The lids were removed and there it all was: the Santa candleholder from 1991, the blinking glass tree that plays a montage of the top five Christmas carols, the umpteen strands of gold garland, and of course, the stockings. But this was Nov. 15, not even Thanksgiving.
Wait. Stop. Are you kidding? I hadn't put away the witch lamp yet. And I am still picking up candy wrappers from Halloween, but nonetheless, someone hung the door knocker with the rustic bell, fake evergreen branch and red bow on the front door knob. Was there any turning back?
They had been begging me since the day after Halloween to start decorating for Christmas, so why should I be surprised? I remember seeing the first Christmas TV commercial on Halloween day. The stores have had their decorations up for weeks. And I was shocked to see Santa in his chair at the mall last weekend. I know they say the older you get the faster time goes by, but this is ridiculous. I know it's not just me.
Getting back to the decorations, I was actually considering putting out a couple of decorations, what could that hurt, right? No, no, no. Some traditions cannot be messed with. Christmas lights are hung on Thanksgiving weekend at the earliest. Decorations have inched their way up to this same time slot, which used to be about the middle of December, just to ward off the claustrophobia that can occur come late December.
Remember the retail tradition of no sales until Dec. 26? Everyone had to buy their gifts at full retail markup.
Do you have a shopping tradition? Do the women in your family go shopping on Black Friday, while the men sit back and watch football?
It's time to embrace the holidays, whether we are ready for them or not. Focus on your family, and be thankful to be with the ones you love.
What are some of your family traditions for the holidays? E-mail me and they might just find their way into a future column. A column tradition I am starting this year. Happy Thanksgiving!
Quote of the Week: "Family traditions counter alienation and confusion. They help us define who we are; they provide something steady, reliable and safe in a confusing world." — Susan Lieberman
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