It’s been almost a week since I’ve posted, and for someone who writes almost daily, that’s quite awhile. The only word I can describe how I’ve felt lately is POOPED. We’ve been busy busy busy since we came back, and I’ve realized that we’ll still be busy for the next few weeks, so that can no longer be an excuse for not writing. I just need to write, and hopefully the mere act will pull me out of my funk. Anyway, I digress…

We got our Christmas tree last night, and I love that our family tradition has been getting our tree Thanksgiving weekend. When I was a kid I always wished we would get our tree sooner (even though it was still early December), so it’s nice to be the grown-up. It’s not decorated yet; we’ll wait until tonight when Kabob gets home. But it’s nice to have that tree smell in the house, even though it’s 75 degrees outside. It also makes me smile to go to Lowe’s, stick the tree in the cart, and go through the line at the register. In Oregon we got a permit, got all bundled up, and hiked through the snow with a saw to find our tree as God intended.

I love Christmas. I really do. I’ve never been one of those who tires of the holidays, and I always get a little letdown on January 2. For me, the holidays fly by way too fast (that may be why I like getting our tree so early), so I was thinking it might be good to make a list of ways I can celebrate all month long. In years past I’m always thinking of fun things to do, but before I know it, the season has come and gone. So this year, I’m going to try and do ONE festive thing per day, starting December 1. It can be big, it can be small – from doing my Christmas shopping to simply having Christmas music in the background while I clean the bathroom. Here are some ideas, off the top of my head:

• Buy presents
• Wrap presents
• Bake cookies and/or other desserts
• Go driving with Kabob & Chickpea and look at Christmas lights
• Spin under the Zilker tree
• Go to a Christmas party
• Make a wreath
• Drink hot cocoa, gingerbread lattes, and caramel apple ciders
• Work at Williams-Sonoma
every Saturday (started this past week)
• Make some kind of goodie and give to neighbors, so we can get to know them better (sounds like the ‘Friends’ episode)
• Go to a concert to hear great Christmas music
• Take photos of Chick in her Christmas dress
• Watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” (one of the best movies ever)
• Watch different versions of “A Christmas Carol,” from George C. Scott to the Muppets
• Read “A Christmas Carol” and “The Christmas Stories,” by Charles Dickens (used to do this annually in college)
• Watch “A Christmas Story” (by the way, we name our Christmas tree every year. This year’s is named Ralphie. I know, we’re dorks.)
• Watch “Christmas Vacation”
• Watch as many Christmas specials on TV as possible (and maybe record them – doubt we can find them overseas)
• Make paper chains and popcorn strings
• Go caroling (just kidding – our neighbors would pay me to stop)

Okay, just reading this is starting to exhaust me. But I’ve decided I’m not going to put pressure on myself to check everything off, I just want to have these things in writing, so time doesn’t fly by before I realize it.

posted: 05 November 28
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