It’s that time of year. I try to focus on one holiday at a time, but the retail stores make it difficult when the “seasonal” aisle is mixed with the orange and black of Halloween, the browns, yellows and reds of “fall” – with a rare turkey or pilgrim for Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday, by the way!) – and the festive “everything Christmas!” decorations.
Let’s get real….do people really start buying decorations for Christmas in October?
We have an unspoken rule in our house: no Christmas anything until the day after Thanksgiving! When you have a whole week in November because the fourth Thursday falls that way, I’m tempted to tune into the “Christmas Stream” on my favorite radio station (because I really LOVE Christmas music!), but . . . it’s still November. I actually made up the rule for my own sanity, by the way, but I just don’t want to start too early.
Let’s get real….shouldn’t October be for Halloween, November for Thanksgiving, and December for Christmas?
I like change…yes, I said that. I know change can be tough on some, but change can be good, too. I look at “change” as “opportunity”…you can redecorate! See how I kept that not too deep and on focus here? I do tend to change focus when I’m writing (or thinking, or talking), I know. My point is: each season brings a reason for change. The weather changes. Our clothes change. And our decorations should, too.
Let’s get real…do you really want to see ghosts and goblins or Frosty the Snowman in April?
It’s December. On one hand, I can’t believe it! Time goes by so quickly. On the other hand, it’s Christmas decorating time! Let me remind you, who have not followed until recently: We have spent the last 13 years away from our Pittsburgh roots. Most years, we came back to PA for Christmas. I didn’t spend much time putting up decorations for the holiday when we weren’t going to be there to enjoy them. I did put a wreath on the door, but stockings were not hung by the (electric) chimney with care, and we did not put up a tree (unless you count the few lights and ornaments I haphazardly hung on the artificial palm tree in the corner of the living room?) So, here we are home again, and I want to decorate! We downsized (again) and the question was: Where do we put a tree? We just finally got settled after moving, unpacking, and arranging furniture several times. Now I needed to rearrange to accommodate a Christmas tree?
Let’s get real….Yes! I said, “I want a real tree!” And, not a pre-cut tree or an artificial tree (even though some look really real now – it’s amazing!)
In our Christmases past, we would go to the local tree farm to cut down our own tree. They have saws, twine, and people to help you, if you need them. We would dress for the weather (mostly snowy and cold) and head out on this holiday adventure of finding the “perfect” tree. I learned over those years that my vision of “perfect” was quite different from my husband’s. I wanted soft needles, lots of branches for ornaments to hang (not lay), and just tall enough that putting the angel on top required some acrobatic effort or a lift of a child at a safe height. I was willing to hike into the depths of the farm to find it. My husband saw the first tree that looked about the right height and thought if you turned the bare side to the wall, no one will see it anyway. Go big, cut short, turn, and adjust decorations – perfect! I came to understand that it wasn’t the tree that he envisioned, it was the warmth of the inside; and the sooner, the better.
Let’s get real…who moves from a warm beach town back to snowy Pittsburgh?
We do. We did. And it’s Christmastime in the city – Pittsburgh! Ring-a-ling! Soon it will be Christmas day! My husband understands the importance of being home (it’s where my heart is), and he understands the importance of traditions (tree cutting, even when it’s cold), and he understands the adventure of this life we do together (he cuts, and I decorate), and he does it all because…
Let’s get real…he LOVES me! We are “blended and happy” through all the seasons.
Merry Christmas!
And may all your wishes be REAL!
blendedandhappy.com 