It’s November, Friend!
Depending on where you live, you might not enjoy the onset of this month. I, for one, LOVE it! For one reason, the month’s onset happens to be my birthday. No sooner than you can say, “Trick or treat, smell my feet,” it’s my special day. This last one was particularly lovely. It didn’t end in a “0” or a “5,” so it wasn’t a biggie, but I just felt more-than-usually grateful this time around. When you take into consideration that a lot of well-deserving folks don’t get the privilege of having more birthdays, I’m thankful for each one I get.
And, then, it’s my favorite holiday this month—Thanksgiving! The best day of the year, in my books! A big part of that is because my family comes home for that holiday. Kids, grandkids, granddogs, and then, along with them, an assortment of other people could also show up. Old friends from high school who happened to be home, for example. “Kids” that used to sit around my kitchen table and eat all our food and drink all of our Gatorade. Come on in! The house is a mess, and I couldn’t be happier! Grab a drink from the outside fridge (only plugged in once a year) and sit down!
But along with the onset of November comes the great American debate. No, I’m not talking about the presidential election. Not even close. Here’s the thing that seems to rankle the masses these days . . .
Whether or not to decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving.
Listen, you will get some pretty solid arguments for either side. Don’t bring it up if you aren’t prepared for some fisticuffs or at least a verbal lashing. We used to argue over whether to put up a real tree or an artificial one, but that’s kindergarten stuff now. Now it’s: When is it appropriate to put up said tree?
When I was growing up, we didn’t start decorating for Christmas till about mid-December. That seemed to be the acceptable time to start. And my mom told us that her parents put up a Christmas tree on Christmas Eve!! Were they crazy? No—just Swedish. Probably by the time my parents were married and had three kids, mid-December was garishly early.
I was always pro-post-Thanksgiving for Christmas decorating as a younger person. I don’t know; now that I’m older, I’ve changed my tune. I’ve changed that tune to “We Need a Little Christmas” ’round about Labor Day weekend. And I live in South Florida, where it could possibly be 90 degrees on Halloween! But I’ve become one of those people who secretly feels a little jump for joy in my stomach when I see Christmas trees popping up in stores “way too early.” A passerby might shake her head and say, “Already?” disgustedly. I might agree with her with an eye roll and then turn a cartwheel as soon as she’s around the corner.
No more, baby! I’m admitting to the world (well, to you) that I LOVE ALL THE CHRISTMAS STUFF, AND I LOVE IT WAY TOO EARLY!
My kids, as I said, come home for Thanksgiving but then either stay at their own homes or go to their significant other’s family’s homes for Christmas. That’s fine. That’s fair and square. But, since they’re not here then, I like to roll Christmas into Thanksgiving when they’re all here. And then, when the dust and turkey leftovers settle after they leave, the decorating is done! I can wash all the sheets and towels, put away the toys (both child and dog varieties), unplug the outside fridge—and relax in front of my already-decorated Christmas tree.
Today, I saw an amusing inflatable yard decoration. It was a fallen-over Santa Claus with a turkey sitting atop. There was a sign that read, “Wait your turn, Fat Man.” OK, it was not very nice of the turkey to say, but it was still funny. But c’mon, Mr. Turkey, can’t you and Santa be friends?
Whether you are a “one holiday at a time, thank you” person or a “let’s do it all” person, I hope you find something to celebrate this week and throughout the rest of 2023. Time is slipping by way too quickly to grumble at one another about the right time to haul out the holly.
Now, it’s time for some hot cocoa and a Christmas movie . . .
Written with love – – – Patti XOXO
“Instead of hate, celebrate.”
Prince