Well, I've got some news for you because in this family we have eight birthdays to celebrate in December. It's not too bad for Adam, Beth, Robin, David, and I because our birthdays are earlier in the month. But the younger children are on the 23rd and 28th. It is tough to gear up for another big celebration so close to Christmas Eve and Christmas.
Of course, we do have to get ready for Christmas while all this is going on, but no Christmas tree will go up before the middle of the month. I send my cards out really early, but just because that's a favorite part of my own little celebration. And I have had years when there was news to get to people before they sent cards to me. Some years are like that. New addresses, for instance.
Our celebration is pretty low key, and I try to concentrate on the reason for the season by making it a month from Thanksgiving to New Years of giving in little and big ways. One year when it "just didn't seem like Christmas", I tried that. It gets me right into the mood right away.
I have a first cousin who shares my birthday. She is exactly a year younger than I, so we've always known when we'd hear from one another----if at no other time of the year. She was my first "sibling" as we would spend time together at our common grandmother's house, long before my sister was born. So I had to share with Beth, and she always wanted the 'best' stuff! She's always had the most excellent taste. LOL
So my wish for you tonight is that you have joy in your preparations. Do only the things that are meaningful to you and experience them with all your might.
I'm sooooo happy to hear that you don't put your tree up until the middle of the month!!!! I thought I was the ONLY hold-out left.
ReplyDeleteI want mine up until well after New Years, so I don't like to put it up too early. I really don't like all this mashing of Christmas right into Halloween - - - it seems like more and more folks are "skipping" Thanksgiving.
Sounds like you have a busy month ahead. Both my parents Birthdays are in December and both my ex-husbands birthdays are in December - my sister is a New Years Day baby~! I love this time of year and am celebrating 1st Advent Sunday today - being excited about Christmas all by myself. I live alone, but still decorate and enjoy my memories!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day!
I agree -- we don't put our tree up until double digit December. I like to stretch out the celebration in little bits, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post on my blog -- I loved reading yours. My SIL spent a year in your area as a TV reporter -- one winter in Marquette was enough to send her back south, but we were so glad to get a chance to visit the UP! Take care, and thanks for your words of wisdom.
Let the Christmas season begin. Sounds like you are well entrenched in celebration central with all the birthdays too. Good thing you are retired and "have time" to celebrate all these events.
ReplyDeleteI think I got sidetracked because I thought I had written a comment already. Well, I was certainly intrigued by the number of birthdays in December - April in your family was a joyous time of year! hahaha So when is your birthday??
ReplyDeleteI just have a tabletop tree and I'll get it up this week probably. I leave mine up until the end of Jan. or even through Feb. depending on if I've got the winter blues. I love the tree lights so much that it's really been my sanity keeper sometimes in Michigan.
I'd need a dozen trees if I lived in the UP!
Kristin