Thanksgiving is over so let's bring on Christmas!
I feel bad for thanksgiving. In some ways it's like that chore I make my kids do before they can earn the big reward.
Me: "Okay kids. It's time to celebrate Thanksgiving!"
Kids: "But mom! Do we have to?!?"
Me: "Yes. We go through this every time. There will be no Christmas until you have fully celebrated Thanksgiving!"
Kids: "Ugh, fine!"
Don't get me wrong, I love thanksgiving. But thanksgiving has changed. The focus used to be on an entire month of gratitude, giving, and mustaches (Movember) with sale ads coming out Wednesday, feasting and game planning on Thursday, and early rising to push and shove your way through the stores to get the latest deal.
Now, Thanksgiving has become "Christmas-Lite". It's become so commercialized that I can't even tell who has the best deals anymore. Before it felt like a puzzle I needed to solve to save the most money on gifts for everyone. I'd come home Friday with bags of goodies, shouting from the rooftops how much I had saved! Now, all I can keep track of is how much I've spent while I check my tracking to see where on the map my package is.
In other news, at least I got the house mostly decorated for Christmas today. I love when our house is decorated for Christmas. It adds a warmth and coziness to our living spaces that is unmatched.
My youngest is nearly 4 (February) and this feels like the first Christmas season she has REALLY been able to participate in the decorating. She could not have been more excited! So excited, in fact, she stayed up 2 hours past her bedtime sneaking out to grab the fake christmas boxes from under the tree to use as beds for the plush elves monogramed with each kid's name on it that she had snuck out earlier for.
Can you blame her?
Christmas is a magical time of make believe, wonder, presents, and planned activities with friends and family. It's the time of year when everyone takes the time to get together and celebrate. When the focus is on spreading love and joy throughout.
I wonder what the world would look like if each month focused on the magic and wonder of the world around us, spending time with those we love and spreading joy around the world.