It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...Spring...??

Well yes, it is. But regardless, December here we come!

Now, Thanksgiving is my #1 favorite holiday and no manner of holiday advertising will ever change that. I mean, think about it, Thanksgiving is the only holiday that is entirely meant to be about family and friends. There's no expectations, not need to throw money away to try and impress or outdo, it's about sitting around a table and breaking bread, no presents required.

Now I know some of you might be scratching your heads to come up with another holiday that does this but don't bother; I'll prove all of you wrong somehow. I'm good at that I'm told by Joe when we argue.

Easter? Nope, Easter baskets and Easter Egg Hunts-next! Valentine's Day? Are you seriously suggesting Hallmark's favorite holiday (next to Mother's Day) can compare to Thanksgiving?-next! Forth of July? Now, just stop it. I'm sorry, none of the Red, White and Blue holidays are holidays let me just make that clear right here and now. As much as we should reflect upon the significance of each one as a country, the majority of us just appreciate the fact that we get to spend the day at home drinking beers rather then working-it's a bank holiday....

No my dears, Thanksgiving is the best hands down. This year I spent the day, very much like last year, eating, gossiping, teasing my cousins, watching Punkin' Chunkin' (a new tradition with my cousins-my uncle doesn't understand) and then after tea and pie, forcing ourselves to leave before the offer to spend the night gets too tempting. And repeat. It's fabulous and just what a holiday should be- no exchanging of gifts, no pressure to get everyone something they actually enjoy, etc.

Now with that being said-holy crap I'm excited for Christmas! I don't know what has happened to me, I really don't. Over the past few years I've found myself getting more and more excited for the Christmas holiday with every new year. It's not the commercials that start after Labor Day (I actually hate that); it's not the Christmas music stores begin to play the day after Halloween (I hate that too); I just can't put my finger on it.

Sure I used to love sitting in my living room with the lights off, watching the tree sparkle and the ornaments sway back and forth between the strands of tinsel (which people don't use enough of these days if you ask me). But that was it.

I think for a number of years Christmas to me meant snow and cold and ice and slipping and shoveling and wet pant cuffs and red noses. None of these things are fun to me so why would I welcome a holiday featured smack dab in the center of all that snowy crap?

So color me confused or converted.Whatever the case is, I now seem to be on the edge of my seat waiting for the right moment to hang the stockings and set up my fake little tree. I don't go all out and I could care less about the outside of the house, but I'm really looking forward to having a tree to look at for a month or so once again. Something about the calming lights and the cozy glow they cast over the living room. Something about the ornaments that all mean something different and contain a small little memory from trips or Christmases past. I couldn't tell you exactly, but I'm looking forward to it all none the less.

I'm excited for presents too of course but that's never been a big priority for me. Money has always been tight so Christmas was something that I grew up feeling was more of a privilege then a right. No matter what I got I was always surprised and pleased so Christmas never represented some big day in which I could sit around checking off my wishlist.

I love giving presents too but my friends have all but left, scattering themselves across the country (and some, the world) so I don't have to worry about picking out the right little thing for everyone in my life and instead focus on the few gifts that will create the maximum smiles.

So whatever it is, I'm glad for this time of year. And for the so-far mild Christmas season. I'm not going to go crazy though, as you can see I'm posting this after Thanksgiving and I didn't hang my tiny Christmas flag on my door until just yesterday. As Nordstrom's would say, in this house, we celebrate each holiday one at a time.