Take your pick

There are two ways of handling this situation.

You either put the tree up before Thanksgiving and light it on Thanksgiving night to usher in the Christmas season, or you get the Thanksgiving dinner dishes done, eat some pie, stash the leftover turkey and cranberry sauce in the fridge, get a good night's sleep, and start in on Christmas the next day.

Or the next, or the next. You've got a whole month to accomplish Christmas.

This year, I did it the first way: I Christmas-shopped throughout November and I put the tree up during Thanksgiving week. On Thursday evening, grandson Andrew lit the tree and we sang We Wish You a Merry Christmas and all the kids got a present.

I know; right? Super imaginative. What was I thinking? But there's more.

After the house had gone quiet on Thanksgiving night I boxed up every orangey-autumny decoration on the table and put out the glittering reindeer and the battery-operated lamppost beside which he stands sentinel.

I had installed the twinkly white lights on the front railing earlier in the week; Stephanie brought me a 24-inch real-greenery wreath (we'd bought it in a fundraiser from the grandkids' school) which I festooned with colored lights and hung on my door the night before Thanksgiving.

(We needed those props for our Christmas pictures.)

By the time I slept on Thanksgiving night, the house had been purged of everything turkified and pumpkiny and harvesty and give-thanksy. The fall-leafy wreaths were off the doors. The horn-of-plenty candle holders and the decorative gourds and the rustic baskets had been put away for another year.

Autumn was banished inside the house, even though outside the house, the leaf color was just getting good.

(Last Sunday, our temps were in the seventies. We are often bewildered in South Carolina, not least about what to wear during the "cold weather" months. And no; our befuddlement is not limited to seasonally-appropriate wardrobe.)

So yeah. All of that was dumb. Next year I'm doing it the other way. I think. Check back with me in twelve months.

But as of today, here is my advice: Don't mix your turkey legs and your sleigh bells; it can be overwhelming and less than gratifying. Don't ask me why; in the final analysis, what difference does it make?

The one positive, however, is I can now enjoy the entire month of December without scrambling to get ready for Christmas.

We are prepared. The tree is up, way up; the presents are wrapped and bagged and even now are stationed under and around the tree. Christmas cards almost ready to go out.

Speaking of trees, for several years I have put up a full-size Christmas tree in the kitchen, over beside the desk, and decorated it in the teal color and with ornaments of cupcakes and donuts.

But a few months ago we bought a big fancy popcorn popper to add to the festivities around here since it has been established that we pawty all the time, and who doesn't like fresh hot theater-caliber popcorn?

It's been a pretty big hit.

The popcorn tastes fantastic, it's fun to watch it pop, and even though it looks as though it would be, the machine is not difficult to clean.

But it is big, so its new home is that corner. I gave the tree that used to stand there, to Audrey and Dagny for their new house, so they wouldn't have to go out and buy all that stuff.

Dagny liked those donut and cupcake ornaments even more than I did, so there's that.

I did buy some old-school-style oversized multi-colored lights (they're LEDs) and draped them around the doorjamb as a Christmasy backdrop for the popcorn popper.

I may leave those lights up for the duration; I like how they look all happy there in the corner.

So here we are; December fourth and I've got nothing to do but enjoy a warm December.

Don't tell anyone, but I'm still (as always) dreaming of a w h i t e Christmas.

And no; I'm not a r a c i s t. Don't even go there.

That is all for now.

=0=0=0=

Happy Tuesday  ::  Happy December

Comments

[Mari]

You over-achiever you! I'm a firm follower of the day of Thanksgiving Christmas set up. I took that Friday off, cleared out Fall and set up Christmas. I have a few gifts to wrap but am mostly done, and the cards were mailed today. But there's always the extra Christmas things to do. Today I made candles for my co-workers. It's always good to check another thing off the list!
I love the popcorn maker - fun and cute too!
You can come visit me for a white Christmas. :)

[Jennifer]

@Mari ... YES! That's what I'll do -- come see you for Christmas, for the snow! I'll bring my presents so I don't miss anything, haaahaha. Seriously from now on, I'm going to do it just like you -- except that on the day after Thanksgiving, we are always busy with Stephanie's family so I guess I'll have to wait until Saturday. But at least, get it all done between Black Friday and December first. Take it ALL down on the day after Christmas. Stick with the same plan year after year. xoxo

[sally]

I must say I sure admire your 'readynist' for Christmas! Smart lady and everything looks beautiful. Me? I've done not.one.single.thing yet. Now that Patt's surgery has concluded with the healing ahead, I "might" do a little something. The "great's" were disappointed last week so I MUST get with the program. :)

xoxo

[Jennifer]

@Sally ... well I don't have a sick loved one just out of the hospital so you get a pass! But get those greats to help you deck the halls! It'll be done before you know it. Besides, you've got (almost) three whole weeks left! Fa la la la la la la la la .... xoxo

[Cheryl]

My first thought when the picture of your beautiful Christmas tree scrolled up was, "How will she ever keep Dagny out of those gift bags?" I am sure you have a way. :) I love that popcorn popper. It does look nice in front of the door.

My Christmas decorating was mostly done before Thanksgiving. I knew that I would be having a lot of friends in after Thanksgiving....I am feeling better...….so that is why I started early. It is snowing right now!!!!!! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!!!

[Jennifer]

@Cheryl ... your snow must be so beautiful! I envy you a little bit, the loveliness of it drifting down. After that, I'm not so sure, haaahaha! The way I keep Dagny out of the bags is, she knows better ... I think! My grandson had to turn all the carefully-placed tags around, to see the names! I scolded him for that. I'm so glad you're feeling better and good for you, getting an early start. Merry Christmas to all of you there! xoxo

[Barb]

You have put me to shame with your super decorations! After we got home from Bob's treatment, I unboxed a few of my massive Santa collection, I put the Madonna and Child on the mantle, and Bob draped the antique sled on the front porch in lights. That's it! We've decided to keep the Santas out a bit through January. Also, we DO have snow so Christmas was white.

[Jennifer]

@Barb ... My decs didn't put anyone to shame! They were actually rather paltry. I'm glad it's over. The tree is still up but I'll take it down today. My porch-railing lights all failed (in places) and that just makes me so mad. You buy outdoor lights and they can't last even one month! Aaaarrrrrghgghh xoxo