In our house we celebrate Christmas from the end of November to the end of the first week in January, with shameless abandon.
The Christmas tree is hauled out on December 1st and decorated with just about every tacky bauble we ever bought right back to when we were kids and great garlands of flowers, hoops of holly and evergreen and festive ribbons are pasted onto every available surface.
We tend to decorate early because we make quite an effort which would be wasted for just a few days.
At least if we start on December 1st there is plenty of time to enjoy the results of our efforts! We have things that sing, things that flash and things that go ho-ho if you pass them in the night.
We have a monorail of little Santa carriages that zoom around the Christmas tree and a star with flashing lights on top of the tree.
Whatever else we are, we are certainly not party poopers.
Some people, however, are not quite so enthusiastic over it and some are downright miserable.
I was saddened recently to learn that a friend of ours does not decorate a tree, does not put a wreath of her door, she does not give gifts and she does not bake Christmas food.
In fact, she says she hates Christmas.
She considers it a waste of time and money and actively refuses to celebrate it.
How sad.
What a lot of fun this lady is missing out on.
Next Saturday we are going to the house of other fans a couple with a young child, to sample the mince pies of several contributors and try some mulled wine recipes and generally have a good time.
There is no question that huge amounts of money will be spent, and in fact the entire event is just an excuse for good friends to get together and catch up.
We do not buy cartloads of gifts at Christmas.
We do, however, exchange a small number of gifts within the family, mostly practical items.
Our tree is never laden with extravagant presents but there are always little gifts thoughtfully wrapped and some time is spent in choosing the right thing for the right person.
Even the dog gets something and manages to unwrap it himself.
It is all about the music, the decorations, the lights, and the food.
The Christmas miseries are a disease we have never experienced in our house.
Dickens once wrote that we should celebrate this and keep the spirit of Christmas alive all the year and why not indeed
The Christmas tree is hauled out on December 1st and decorated with just about every tacky bauble we ever bought right back to when we were kids and great garlands of flowers, hoops of holly and evergreen and festive ribbons are pasted onto every available surface.
We tend to decorate early because we make quite an effort which would be wasted for just a few days.
At least if we start on December 1st there is plenty of time to enjoy the results of our efforts! We have things that sing, things that flash and things that go ho-ho if you pass them in the night.
We have a monorail of little Santa carriages that zoom around the Christmas tree and a star with flashing lights on top of the tree.
Whatever else we are, we are certainly not party poopers.
Some people, however, are not quite so enthusiastic over it and some are downright miserable.
I was saddened recently to learn that a friend of ours does not decorate a tree, does not put a wreath of her door, she does not give gifts and she does not bake Christmas food.
In fact, she says she hates Christmas.
She considers it a waste of time and money and actively refuses to celebrate it.
How sad.
What a lot of fun this lady is missing out on.
Next Saturday we are going to the house of other fans a couple with a young child, to sample the mince pies of several contributors and try some mulled wine recipes and generally have a good time.
There is no question that huge amounts of money will be spent, and in fact the entire event is just an excuse for good friends to get together and catch up.
We do not buy cartloads of gifts at Christmas.
We do, however, exchange a small number of gifts within the family, mostly practical items.
Our tree is never laden with extravagant presents but there are always little gifts thoughtfully wrapped and some time is spent in choosing the right thing for the right person.
Even the dog gets something and manages to unwrap it himself.
It is all about the music, the decorations, the lights, and the food.
The Christmas miseries are a disease we have never experienced in our house.
Dickens once wrote that we should celebrate this and keep the spirit of Christmas alive all the year and why not indeed