RAGE AGAINST EARLY CHRISTMAS!

I've been reading SO MUCH criticism about early Christmas celebrators on my Facebook and Pinterest pages. The music is on, the commercials have begun, the flyers and sales and recipes are circulating. I am guilty-if it were up to me, our home would be lit with the tree and decorations from my mothers last few jolly seasons with us, our stockings would be pinned and awaiting the goodies. My front door owl would have his Santa hat on instead of turkey feathers. Oh, yes. I am ALL about the Christmas season!

I don't think 25 days is long enough for this feeling! I wait all year for the spirit of Christmas to fill every room I enter! Every kitchen and every home is buzzing with anticipation of that magical night and fantastic morning! Its a perfect prelude into a New Year. New clothes, new toys, new stuff, new you! I don't understand why everyone is so upset that Christmas is pushed into our store aisles starting in October. I mean, what exactly can you decorate for Thanksgiving, that wont be replaced with some Christmas/Santa/Winter/Holiday thing in less than a month, anyway?
My fall dish towels get a few good weeks on display, and then out come my Poinsettia towels, then Snow men, then the Christmas TREE SET! Then Halloween because my life is so disorganized, I just can't care for a while.

Thanks Flickr for my Christmas Story photo. Best scene!

You don't have to decorate to be Thankful for Thanksgiving. Shit, it doesn't need to be Thanksgiving for you to express you're grateful. Thanksgiving should be daily, but Christmas only comes once a year! AND I PLAN TO CELELBRATE AND DECORATE LIKE CRAZY!

HOW AM I DIGGING WINTERTIME?

Oh my gooooood I am over winter already and it hasn’t even officially begun! Every single year I forget how sweltering the summer is, and how subarctic the winter feels. I wish for it to be winter as I’m baking on the pavement, and wish for the summer when I’m slipping on it. I cannot be pleased!

There is much that I enjoy about every season, though.

In the summer I love the ease of not having to layer up simply to let the dog out.

In the winter I love the quite nights with closed windows and seeking the warmth of blankets and oversized sweaters.

I enjoy the leaves changing color, and the crispy sound they make on the ground in fall.

I love the sound and smell of rain and grass being mowed, and birds coming back to chirp in spring.

While winter may not be my favorite weather- I wouldn’t like to live where winter doesn’t exist. I love watching heavy snow fall- there’s nothing quite like it! I love feeling the cold glass of the window as I look at the snow collect, while warm in my home. I loved watching the child’s first clumsy climb into a pile of snow, and how she didn’t feel the cold when she clasped a fistful in her tiny chubby fist. This year, I can’t wait to take her sledding down a hill and teach her how to make snowballs.

Winter also brings me CHRISTMAS which is my favorite time of all! I’m unapologetically stating that Christmas is more exciting than the kid’s birthdays. Yes. Because Santa comes, and there are decorations and spirit and family and food- OH THE FOOD!! and cookies and home made candies and hot chocolate with marshmallows or whipped cream and traditions and that (awful) traditional Christmas music! I am entirely too excited, and it’s a month and a half away! I am that woman that wants her Christmas decorations and tree up before Thanksgiving!

What would Christmas be without the cold? It wouldn’t be the same for me.

OH THE FOOD! My favorite winter food is hot ham. Spiral, honey glazed, or pineapple glazed that my father in law makes, I LOVE a good ham! The only time of year anyone in my family ever makes it is Thanksgiving and Christmas-which is pretty unacceptable now that I think about it. My mother made this Pumpernickel cheese ball, where you dip the shredded bread- oh it was delicious. I'll be making that this year-well trying to make it I should say!