When it comes to officially kicking-off the Christmas season, I have a pretty hard and fast rule on timing...
I don't do anything until December 1st.
No lights, no decorations, no tree...nada until all those Thanksgiving leftovers are officially out of the fridge.
I can't help it, I like to compartmentalize my holidays. + I feel like turkey day gets a bit of the short shrift...it's like the flyover state of holidays, so I try and lavish attention on Thanksgiving in the spirit of giving it its full due.
And you know I have to take every opportunity to drive this home with the girlies too. When we're cruising through the mall with its prematurely piped-in Christmas tunes, when we're dodging the aisles of twinkle lights and wrapping paper at Target trying to get to the laundry detergent, I’m complaining (like some young, female Andy Rooney) about how Christmas “starts” earlier every year and how stores just want us to spend more money and blah, blah, blah.
Well friends this weekend I broke my “hard and fast” rule. Big time. (But aren’t most overly extreme declarations, destined for breakage?)
First there were the slew of “holiday” votive candles purchased at the Whole Foods on Sunday (were you wondering where the weekend fit into all of this?) and lit immediately upon getting home. Peppermint vanilla. My favorite. Crazy lovely. The whole kitchen was a sea of Christmas. Yikes.
Once you’re “smelling” Christmas it’s all over I guess, as next thing I knew Millie and I were singing Christmas carols and drawing little pictures of snowmen and candy canes and…Santa.
We were sucked in.
But wait there’s more…Earlier in the week, my lovely friend Lori invited us to join her family in previewing the windows at the downtown Neiman Marcus (a little test-run, sneak peek for employees and their friends.) So later that evening, we found ourselves in sweaters and tights and boots, marveling at the brilliant holiday windows and the twinkly lights, sipping hot chocolate, eating little cookies and (the girlies not me) sitting on Santa’s lap telling him our Christmas wishes. We had a total blast.
Words officially eaten.
14 comments:
I know what you mean - this year I'm starting much earlier than ever! I'm eating my words as well wanting to send out a Family photo christmas card (always said I'd never send a card with my face on it:-). Oh well, rules are meant to be broken.
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I hear you on the December 1st date - there's nothing to say you can't slowly ease into the season. Canadian Thanksgiving is in early October and that is when we actually start our Xmas planning! It makes me crazy when Xmas stuff starts in the stores before Remembrance/Veterans Day.
I usually decorate on Dec 1st too - or at least I did when I was at home... There's something about looking at the sea from your apartment windows and being so damn hot every day that messes up the holiday spirit.
I love these photos!
Understood....smiles.
Do not look at the ornaments at anthropologie.....it totally got me.
Looks like a great weekend! Too bad it's back to being Monday :(
I love it. I am exactly the same way and I've been thinking I'm going to decorate this weekend, so I don't have to jam it in after Thanksgiving.
I want December to just be a month of fun activities and not of lot of late nights over the craft table or at the fabric store. No stressful preparation, just peaceful happy time with friends, family and sitting staring at the twinkling lights with my little clan.
To heck with our "I would never..." declarations. :) Part of growing is realizing there might be something special in following the magical flow instead. Merry Mid-November Christmas!
Ha! I'm struggling with Christmas thoughts too. But Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite and everyone knows it, so I never worry about short changing it. Christmas just takes a little extra prep time, so I have to start early!
mmmm those candles sound lovely! and those lights are gorgeous!
See and I start most of that (at least the Christmas songs on the radio) November 1st!
I am so with you on this one, and some rules can be bent :) I do try to get all Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving though. Makes me enjoy the time till Christmas more.
I am most definitely one of those people who starts promptly after Halloween. I know it's kind of awful, but I can't resist! :)
P.S. Voluspa's candle in Frosted Pine is a wonderful Christmas scent, too.
Hmmm... well, if it makes you feel any better, I came home from work this evening to see that my neighbor not only has Christmas lights out and on, but also a Christmas tree decorated and glowing in the front room. "REALLY?!?!", I thought. Yep, evidently. It's going to be a long 6 weeks for their First Grader!
hehehe, I would love to hear you say "Christmas can't get no respect!"
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