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IS IT TOO EARLY TO DECORATE FOR CHRISTMAS?
When I originally wrote this blog for my previous website last year, it was October 3rd in Northern California. The mornings were brisk, well in the 50’s and 60’s, and the days were slowly cooling into the 80’s. The grass was still brown from no rain and the world was pumpkin obsessed and placing witches, bats and bones anywhere they could fit them. I was sipping my gingerbread tea enjoying the glow of the soft white lights peeking from between the branches of my Christmas tree. Yes, you did read that correctly, my Christmas Tree!
Now here I am editing and posting the same blog October 29th a year later. The mornings are cooler, dancing in the low 40s and 50s. The daily temps have cooled to the upper 60’s and lower 70’s. The grass is still brown. My neighborhood is covered in spiderwebs and there are inflatable Halloween decorations everywhere. I again am sitting here drinking a cup of tea, this time chai, enjoying the lights on my tree that we put up yesterday. Thinking that I might be a little late this year in my decorating.
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WHERE IT ALL STARTED
Since I was a child, I have always loved Christmas. I was raised that it is only proper to celebrate and decorate for Christmas between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. I became obsessed with all the smells, the decorations, the music, movies and really the entire atmosphere of the Christmas Season. Everything had my favorites, Vanilla, Clove, Ginger, Cinnamon and Nutmeg. I could find any combination of those scents in candles, drinks and food. The soft warm white lights always made me feel cozy and warm and made even the most unwelcoming homes in the daytime look inviting after dark.
More than that though the atmosphere changes, it almost contains an energy that can’t be controlled. Children want to be helpful because they are reminded everywhere that Santa is watching and checking his list. Families are united and homes are filled with laughter, love and delicious food. In a world where division has become normal there is so much unity and love at Christmas. Bibles that are left dusty are opened to read the Christmas story. Every mall and grocery store are bustling to the sounds of Christmas music.
MEANING OF CHRISTMAS
My parents did extremely well at teaching us two things at once that are almost impossible to learn at the same time we are being spoiled. First that Christmas isn’t about presents. We were taught very young about Christ’s birth and that even though He wasn’t born in December that is when we as a society choose to celebrate the miracle of His birth and who He is. The second was that when we give gifts, we make sure they are from the heart. You need to look at who you are giving a gift to, most of the time homemade means more than anything you can purchase. Also, to make sure you are getting something they love not something you want to borrow from them. Both of these lessons are contradictory to what society as a whole teaches.
Commercialized Christmas is not something that I love. I don’t love the cheap toys that break after a few uses or will just end up in the back of the closet until it’s donated. Or the thousands of pounds of junk food that are conveniently marketed for Christmas. I don’t love the fact that we force our kids to sit with some strange man in a disguise while they scream for a picture. There is a reason why toddlers are scared of Santa at first, Stranger Danger! But we teach our kids it is ok, and it is right, and they grow accustomed to it and him. For a lot of people this is why they hate Christmas or dread it’s return into our retail worlds.
WHY IT’S THE PERFECT TIMING
For me it is different. It brings me a peace and a reminder of how loved I am. For me I don’t see a list of all the presents I HAVE to buy, I see all the people that I get to make smile and help make them feel seen. I don’t get stressed over the rush and the hustle and the bustle of making all the memories or finding time to pick and choose what Christmas movies we will be able to squeeze into our schedules. My daughter will be 19 in January, so for 14 years we had split custody, this is the first year that she is switching on her own accord. In December for the last 15 years, I would only have her for 2 weeks.
It is hard as a parent to do all the things you want to with your kids and fit it in that time frame. So, I stopped. Who made up that rule anyway? It’s hard enough to fit in all the memories in one month without split custody but cutting it down to 2 weeks was disheartening. So for years I have decorated early. I am so thankful my husband is onboard with my special way of thinking and helps contribute to all the fun we have this time of year. He was such a sport when we first got together about decorating early. Now he is the one who is saying… I feel like we should be putting up the tree soon.
Every year is different, there are no rules. Well except for a few… We always have a gingerbread competition at some point in the season, my husband and I always watch Die Hard together, and everyone is present for decorating the tree. Oh, and the decorations come down on the 26th of December. But there are no rules for when Christmas starts. Some years the tree has gone up in July, August has been a popular month and a few times it still waited for November or December (because we wanted a real tree those years). Last year our tree was put up September 26th, this year October 28th. The biggest thing is we make a point to celebrate Christ and try to become more like Him. We focus on Gratitude and Thankfulness, and we embrace being different from everyone else.
CHRISTMAS LIGHT SCAVENGER HUNT
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Christmas is my favorite holiday. There is something about the lights, sounds and smells that bring it alive to me.  One of our favorite things to do as a family is go and look at Christmas lights.  This printable captures a lot of things that you can see while you are out looking at lights. …
WHAT ABOUT THANKSGIVING?
And because it has been asked many times. Yes, we celebrate Thanksgiving! Fall Decorations go up in August usually and stay up until Thanksgiving. I merge the two for a while and then from Thanksgiving to Christmas it is purely Christmas. Thanksgiving isn’t about decorations, it is an attitude, a mindset and a choice to be the thankful. We practice this year-round, but we do focus on this in November. Just like we focus on becoming more Christ like and celebrate who He is all throughout the year, but we focus on that a little more towards the end of the year.
CHRISTMAS ENCOURAGEMENT
If you are someone who dreads the beginning of the Christmas season, I have a challenge for you. Actually, this challenge will work for anyone reading this blog. I challenge you to stop and assess how you feel about this upcoming season. Analyze it. Are there things that you miss? Things that you don’t have time for? Are there people you want to connect with? Are you not sure what you are celebrating? Do you love a simple rustic Christmas? Do you love a whimsical frosted sugar plum fairy style of Christmas? What are you teaching your kids throughout this season? Once you take the time to analyze it then you should ask your family members to do the same thing. Then come together as a family and take back Christmas. Create new traditions and keep the special ones.
I am 41 years old, and I am still like a 4-year-old on Christmas morning. I love watching the excitement on my husband and my daughters face as they open presents and know that they are seen and loved. Sipping my coffee and taking a trip down memory lane as I catch glimpses of ornaments from all different times in our lives. I get excited with every batch of gingerbread cookies that are made. That first sip of eggnog is like a hug from the inside. The gentle glow of the soft white lights before everyone wakes up and after everyone has gone to bed speaks to my soul in a way this blog can never convey.
So, if you happen to see me, or someone like me, in October wearing Santa leggings in the store just smile and say Merry Christmas! Because there is nothing wrong with us, we are just dancing to the beat of our own drum, which might just sound a lot like little drummer boy.
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