Here Comes Christmas
Guess what? Christmas is right around the corner.
And I was reading an article the other day that it may be therapeutic to begin Christmas preparations early.
It said most of us associate good feelings with Christmas, and in this 2020 election year of Covid-19, Lord knows we need to feel good!
At exercise this week, we discussed the different Thanksgiving plans as well as Christmas. Many who are accustomed to opening their doors to many are having much smaller celebrations in light of Covid. One friend said she had one child that was not going anywhere….no how, no way. Another was looking forward to being home for Thanksgiving.
For all who have taken Covid seriously and distanced themselves from exposure, this has been a lonely year. The poor folks at the Retreat Nursing Home have not been able to have visits from their loved ones. They have started allowing visitors, but it’s still difficult.
Typically many groups visit the Retreat during the year, celebrating birthdays and entertaining the older folks. This has not been possible with Covid.
Maybe the Christmas season will serve as a pick-me-up for the older citizens just like hopefully it will for the rest of us. I for one did a little Christmas shopping this morning, from my computer, when I was supposed to be working.
At work we were talking about Shop Small Saturday which is November 28, and I indicated that it’s a while off. Jenny was quick to assure me that it was not so far away.
Kinda like the Veterans’ section that snuck up on us this year. It seemed far away, then lo and behold, it was Veteran’s Day. (That was yesterday.) So we decided the best thing was to celebrate veterans this week, a day after Veterans’ Day rather than last week, which would have been six days before Veterans’ Day.
But, if it’s Veteran’s Day, that means Thanksgiving is right on its heels. And, we know what follows Thanksgiving…Christmas.
My husband every year says let’s cancel Christmas. It apparently doesn’t bring him as much joy as it does some of us.
Part of the reason, I’m sure, is his first wife—a marriage from young adulthood until his 40s—died suddenly in December. I’m sure that makes it hard for the whole family.
On the other hand, his children had children, and had to move on. They celebrate Christmas without reservation. Certainly they miss their mother, but they have moved on. Jimmy has to, really, he just likes to crab.
I asked him once why he wanted to cancel Christmas…I do all the extra work. He doesn’t shop; he certainly doesn’t wrap or send Christmas cards. He does usually put the lights on the Christmas tree…usually when I’m not around because I always want MORE, and I don’t really like how he does it. But, I try to be appreciative and recognize it’s apparently asking a lot.
Some years he gets energetic and erects some sort of outdoor light display, but that hasn’t happened lately. Maybe this year, now that he’s retired, I can nudge him to do it. Maybe if I start now it will happen.
Actually, because we live so far off the road, not much at our house is seen by anyone except those who live there or come visit. We don’t have a lot of visitors, and with Covid, there have been even less than usual.
One year I put a tree in the dining room so it could be seen from outside, and then did the main tree in the living room where we could gather round and exchange gifts and open stockings.
One of my friends puts a tree in every room in her house. I believe she is starting very soon. We choose a live tree, so we don’t put it up until a couple weeks before Christmas. My best friend was raised with the tree going up Christmas eve. She sometimes follows that tradition and sometimes starts a little earlier.
We discussed where to get live trees, and those who wait until the last minute can get marked down trees fairly easily. Most of the trees are cut around Thanksgiving, I think, or maybe earlier. I usually get mine after Thanksgiving but before the clearance sales.
Locally, Crazy Daisy’s has already advertised Christmas trees, and others will follow suit, I am certain. There are lots of places around to purchase one. I recommend you support any one of our advertisers for your tree! Time flies…only 43 days to Christmas.