GrammaNan

We have an 18 month old GD living with us so we are more in the Christmas spirit than we have been in years. My DH is even listening to Christmas music already!

Mousie

even though I have a lot of things to do so I can decorate
for Christmas, I am more ready than I have been in a long
time.
I think it's bc my oldest dd, hubby and 2 grandmouslings
have moved back here and I have my whole family together
again

ggreenback

Years ago I talked to my 2 kids about gifting to little kids only. As I would rather they saved their money for a trip By the time Dec. 25th gets here I am burned out ! The stores, radio and TV, start so very early ! It really takes it out of me . Chirstmas is about Christ and his love for us, not about who will spend the most on gifts and etc. If my kids can make it home that is all I want or need , just a little time as a family again, to share with each other what the past year was for each one. Time as a family to thank Christ for all we have been given by him. And, no , I don't do Black Friday, that time is for my family . I was a single working mother and therefore not able to go to all school functions and etc. I am making up for that on the holidays , time earned and well spent ! Merry Christmas and Happy Thanksgiving one and all .

Sandygirl

You are not Scroogy!

Liturgically, Christmas is December 25-January 6. Secularly, and commercially, "christmas" is any time the retailers, etc deem it to be. Advent has begun. I love Advent services....they are reverent, calming. And they prepare us for His coming. I am amused at the frenzy for celebrating a season that many do not fully understand nor choose to find out "why". For me, The season is so much more sacred when observed liturgically. It keeps me balanced. I enjoy it much more, in fact.

I decorate after Thanksgiving..usually a week before Dec. 25 and I leave the decorarations up until Epiphany. (jan 6). I am amused when people are all decorated before Thanksgiving and then rip down the trimmings as soon as the gifts are exchanged! This is not to say that I don't gradually put a few things out. But I no longer go nuts with the decorating frenzy. I pace myself and each year is different. I have pared back, in fact.

To each their own. Peace.

sandy

Sandygirl

Katiebear, i pray that you can find a way to "celebrate". Attend services throughout the month (Advent....beautiful, calming) , volunteer, ring the Bell (salvation Army....amazing and rewarding experience!) . Find ways to divert your attention FROM the commercialism of the season. Charitable organizations need your help this season.

I call the commercials a Hallmark Christmas. I know of no one who lives that . No Mercede in the driveway with a red bow on the grill, no diamonds under the tree, no one shows up at my door laden in packages, etc. Too funny! No CREDIT CARD BILLS TO PAY OFF EITHER! Lol!

Life IS Different. I miss my long gone Aunts and Uncles, the delight of Santa coming, being geographically close to home vs. 2 hours away,etc. the niece and nephew are young adults, not the cuties that I used to love buying toys for. Our parents are gone. ( I never knew his patents.) We dont have kids and my sibs do their own thing at Christmas.

We attend church, i cook a nice meal for the two of us, and we enjoy the peace of a day that requires nothing out us. We are home. Oh....did I mention that I do a marathon of sewing all day? It is what you make the of day. And the season. ( my intent is not to make light of your condition, btw.) life evolves.

peace...Sandy

Edie

I think it might be because of the snow we have had so early in the year - someone in Minnesota here must remember the storm of 1992 - Hallowe'en - and the T-shirts "I survived the Winter of '92-'93. Never got a t-shirt, but I sure do remember it. Snow was as high as the clothespole. My husband couldn't even walk to work because the snow was so high and he was a laborer for the City of St. Paul. But we lived through it.

