Time To Get Holiday-y

Pronounced:  hol-i-day-ie; (adj.)  exhibiting sentimental and overly preparatory behaviors brought on by the upcoming holidays


There is only one week until Thanksgiving and I am beginning to get excited about the holidays. I am not exactly sure what 'excited' means though. The past few years have been very low key for us in terms of actual celebration. I have not been able to get together with extended family like I used to many years ago. Everyone seems to live too far apart now and with so many young children between us, nobody really wants to (or just can't) make a big trip during the busiest travel season. That's alright. My in-laws are close and I can usually meet up with my grandparents at some point in November or December. Plus, with this being my daughter's first Christmas, I am more than happy to wake up Christmas morning and simply enjoy my children's excitement.

I do, however, start to get a little hyped up about now. I tend to act like a Scrooge sometimes when  I see Christmas decorations start going up in stores in October, saying "this is rediculous" and "they start this earlier every year", but deep down I am wishing for snow and imagining my kids snuggled up with blankets and hot chocolate. Now that we are only a few days away from the official 'start' of the holiday season, I feel like it's okay for me to start getting holiday-y. My children and I have begun belting out Christmas carols and talking about what to ask Santa for. I am reviewing my very short gift list (thinking that maybe there is a plus side to not having to shop for ten million family members at Christmas) and mentally planning out how to decorate the house over the next few weeks. I have also switched over to my local variety station on the radio hoping to catch a Christmas tune. In short, I am doing my best to bring the excitement of Christmas into my home so that my children can enjoy the season as much as I did as a child.

But with the excitement comes a bit of sadness. I do miss spending the holidays with my family. We are one of those rare families that actually have a good time together and I can't help but miss the good 'ol days! I know that my children won't be growing up around their cousins, aunts and uncles, and all of their grandparents like I did. They won't have the same kind of Christmas that I had as a child, but they will have good memories. I know that one day, my boys will spend an hour untangling  a mess of Christmas tree lights for their kids just like their daddy does for them. My daughter will spin, and sing, and make her babies giggle over the silliest things like I do for her, the same way my mom did for me.

So time to start lighting the sugar-cookie candles and digging out the wrapping paper. And even if we don't have a white Christmas full of jolly visitors piled high with gifts, I will still be acting like a giddy child. (And don't worry, Turkey. I haven't forgotten about eating you. You'll see.)