It’s early November. My living room is dimly lit by rainbow colors. Hundreds of twinkling rainbow colors. On a tree. A Christmas tree. And ya know what? I’m not ashamed to say it, people! I just put up all my Christmas decorations and it feels good ya’ll!
Really good!
I understand that it’s de rigueur to sigh when you walk into Walgreens and see the Christmas decorations up during Halloween. I get it. We all need to “savor” each holiday. But can I tell you a cold hard fact? There are only 6 weeks till Christmas. RIGHT NOW, in EARLY November! So tell me again why I need to wait an arbitrary 2 more measly weeks before I haul out days worth of decorating supplies?
So I can enjoy a turkey?!?
Let me tell you something. I am totally capable of eating, and enjoying turkey with a Christmas tree up. I know – it’s crazy. But I am able to do that. And I would even say, I can enjoy my turkey more, and give more thanks giving on that day then the rest of you. Because you will all dutifully wait till you see Santa end the Macy’s day Parade before you will will start preparing for Christmas. Where as I – will watch Santa make his appearance with a glass of eggnog in hand, in a fully decorated house, with most of my Christmas shopping done. So I will be free to just enjoy that moment. I will not be hauling in boxes from the garage. I will be actually focused on giving thanks alone. You will be trying to find the bulb that isn’t lighting on your tree, and I will be meditating on all the ways in which I’m blessed this year. So tell me again – who is really going to be feeling thankful in that scenario?
My vote is solidly for – me 😉
And if you needed more reason to embrace this “early Christmas decorating” thing – let me point out one more thing. Do you have kids? I do – a ten year old. That means she has just has 8 more Christmas mornings in her childhood. Just 8 more Christmas seasons, before she’s grown up.
Stop the clock.
That means – that by decorating when I actually want to vs. arbitrarily waiting until the day after Thanksgiving … I give myself 2 extra weeks to enjoy Christmas. And that means over the course of 18 years of childhood – I get 36 more weeks of Christmas with my kid, than you got with yours. Extra weeks of Christmas carols, and talking about the nativity, and drinking hot cocoa.
Decorating early isn’t looking so bad now, huh?
Look – I’m not the genius who scheduled the “holiday season” full of 3 distinct holidays that America loves – all within weeks of each other. I did not make that call. Thank goodness! Because I think we all know how dumb that guy feels. But I do know that at my house, Christmas is the most magical and beautiful time of the year. So if I draw that out an extra 2 freaking weeks? I’m gonna need you to throw me a bone here, and overlook it.
Because is the world’s greatest problem really my love of Christmas?!?
I didn’t think so. So pipe the heck down…
I say that with love 😉
Looking for other Christmas Related Posts?
– The BEST Christmas Cookies!
–How to bring Christmas to the Playroom!
– Precious Reindeer Cider Starters!
About Shannon SchmidShannon traded in her sensible NYC TV producer shoes (they were best for taking the subway), for a pair of Texas Cowboy boots when she married her best friend! He's at fault for making this Yankee a Texan! Shannon writes about all things that make a house a home. Her chief blogging inspiration is being the proud & slightly neurotic mom of a preschool age daughter.
You can find Shannon on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and her new favorite place to hang out, Google+.
I say the earlier, the better!
@Betsy Mitchell, I do too Betsy!! Why do all that decorating work for just a month before disassembling it all again? 🙂
Amen, girlfriend!! I don’t decorate until the day after Thanksgiving out of laziness, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE seeing decorations up in November (and I don’t mind the Christmas trees up at Costco in September, either – people need to plan!).
@Carrie, I LOVE the trees up then too Carrie!! It gets me excited! PS. I support laziness 100%! So rock on with that, and decorate when it suits YOU! 🙂
By my family tradition (when I was a kid and as a mother myself), we always ate the turkey and then I cranked on the record player to listen to all the Christmas carols (while everyone else moaned that it was too early) and started the the card signing and decoration doing that took the rest of Thanksgiving weekend. “It was a family affair . . .” The tree was scouted for, cut down, dragged across the field (and usually a stream too), strapped to the car, driven home, put up, decked with lights and trimmed. Cookies were made to be eaten and hung and presents were wrapped. I’d buy many presents after Christmas the year before at half price sales and then all summer long when I wasn’t burdened by boots and a heavy coat ~ Santa brought the most wished for present after all the TV ads did their thing and something is decided on.
On Thanksgiving Eve my Dad and then me as a Mom, would begin reading Dickens Christmas Carol each night as the bedtime story, dividing it up so that it would end on Christmas eve.
So we really had a time for the turkey and a peaceful time for several weeks before Christmas to reflect on what Christmas was originally all about . . . a time for giving and peace on Earth. (I am personally an Atheist but love the music inspired by those who believe.)
Thanksgiving had its own time and there were no Black Fridays (that can now even be done by computer). Stores were CLOSED and folks had the day to really be thankful and interact (IN PERSON vs. E-mails, texts and tweets). I understand stores open now on Christmas day to start the many gift exchanges. It is very sad to me.
I believe in the separation and in the true meanings of the different fall and winter events.
