December Writing Challenge
Okay. I can do this. And this time I’m not going to start off strong, fizzle a little, and then go out all together. Disappear like angel hair.
Hopefully.
You see, this writing challenge – a post a day – is actually a good one for me, coming as it does at Christmas. Because I am one of those Christma-spirit-challenged people.
I can’t explain it, but as December rolls around I always start to get a little depressed. All the frenzied shopping and the commercials on tv and the over-the-top Christmas displays just grate on my nerves. And then there’s the agonizing over what to get people, who to give presents to, who to send Christmas cards to (supposedly you don’t need to send them to people you see all the time, but then I just got one from my friend down the block so there goes that theory).
I’m usually the person who is out getting last minute presents on Christmas Eve since I’ve procrastinated so long. Thank you for being open, Walgreens.
Since I signed on to post for Holidailies, I’ve been thinking about why I feel this way. And I’m hoping I can work through it and get over it. And have some fun in the process!
The Christmases of our childhood probably influence how we deal with and celebrate the holidays when we are adults. When I was growing up, Christmas was in Saudi Arabia.
Where’s my camel?
It was usually warm outside, but the houses around us all had lights up. We had one of those fake trees that you put together by aligning the color coded branches with the slots having the same color. God forbid that the small swatch of red or blue or yellow would rub off a branch! It had bubble lights and silver tinsel neatly draped over the branches on one side. The other side looked like someone (usually me) had gotten tired and just thrown it haphazardly around to get the job over with. Oh, and angel hair. Remember angel hair?? My arms itch just thinking about it!
And Santa arrived in a helicopter….
Now that I think about it, it’s hard for Christmas of today to live up to Christmas of the past.
But I still like a fake tree. Especially if it has the lights already on it.
Anyone else have the same traditions today that you had when you were a kid?
What the Focus 
for me it is the advent wreath and the Gluehwein party (we should have one here this year). As a kid I always tried to spot Rudolf (the red nose), but at my parents Xmas office party, there were many red nosed ones lol!
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Up until Dad died a few years ago, we daughters – then age 45, 48 and 52 – were still required to sit at the top of the stairs, along with our own children, to wait and see if, in fact, Santa came. Consequences for ignoring this demand were dire: Our stocking might be withheld indefinitely; we might be put on “wrapping paper detail”; we might have to wear an obnoxious bow on our forehead all morning. I adore Christmas, with a fanatical passion that causes my husband to sigh loudly when I start decorating the day after Halloween.
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Red noses… lol G!
Pam, that is such a sweet picture… I’ll bet you sported a beautiful bow a time or two.
People like you balance out people like me. But this year I think I just may get the “Best Palms” award in my neighborhood. Yesterday I bought some of those gigantic plastic ornaments to hang outside so we’ll see what happens. 🙂
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my mother wanted a live tree so badly we would follow the gardening trucks around and grab branches from them. The memory sticks out so much one would think she did it every year, but I suspect it was only a couple years.
Anyway, I tend to agonize in a similar fashion.
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That’s pretty funny. I know how you feel, though. In the end I just put up my fake tree and when I see all the live ones at the curb after Christmas, I call the people “tree murderers.” It makes me feel better!
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I love Christmas – everything about it 🙂
Decorating, baking goodies for neighbors, sending Christmas cards to people I care about ( even if they are just down the street )
And singing the songs of the season at home, in the car, and in church. My favorite memory
From childhood was getting my record player, and 2 records! Ha! And I always got a new nightgown sewn by my mother ( she would make 4 each yr, her 3 girls and my Best friend always got one too! She still talks about it!
My kids will talk about that silly Elf on the Shelf that visits our house, making messes, hiding in different spots, and a little magic
For the kiddos!
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Hi Susan – thanks for stopping by! Record players – now there’s a blast from the past. 🙂
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