Well, we all got a hint of what The Baroness Seitzinger's Xmas decorations will be like; it'll be very expensively done (the was she is), but totally over the top. Today Mamie and I received an invitation this weekend to celebrate her decorations with "egg nogg and Christmas music". I personally would prefer to be tied to the tree in Rockefeller Center and burned to death, but she is such a dear that we'll go and enjoy the company--there's always the 16th floor balcony if push comes to shove and Mamie just can't take it any longer. (And, I did request "happy" Xmas music.)
I never decorated until Mr. Astor moved in, but our celebration is just a wreath with antique ornaments in back of our mysterious Egyptian house god...

...and a small arrangement of items dear to Mr. Astor (like those bloody Teddy Bears). All this will change when Terry arrives again next week; then everything inside and out will look like an explosion at Neiman Marcus.

And, then, there is this...

Poor Baroness, all that money and so much of it wasted. She spent last week at a resort in Nicaragua (we don't need to into any stories about that), but the poor thing is always attracted to the gaudiest items in airport gift stores. The last one was apparently so obnoxious that God had to break it in her luggage. Still, she is such a dear that I'm sure we'll swoon over it this weekend. Then, again, there's that balcony.