I have been fighting the urge to begin my Christmas decorating before Thanksgiving especially with all the creative inspiration that abounds at every turn but I have stuck to my guns but I have friends and family who have happily started readying their homes and I say hallelujah to that as well because I know I get to go and enjoy the fruit of their hard labors of love. It takes them a good while to set all that splendor up and they want time to enjoy it before the holiday is over.
About ten years ago I started giving myself the first week of December to get all the decorating done for the Christmas holiday. Prior to that I would find myself still decorating on Christmas Eve completely stressed out and having missed out on much of the celebration leading up to the big day.
As a full time working mom I only had the weekends to decorate, bake and create memories with my girls so I went full steam ahead sometimes even wrapping gifts on Christmas morning to be delivered later that day!
Now that I am able to be a full time stay at home wife and grandma I could easily begin the decor before December first but now I choose to wait for me. The anticipation of pulling those boxes out after the Thanksgiving meal and leftovers are but a beautiful memory is my gift to myself.
I still give myself a one week time frame to get it all up but now when the end of the week comes, I can blow a collective sigh of relief and begin to enjoy the true celebration with my grand kids. Sure, most years I don't put out as many decorations as I would like to but that's okay as long as the twinkle lights are glowing and the nativity scene has found it's special place no one seems to notice.
What they do notice is a wife/mom/grandma who is ready to be fully present for baking, movie watching and singing off key to all our favorite Christmas carols. The trade off to a perfectly decked out home is totally worth it.
xo, Patty
I love your idea of a one-week deadline! I was still decorating last year until 10 minutes before my family walked through the door for the holiday, and I'll never do that again. I would like to be "fully present" this year too, so I'm taking your advice! Love your gorgeous tags and that pretty mug too :)
ReplyDeleteI have always been adamant that Christmas didn't go up until after Thanksgiving. I have begun to change my mind on that for so many reasons.
ReplyDelete1. I take my décor down the week after Christmas, so I like the idea of giving myself a little extra time to enjoy the lights.
2. I do a little at a time over a week or two. By not making myself get it all out in one big push, I just feel more relaxed and ready for the work it takes to transform the house.
3. This year, our daughter who lives in PA will be here for a few days for Thanksgiving but not for Christmas. Rather than send gifts, we are planning on opening gifts with them Thanksgiving morning before the other guests arrive. I want the house to look Christmasy for that so I actually have everything except a live tree up and ready. And I really am enjoying the lights on these dreary days and early dark nights!
Everyone has a different reason for when they put up their decorations, I agree with you, to each their own, as long as it works and makes someone happy!
Sounds wonderful! I just had ankle surgery, so it will be slow and no big tree. I always enjoy your photos. Makes me feel like I'm right there in your cozy home!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
I'm one of those who believes in "one holiday at a time", so I have never put up any decorations before Thanksgiving. I'm also not much of a Christmas person anyway, so it takes awhile for me to get in the mood. No little ones around here either, so Christmas just isn't as exciting as when the boys were little.
ReplyDeleteI used to do tge decorating the first week as well. It's going to be a simply decorated Christmas here. The hiuse on the market and we will be gone thecweek of Christmas. I have a few things out and will put my little tree out. Enjoy those grandbabies.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. I wait till after Thanksgiving too. The boxes get pulled down on Thanksgiving but the decorating starts on Friday. In my mind when Santa is seen on his float in the Macy's parade that is declared the start of the Christmas season in our house. Lol. I also want to be present in the reflection of Christmas.and its glorious meaning as well as creating wonderful memories. We visited our grands who live 7 hours away from us this past weekend. I decorated a gingerbread house with them that has become a tradition. The are 4 and 2 and I predict that the candy will be all picked off before Christmas.😄
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts here!
ReplyDeleteIn years past, when I worked outside the home full time, I would work on Christmas decorating on evenings and weekends. That was the only way that I could have it done, by the day after Thanksgiving.
Now, I wait until Thanksgiving evening, or the day after to decorate. All our Christmas décor gets put away the day after Christmas, but I know of folks that leave their Christmas décor up until New Years. So... to each their own :)
Have a happy Thanksgiving.
Kerin