Christmastime is Near!

Cole asked me this week, “When we putting up our Christmas lights?”

Looks like we'll be shooting for next November. 

I have a certain queasiness. I don't think (but won't confirm) it's been caused by the influx of sugar to my system. It's three days before the big day, and I feeling like some sort of Christmas flunky. Yesterday I was telling my family about a Secret Santa work story. When they asked about my Secret Santa, and I quickly informed them that I had decided not to participate this year, I was met with scorn. “What are you? Some sort of Scrooge?”

Am I? I don't think so...

Besides the lack of lights surrounding our house, most of our decorations are still sitting at the bottom of the basement stairs. But the tree is up. It didn't get hoisted the Friday after Thanksgiving as is our normal tradition. As the days in December ticked away, I toyed with the idea of a tree-less year. Then my son decided to decorate a little tree for his room, and the guilt of attempting the Norman Rockwell Christmas for the kiddos overpowered me. I dragged the tree upstairs, with images in my mind of the family hanging ornaments together, singing a harmonic Joy to the World. Maybe we'd even string a little popcorn. But as is usual, the tradition never goes quite so lovely.

I shouted, and shouted, for assistance. I got one helper. (Hubby had to toss out a testy, "Help your mom!" ) But within a few minutes, however, my helper was disengaged. As was typical of the annual event, I found myself decorating alone–throwing the ornaments on the tree just to finish the project. 

Beyond the tree, I have little other decorations around the house. (Obviously, a travesty since we never have a guest...except the Schwann's man.)  I'm not done shopping. I haven't baked. My house is super dirty. And most tragically, I haven't done a Christmas card yet–this is most awful, because I'm sure everyone has been checking their mail for pics of my kids and my dog. 

But guess what? Despite my anxiety, I decided that being a Christmas flunky isn't such a bad thing. (Look at Clark Griswold.) In the scheme of things, what matters most? This year, in particular, I will step into this holiday season with an enormous amount of gratitude.

Doug and I ran across our camera the other day. We haven't been using it, since it's a bit handier to take pics on my phone. Anyway, we found a treasure trove of photos–including some from last Christmas. Forget decorations. Forget baking. I think the most important thing we can do this holiday is laugh and find some hugs.