It's December, which means Kara and Jenna are officially in Holiday Mode. What better way to get into the spirit with them than by viewing this array of delightful Santa photos?

Kara just returned from her annual Shoptastic Weekend with her royally-fabulous best friend (known here and most other places as The Queen). For the past seven years, Kara and The Queen have spent the first weekend of December in Freeport, Maine, where they take the outlets by storm and toast their bargains with their own private stock of bubbly. Next year, Kara and The Queen hope to improve upon their itinerary by adding spa treatments — because what better way to relax after a long day of shopping than with foot massages?

Before Kara left, she and Jenna and K-Hubs went down to Providence's Wickenden Street, where they shopped at their new favorite gifty store, The Curatorium, and their new favorite antique store, the This-N-That Antique Co-op. The day was a productive one. Kara bought a kitschy ceramic walnut-shaped covered candy dish with a squirrel on top. Jenna bought an amazing atomic lamp for her apartment, and a vintage aluminum Christmas tree stand. The stand was the find of the day. It's the exact model the LaReau Sisters' grandparents used to have for their aluminum tree (a Deluxe Pom-Pom Sparkler) — the stand plugs in so it rotates the tree, and there's a little plastic Santa and his reindeer that turn around the base and play "Jingle Bells." There's even an additional outlet on the side to plug in a rotating color wheel, to give your Sparkler some rainbow magic; our grandparents' tree was completely tricked out with this wheel, as well as a glittery white felt tree skirt that was home to all manner of Nativity characters, bottle brush trees, miniature houses, reindeer, and ceramic angels and wax choirboys. With such a holiday playland under the tree, it's a wonder they ever tore us away to open presents.

Tonight, the gang is going to Federal Hill (Providence's Little Italy) for a trip to the heavenly Venda Ravioli, an Italian specialty food store. Did you know that the LaReau Sisters are half Italian? They are — and they celebrate the holiday Italian-style, with a big seafood dinner (Feast of the Seven Fishes) on Christmas Eve. At Venda, they hope to stock up on some items for their feast, and possibly pick up some treats to enjoy in the meantime. And of course, this weekend, they're going to pick out and trim their tree, put up their decorations, and watch some Rankin-Bass Christmas specials (and most likely drink a wee bit of eggnog). Photos to follow, which may or may not include the LaReau Sisters' own scary moment on Santa's lap.

Is anyone else doing anything fun to prepare for the holidays? We're always interested in hearing about other traditions. Do tell!