essays

Cathartic Ink

putting my own spin on things

Pet Peeves.

4

Festive

My family had strict traditions about holiday decorations when I was growing up. The Christmas tree [and other decorations] were on display from the Sunday before Christmas through New Year’s Day. No more, no less. The best years were when Christmas was on a Sunday because then you got a full week of the tree before Christmas. We never put up lights on the outside of the house, largely because no one would have seen them, but we enjoyed every minute of the festive decorations, probably in large part because we knew how short their lifespan would be.

My own decorating guidelines are a little less strict. I believe my tiny blue Christmas tree was technically still on display until April or so, in large part because I do not have a “Christmas decorations box” to pack it away into. However, I wouldn’t dream of November 1st being the day on which I pulled out the decorations to set them up for the year. That’s just…Well, it’s just Too Much Festive. And with the commercial aspects of Christmas starting before Halloween even takes place, it seems like it’s a little too much for me. I love Christmas, I love the wonder, and the sparkle and the family but I don’t love it two months worth. And I really don’t love it ridiculous advertisements for two months worth.

In spite of my hatred for far too early Christmas advertisements and decorations, there’s one apartment in our complex that we walk by to get to our car, whose early decorations don’t offend me. We each have one very large aluminum slider window in our “dining area”. My neighbor has raised their blinds about 6 inches in order to take advantage of the display space the window ledge provides. And on that window ledge is a rag-tag bunch of Christmas figurines, that get progressively more…interesting…as you walk past. They start with the traditional, snowmen and the like. However, the last two items? A random tin that looks like a gingerbread house–kind of–and a mug printed with candy canes. The whole window is ringed with small, multicolored lights. And there’s just something about the ridiculousness of it all that makes it so I just can’t help but smile every time I walk by. Maybe there’s a little magic in the twinkle lights. You won’t catch me putting mine up until after December 1st though!

4 Comments

  1. TheAmpuT

    Well then, you are going to hate hearing that I am almost done with my holiday shopping. But But!!! There is a reason!! Being that I celebrate Channukah, this is one of those years where it lands early, and I am FORCED to be prepared (the first night is Dec 4th!!). Darned lunar holidays. We’ll be done before some of the Christmas crew even gets their HolidayCheer on!

  2. Amy

    I think my record was Valentines day, but that was because the baby loved looking at the lights, um yeah… that’s why *shifty eyes*