My young cousin was just saying on Facebook that their home is now, officially decorated for Christmas. And she added how much she loves to decorate for Christmas, it being her favorite time of year. Immediately, I thought to myself, “Oh yeah, I have to do that too”! Honestly, this was the first time I had even thought about it. That’s really weird, because I used to be just like my young cousin when it comes to Christmas decorating. This year it has lost it’s place in my priorities.
Now-a-days, I stay on guard over stress issues, trying not to over-extend as much as possible. The kids are grown, the grand-kids aren’t coming this year, and there are several things on my agenda that take priority over Christmas decorating; things I am not willing to sacrifice. I’m not going to rule out the possibility, but it may turn out that I do not get it done this year. It’s been a tradition, so I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Several things would have to come to pass before I would even be ready to decorate. I would have to get the house clean, and I am behind on that. As I recall, the lights on the tree need some repair. I have outdoor decorations too, so I would need to clean up the yard and the porch, and I would have to work around the weather. I was really kind of focused on other projects! We are getting ready to move my new quail from the brooder to the cages and we are setting up a new automatic watering system. They have grown up and are cramped in the brooder. That whole project absolutely must take priority, but we can’t do it until our supplies arrive in the mail on Monday.
To be honest, the whole task of Christmas decorating would probably only take about 7 hours of my time. Taking it all down might require another 3. Then we could enjoy the nice ambiance for the duration of the season. And when my daughter comes to visit this year, she will truly enjoy it.
I remember Christmastime when she and her brother were little. Great times!! We would decorate the tree together, each of us taking care of the portions we could reach, while their dad climbed on the roof with staple gun in hand, to hang lights off the eaves. We had a huge calico cat named Patches, and after the tree was decorated, but before we put any presents under it, she would spend time lying on her back on top of the tree skirt and stare up through the middle, seemingly mesmerized by the affect of the lights. The kids would make cute little handmade decorations in school, and bring them home to brighten up the house. And I always found them the cutest little Christmas pjs that they wore during the season. We read books at bedtime, with great expression. A favorite was “T’was the night before Christmas”. Another was “The Velveteen Rabbit”. I remember staying up all night on Christmas Eve with their dad and putting toys together. And seeing their bright eyes and happy faces at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning,… mountains of used wrapping paper all over the den, after they opened their presents. Times like these pass too quickly.
Christmas PJs.
Christmas is a special time of year, and Christmas decorating is a kind of magical, creative endeavor. It is not an absolute necessity, but for those who love a warm and comfortable home, a few hours of effort will brighten the spirit of the holiday for everyone it reaches, transforming everyday surroundings into a place of loving warmth and beauty. It will touch the child within us and remind us of days gone by. It is one way some of us give of ourselves throughout the holiday; an expression of our love for Christ.
I suppose I can re-arrange my schedule 🙂