Yesterday it was 51 degrees, all the snow has melted and it was a wet, damp, cloudy warm day. Dog dragged in mud.
So, I was going to decorate the front deck (newly built this year) and was looking forward to that, but decided to watch GREEN BAY ALMOST LOSE THE GAME!!!!!!!!!
Even my cousin from Milwaukee said "It was a good game - Green Bay almost lost". There is hope in this world.
So, the home is run in tradition - decorate by the first of December, put up the tree on my sister's birthday (Dec. 20)
take it down between January 3 (husband's birthday) and January 6. In that time, I don't care if it snows, rains, if I have to mow the lawn, it is Christmas and it is going to come whether it snows or not. But deep down, I love a nice snowfall on Christmas Eve Day and Christmas Eve. Then I am totally done with snow

The only thing that pangs me the most is that I don't have my father anymore, my husband died in March, 2013, and my mother died in July of 2013. But I learned from them over the years and I will remember them forever and thanks to my family, my friends. my neighbors who are all so wonderful - I am so blessed - that I can laugh and sing and dance and joke and cry and miss them all at the same time and still be happy. I decorate the house because I always did and I am not going to stop......my dog loves the decorations - she eats them; I have two new parakeets, I am sure they will love the lights twinkling over their heads on the archway. It is going to be a great Christmas. BECAUSE I SAID SO!!!!!! Edie

No more!!!!! Happy Winter!!!!! Edie

tanderbear

As with many of you, preparation for Christmas begins only after Thanksgiving; however, with that said, being in a church choir and handbells, Advent and Christmas music preparations have all ready begun. A special way I begin my Advent preparation is attending the free 25th annual Messiah-Sing-A-Long (Christmas section and the famous Chorus), with a quartet of stringed instruments and organ, 4 soloists, and then for the chorus sections, people from the community are invited to come with their scores and sing, which my church hosts. For those of you who live in or around the Louisville, Ky area, the date is Dec. 2, 7:30 PM at Our Savior Lutheran Church, 8305 Nottingham Parkway, 40222. It is an amazing way to prepare your heart for the season. I pray that each person is able to find their own way to celebrate and remember the birth of our Christ child, the real reason for the season.

mjsylvstr

No decorating here......leaving this Saturday on the "Snow-Bird" special to Florida........but then upon arrival will have to start digging out some trimmings....made a 6'x20" wall hanging, better known as "the tall tree".

This will take care of the tree pickin'......I then add little quilted ornaments which are hung from Big-Bright-Buttons which adorn the branches.......now who said one can't decorate in ten minutes???

.......and yes, my music flows through my house sometimes as early as late September...
it was always played to get me in the mood for that horrendous fall housecleaning, that is, when I was younger and did such chores !

Merry, merry everyone.......

sarahelloyd

Hi everyone, I hope you all enjoy thanksgiving! In UK we don't have thanksgiving, but for some weird reason we are having Black Friday sales this year! Yep you heard! The whole world is going mad..... We put our decs up about the 10th December and are just starting the present buying now - well that is to say we have a list ready! I'll be thinking of you all on Thanksgiving.

shayarene

Quote Originally Posted by sandy l View Post
I realize that this probably sounds Scroogy, but it's getting harder and harder each year for me to get excited about Christmas, seeing that it seem's like the merchandise for it is showing up earlier and earlier each year.

I am with Sandy on this one. :-) When my kids were at home, we loved Christmas. They would help me decorate inside and outside. We would decorate tree together. They loved to see presents under the tree and try to guess what was in them. Now, the kids are grown, have kids of their own, and scattered about too much for us to be together. My son that lives closer to me, his wife wants Christmas day to just be them with their kids. So I have spent the last 7 or 8 Christmas' alone. At first, I still put up my tree, then one year I was sitting on the couch and I looked over at it and there was just one lonely little present under the tree for my little dog. It was actually the saddest thing ever. So I quit putting up a tree or doing any decorating. I spend the day alone with my little dog and we do NOTHING but watch movies and take naps until it is over. I used to go out shopping for the grandkids, (11 of them now) Toys are so expensive anymore and then I bought toys, wrapped them, kids ripped open and I usually got an "oh" and then they were tossed aside. Too much wastes. So now, I just give them each a little card with a little money in it and let them go shopping for what they want or think they want. LOL So, I am probably the Queen of Scrooge. And I don't think Christmas should start in stores or wherever until we have had Thanksgiving and given our Thanks for our Blessings. But that is just me. Happy Thanksgiving to ALL.