A Life In Review

5 Stars- If you haven’t decorated for Christmas already, are you even living (seriously though, it’s almost Thanksgiving)? This year it seems that decorating early for Christmas is super trendy and who doesn’t love being trendy. The pretty lights will make your heart glow and after the year we’ve had, don’t we all deserve some extra glow?

I have started decorating for Christmas earlier and earlier each year. That is, until my husband put a stop to it. I am not “allowed” to finish decorating the house until November 1st (I’ll give you his reasoning in a minute). It’s not a 2020 trend for me, it’s more of a lifestyle. When September hits, I am ready for the first tree to go up (I mean, other than the two that stay up year round). The total amount of trees that I have, varies year to year and I cannot wait to get them up (this year I have 7 in my 1000 sq ft apartment). Christmas brings me so much joy, and I love the decor that comes with it. I get a lot of complaints about my Christmas elf self coming out too early (looking at you husband). It impedes on “their” holidays (or so “they” say).

Now, I hear you nay sayers in the back. You’ve all come at me with the same arguments over and over. The biggest argument I hear is that I am skipping other holidays (like Halloween, and Thanksgiving). I want you to know that I am NOT skipping holidays, but I am bringing this overwhelming joy into my life and with it, the cheer and love that surrounds Christmas. On October 31st, I still celebrate Halloween and on the third Thursday each November, I celebrate Thanksgiving, but all the days in between are saved for Christmas.

Someone (innocently) commented on one of my Facebook posts where I shared some of this year’s Christmas decor. She asked, “What about Thanksgiving?”. I thought she was kidding, so I responded sarcastically saying, “What’s that?” She followed up with a comment (again, not geared toward me, but Thanksgiving skippers in general) explaining that it makes her sad to see us all forget the day of thankfulness. It struck me because that’s never how I’ve viewed early decorating, and I’ve never heard that argument before.

(Total side bar, but to be honest, I don’t even really like Thanksgiving, in fact, I use Thanksgiving to prepare for Black Friday shopping with my mom (until this year because 2020 has ruined that for us). We stress cook ALL DAY just for everyone to sit down for 15 minutes and stuff their faces. If that’s not sad enough, THEN there are so many messes to clean up. The one thing that Thanksgiving had going for it was the Thanksgiving Day Parade, and we don’t even get that this year).

I don’t use Thanksgiving as my one day of the year to be thankful. We shouldn’t need a day to be thankful. Even when life has sucked the most for me, each day, there was some little thing I could find to be thankful for. In fact, once I spent an entire year writing down at least one thing a day that I was thankful for. It wasn’t a perfect year, but it helped me realize how much I have to be thankful for in this life _{^{(if you’ve made it this far, you’re probably wondering how many more time I’ll use the word “thankful”, only like 3 more times)}}. One day wouldn’t even be enough thanks to the One who gave me this crazy, messy, beautiful life.

So I decorate, and as I decorate I thank the Lord for the opportunity to make my home a little cheerier. I thank Him each morning when I turn the lights on and when I catch the gleam of those lights in my daughter’s eyes as she smiles at the tree (with Christmas lights in her mouth). Decorating for Christmas in September doesn’t make me any less thankful on Thanksgiving. It makes me thankful every other day.

So if you’re looking for permission to decorate for Christmas, I’m giving it to you. Put the tree up. Hang the stockings. Deck the halls. Most importantly cuddle up with a blanket by the fire (or the TV stand for those of you who are like me and don’t have a cozy fire). Oh and don’t forget to catch all the Hallmark movies while you’re at it!