The Last Weekend of November

The Friday after Thanksgiving is usually a day of shopping in the middle of crazy crowds, endless lines at the checkouts and items on sale that mysteriously run out within an hour of the store opening.  For others, it is a day of rest and relaxation to recuperate from Thanksgiving dinner and an extremely poor showing by your football team.  However for us in the upper peninsula, it will also be a day of snow shoveling, snow blowing and cleaning up from the blizzard we had over Thanksgiving. 

 Normally for me, the day after Thanksgiving has always been the start of the Christmas season.  Up until now, I have refrained from listening to Christmas music, looking at Christmas decorations on store shelves since September and watching Christmas movies playing every night on the tv.  It is irritating to me that the holidays seem to start earlier and earlier every year. I refuse to celebrate Christmas before Halloween and Thanksgiving.

As I said, today is the start of Christmas for me. Today I will begin decorating the house and listening to Christmas music while B does clean up outside from the blizzard.  Saturday we were supposed to be going to a large Christmas craft show we attend every year.  It is wonderful to walk thru and see all the crafts made by very talented people (not me).  We also find a number of items for ourselves as well as family.  However, this year that trip is canceled for us because of the continued snowy weather and the distance we would have to travel over snow covered roads. Since I do 90% of my shopping online, I am finished with that.  The coming days will include baking for the holidays, getting the Christmas tree (a real one) and a wreath for the front picture window.  I will wrap gifts and write holiday letters to friends near and far.  I will watch a variety of Christmas movies and specials on the tv.

This Sunday is the beginning of Advent in the Catholic faith and I will begin making my Advent offering. Each year I get an item for each of the 24 days of Advent to donate to my local pet shelter.  I will also be praying a rosary every day, which is my personal Advent gift, asking that God instill in the people of the world the gifts of kindness, love, patience, and generosity in order to move away from the violence, hatred, meanness and lack of humanity we seem to be experiencing now.

Christmas is the season of peace and love.  I hope that all of you experience that at this time of year.  Don't let the pressures of the holiday overwhelm you.  Remember everything you need to celebrate is right in front of you.  You only need to really focus and you will see it. 


 

Holiday Season Begins

Today is the first Sunday of Advent and the official start of the Christmas season for me.  Yesterday B and I went to a local craft fair and found quite a number of gifts for the boys and their spouses as well as some decorations for the house.  It was strange shopping for Christmas yesterday as the temperature was almost 59 which is quite warm for this time of year in the Upper Peninsula.  We will pay for such a lovely day as the temps will start to plummet to the 20s by the end of next week.

Today I am going to do some decorating inside the house and get the corner of the living room ready for the tree.  We will shop for the Christmas tree next Saturday with my youngest son and dil.  A family tradition to shop at the local Christmas tree farm for our trees and wreaths.  We have a lovely time with apple cider, taking pictures and oohing & aahing over the homemade christmas ornaments.  Then they help set ours up in the house before heading home to set up theirs.  All in all, a wonderful way to start the holiday.

Next week, B and I will be delivering donations to a number of organizations in our town.  This is something we do all year round but especially during Advent.  We believe that for all that was given to us when we needed it, we should give back now that we have more than we need.  Tomorrow, we will be delivering items to our local pet rescue as well as giving them gift cards for a number of stores where they purchase food and items for the animals.  We will also be dropping off items to a local church thrift store.  Their profits go toward a lot of community outreach programs. We contribute to the "Toys for Tots" program as well as deliver stuffed animals to the hospital to be given to children who must be in the hospital over the holidays.

This is my favorite time of year and I try to spread that joy around as much as I can.

After all when it comes right down to it with the way the world is these days, "We Need A Little Christmas Now."

It's Officially the Christmas Season for me

The Friday after Thanksgiving is usually a day of shopping in the middle of crazy crowds, endless lines at the checkouts and items on sale that mysteriously run out within an hour of the store opening.  For others, it is a day of rest and relaxation to recuperate from Thanksgiving dinner and an extremely poor showing by your football team.  For me, the day after Thanksgiving has always been the start of the Christmas season.  Up until now, I have refrained from listening to Christmas music, looking at Christmas decorations on store shelves since September and watching Christmas movies playing every night on the tv.  It is irritating to me that the holidays seem to start earlier and earlier every year. I refuse to celebrate Christmas before Halloween and Thanksgiving.

As I said, today is the start of Christmas for me. Today I will begin decorating the house and listening to Christmas music. Since I do 90% of my shopping online, I am finished with that.  The coming days will include baking for the holidays, getting the Christmas tree (a real one) and a wreath for the front picture window.  I will wrap gifts and write holiday letters to friends near and far.  I will watch a variety of Christmas movies and specials on the tv.

This Sunday is the beginning of Advent in the Catholic faith and I will begin making my Advent offering. Each year I get an item for each of the 24 days of Advent to donate to my local pet shelter.  I will also be praying a rosary a day, which is my personal Advent gift, asking that God instill in the people of the world the gifts of kindness, love, patience, and generosity in order to move away from the violence, hatred, meanness and lack of humanity we seem to be experiencing now.

Christmas is the season of peace and love.  I hope that all of you experience that at this time of year.  Don't let the pressures of the holiday overwhelm you.  Remember everything you need to celebrate is right in front of you.  You only need to really focus and you will see it.