The Holidays Are Right Up The Aisle

Does it seem that immediately after Halloween, we skip directly to this Christmas mindset?  As I was (last minute) costume shopping for my Halloween, initially I was unable to find the Halloween Costumes.  Walking down the main aisle at Shopko all I could see was a beacon of Christmas lights and trees and decor.  I finally found the picked over Halloween aisle hidden next to scads of wrapping paper, Santa Claus decorations, and basic Christmas Bling!!! I probably should not judge considering when I moved into my new house on September 1st, my biggest worry while arranging my new living room furniture was deciding whether to put an end table in a certain corner because that was where the Christmas Tree would go.  I am enamored by the faux Christmas Tree I purchased last year simply because it is pre-lit.  For years everyone I know has had a pre-lit tree while I fought with stringing lights, burnt out lights, endless last minute trips to Family Dollar because strings of lights from last year had burnt out and running back because I didn't buy QUITE ENOUGH to cover the entire tree.  My Christmas tree toppers have included a half decapitated Angel that my daughter broke because she thought it was a toy,  crooked stars that just didn't sit right,  heavy objects that practically tipped tree over, and something that looked like a glittered elf hat which caused me to find glitter all over my house well into Summer!  

My point is, once again, I am just not ready for Christmas yet.  I haven't even decided how big of a turkey my sister needs to cook for Thanksgiving, or reminded her not to forget the stuffing and we don't want that stove top junk,  or busted her trying to pass off pumpkin pie from the Piggly Wiggly as her own just because she took it out of the plastic container (this required me searching thru her trash to find the covers because NO WAY did she bake that pie!)  This year Christmas might be even more difficult for our family because as long as my son Mack who has a ridiculously high metabolism gains the 9 pounds required, he is leaving for Air Force Basic Training on November 26th.  This means that he won't be with us for Christmas.  This would be the first Christmas ever that he was away from me and away from his twin brother.  I have tried to focus on the true meaning of Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus, in hopes that would help me find peace  with my son's absence for the Holiday, and it has helped me a bit.  Christmas to me is not about giving or receiving grandiose gifts, the real joy in Christmas is that it brings family together and as Jesus would want it, it is about LOVE.  With this in mind, I believe we may just have to turn November 22nd into a holiday trifecta of Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Year's all rolled into that one day.  Money is tight these days so no, that doesn't mean early gifts for my family, what it does mean is a whole day full of love and togetherness.  I am pretty sure we can pull it off!

Happy Holidays!