Now that I am older and no one lives close, the packages get mailed early to assure their arrival and my tree is a small ceramic one with some other decorations that stay displayed through the whole winter solstice. I mean snowmen and deer and orioles are real, are outside and are here until Spring.
@Kim,
@Kim, I LOVE that Kim! I think whatever warms your heart, and makes the holidays most enjoyable for you is the perfect way to celebrate. I think too, having a young kiddo makes me want to decorate earlier too, its just so much to do for only 3 weeks of enjoyment between Thanksgiving and Christmas! But I totally get how keeping the family tradition of waiting could be super magical too!
I LOVE this! And you sound pretty good at math, to me! 🙂 Jealous that your Christmas shopping will almost be done by Thanksgiving!
@Jamie, Thanks Jamie!!I’m pretty excited to be done too, now to wrap it all….lol
We always decorate the outside of our house the weekend before Thanksgiving. It’s nice having it done and we get to enjoy the lights longer. But I like my indoor Thanksgiving decorations too much to take them down before Thanksgiving so I don’t decorate inside. I did the same math on how many weekends I have left until my oldest turns 18 and it was depressing! The number should w huge but it isn’t.
@Allison B, Ahh- well if you are loving your Thanksgiving decorations enjoy them as long as you want! Its all about enjoying the holidays whatever way makes you happiest!
Preach it sister. I totally agree and could not have said it better myself!
@Jae, Thank you Jae!!
Our Christmas tree is sitting in a box in my dining room. It’s humungous. But I really need to put it up for product shots — and I’m too lazy to take it down after, only to put it up again in 2 weeks. So, there it sits… and here I am, feeling guilty about putting up our tree early.
Until I read this.
Now I’m going to crank up the Christmas tunes, make some hot cocoa, and get my holiday groove on.
THANK YOU!
@Wende, WAHOOO! I LOVE that Wende, no guilt needed!! Get those Christmas tunes goin!
I haven’t even THOUGHT about decorating for Christmas because well, November is crazy birthday month, and of course Thanksgiving. But yeah, this is a fantastic idea! I wonder if I could get hubby on board? Or perhaps I’ll just do it while he’s at work? LOL!
@Gena, I vote you do it while he’s at work 😉
I love, love, love decorating for Christmas, and the earlier the better, I think! My hubby makes me wait to put up the decorations until after my son’s birthday in mid-November (and he’d like me to wait ’til after Thanksgiving). But he knows not to even fight me about it now 😉
@Arena, Mid- November sounds perfect to me Arena! My poor hubby has learned not to fight the Christmas love either…haha.
I have always decorated the day after Thanksgiving, and I am happy with that but Thanksgiving is so darn late this year. It needs to be earlier. Thanks for alleviating my early decorating guilt.
@Jessica, Consider it alleviated
Jessica! 🙂
LOL – Love your Christmas morning math! I’ve gone back and forth over the years about decorating. The fact is, I love decorating. With 5 kids, I don’t have tons of time. And, they want to be more involved. So, we’re starting with the lights this week. I may ask my dh to get our tree next weekend after Thanksgiving and slowly decorate it. I like to putter around and decorate. I can’t do that in December very well.
@Barb @ A Life in Balance,I agree Barb, I decorate in waves and over the course of a few days. Its much easier to enjoy that process if I’m taking my time!
I think I am going to bite the dust. I just love the Christmas decor so much–it makes my heart happy and it just doesn’t get to be out long enough. We have been known to do it the weekend before Thanksgiving but that’s our Anniversary so we may just need to get it up even earlier!! 🙂
You know, you may have just changed my mind! I usually wait until after Thanksgiving, but it is late this year…and like you said, I only have so many Christmases with ’em!
Shared this on my FB page. You stated my Feelings exactly! I love Christmas so much. In December I direct a Christmas play at the community theater, I’m involved with the Church cantata, I plan the work Christmas party, and host a Christmas carol sing a long. By decorating early I have a calm, cheerful, place filled with Christmas cheer to come home to each day.
I couldn’t agree more! While I think it’s just too weird to combine Halloween with Christmas, I think Thanksgiving is MADE to go along with Christmas – it’s about the gratitude after all, right? So I’ll be decorating my house as soon as I find the boxes (just moved) and enjoy a relaxing and grateful Thanksgiving break 😀
I think it’s disrespectful to decorate before Veterans Day/Remembrance Day. I fully believe people should at least wait until the 12th to decorate. It has NOTHING to do with Thanksgiving, and everything to do with having respect for the people who faught for our freedom.
@Jen, Hello Jen, thanks for the comment! I totally admire your desire to honor vets! I just disagree with your premise – that limiting Christmas decorations somehow does that. I can’t imagine in what way it honors vets sacrifices – to limit the joy and love in a family? Surely they fought for our ability to live in peace, with our families – making memories!
In the US this year, we have an initiative called “green light” a vet. The idea is to light your porch light green for the day – to show support of all vets. We plan to do that this year – and I can’t imagine why a vet would feel more or less supported if I also have a Christmas tree lit inside our house, as well as a light outside for vets? If anything I’d think it would make the vet smile, knowing that the sacrifices of so many, have truly allowed the rest of us to live a richer more beautiful life enjoying our loved ones – thanks to them!
Just my perspective – but I certainly understand and appreciate yours as well 🙂