that mess and so this peace and quiet is well earned. I think I'll just sit here and wait until you post after Jan 1. I hope you, the fella, cat and chikens have a great time. Loads of love and appreciaton from Kansas.
Merry Christmas Karen, Fella, Chickens and all your visitors... I really enjoyed your blog and the laughs...
Thanks! Same to you and yours. - karen, The Fella, The Chickens.
Merry merry Christmas Karen, the fella, chickens and commenters!!!