I always loved the day after Thanksgiving- it seemed that overnight the world had become Christmas. That weekend my mother would begin decorating our house and we would all help. Out came the Christmas dishes, linens and, music. All of a sudden there were closets or rooms we were warned not to enter in fear of ruining Christmas surprises. When I married and began a family I kept those same traditions, adding a few of my own. I made sure there was Christmas music in my car and that there were cinnamon and pine candles burning most evenings.
Little by little the malls, town halls, and Main streets began to decorate a bit earlier... The Christmas candy and baked good began to appear in the supermarket the day after Halloween.
I vowed not to give into the pressure.
But... I have accumulated so much Christmas "stuff!" It takes me a week to set up my Christmas village. My carolers take a few hours to dust off and set up. Hanging the greens in and out of the house? Hours. I can't leave anything out because the kids are adamant about our traditions and I understand. So, I have them help me and that cuts down on the time. But the last few years, two are away at school, one lives in the city and the two younger ones are helpful only so much.
The worst part? Taking it all down. So that is what it comes down to. I start the 28th and am done by Dec. 10th. and turn around, take it down on Jan. 6th.
I think I may break tradition. Yup. I want a month between put up and take down! I don't feel as though I am giving into the pressure of the malls, and media pressure. I am giving into being a slave of stuff. So, I will start on Nov. 20th and be DONE the day after Thanksgiving so that I can enjoy the music, the smells, the decorations, and most importantly the meaning of the season.
And, when I have my own house some day (sans kids, keep the husband) I will only decorate the house with greens, candles, and anything my children have made me. I will only decorate the day after Thanksgiving and I will be done!
7 comments:
Hooray for you! Reclaim yourself!!
I also want to decorate for at least a whole month. It's because I am too lazy to go through the trouble to do it all to only enjoy it for 3 weeks. But the hubby has to get the decorations out of storage, so I am at his mercy. :-(
thanks for commenting on my blog! I hope to hear more from you!
We usually decorate the first weekend in December and get rid of it the day after Christmas. I love seasonal stuff but get tired of it pretty quickly!
Thanks for the support ladies!
I also resolve not to buy anymore "stuff" to decorate with. That might help...
I'm wondering what to do this year--we'll be in Hawaii until Dec. 1, then we have our Pilgrimage (tour of historic homes)which usually means that if you don't decorate Thanksgiving weekend, you don't decorate until the middle of December. When my girls were in the Nutcracker, sometimes we couldn't get to it until we were done around the 18th.
Lately, DOTR gets the real tree the day after Thanksgiving, but the last two years it's been dead by Christmas, so I'm all for holding off.
Last year, I was standing at the door of the tour house that I was chairing, checking off people's tickets to go into this beautifully decorated home, while at my house we had two rotten pumpkins, a witches broom, a devil's pitchfork and a Christmas tree in a bucket on our front porch. The living room and dining room were filled with 200 poinsettas that needed to be delivered. We started calling them our "Festivus" decorations!
Mom on the run...
I think you should relax and concentrate on Hawaii, poor you :)
When you get home you will probably have so much energy you'll finish the decorating in no time!
I love decorating for Christmas, it's going to be a little different for us this year. I did bring some decorations with us, not everything. We always do the weekend of Thanksgiving but we will be in London so I think slowly that week I will put stuff up. In Germany alot of people do it the old fashion way Xmas eve!
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