It sounds like you all are finding your way to the best way to do Christmas. Ours is pared down to a 3 foot tree with colored light. We bring it down from the attic, put it on the end table, put a wee angel on top that my mother made, put the cloth around and a 60 year old ceramic Santa and some candle figures. I put red bows on the railing outside and we're done. I do make sticky buns-lots of sticky buns for Christmas at my sister's. My mom used to make them. It takes a while to figure out what works and what brings joy. The lights bring me joy. I love outside lights that other people put out...I don't care how gaudy or simple they are, I love that people take the time to do that and I get such pleasure from seeing them.