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Never the Same Tree Twice
Already thinking about how I would like to decorate for next year! I love having more than one Christmas tree in my home. I love the ambiance of the lights. We put one tree up in our living room and one in the family room. Now when I have extra time (if that ever happens) I like to put a tree up in my bedroom and two in the extra bedrooms. -
One Tree is Not Enough
I’m 8 years old and it’s Christmas time. Mom has gone to the tree farm and asked them for just the top of 2 trees. The guys look at her like she has 4 heads, but they proceed to find her 2 trees about 4’ in height. Now, it’s time for me to decorate my tree. I can do anything I want with it. Mom has given me access to all of the decorations and I can use whatever I want. As my room is yellow with red accents, we put little yellow lights on the tree which give off a soft glow at night. (Yellow lights on a tree are my favorite, but I don’t have a yellow room with a tree anymore) -
Holiday Disclosure
Santa Claus was a true test of my faith in my family and friends. I was the youngest of three girls and there was a five-year span between my sister Sandy and me. I was also gullible and trusting so I believed everything my sister and my parents told me. -
A Holiday Purist
Hallothanksmas (the blending and mixing of the holidays) began in the retail community.As a teacher, the last day with students for the year was usually around June 5th. This year I noticed that our local Wally World began putting out “Back to School” banners and items out in the store on July 1.
As the 2023-2024 school year began, my daughter Aubrey was a bit of a minimalist regarding school supplies. So, not unexpectantly, I had to pick up more notebooks and folders after a couple of weeks. I was shocked to see the beginnings of Christmas displays on September 15. (The date is firm in my memory as it was soooo incredibly early.)
Why is this all so bothersome to me?
I am a holiday purist.
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Happy Hallothanksmas
I am definitely a holiday purist and can’t stand the fact that stores start putting out Christmas decorations before Halloween. It actually aggravates me to hear Christmas music before Thanksgiving. I’m the type of person who wants to enjoy each holiday before moving on to the next event. -
A Spotlight on the Holidays
When September arrives and the leaves start to turn, the kiddos return to school and best of all the holiday season begins. I like to take my holidays one at a time. I will avoid stores that start playing Christmas music in September. Granted the retailers have to maximize sales. At the same time, we all know that Christmas is December 25 every year. Do we really need to hear “Jingle Bells” in September to know Christmas is coming? -
Less is More
I am a holiday purist to the fullest extent.I have a pet peeve. I believe each holiday should be celebrated one at a time. When one holiday has ended it is time to start the next. Now, I think leaving decorations a couple of days after the holiday is o.k., but then it is time to move forward.
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White Elephant Waste
When it comes to gift giving, I try very hard to come up with something that will mean something to the recipient. Not everyone goes through the same amount of thought that I do though. I can’t say that I’ve ever received a really horrible present except when it comes to participation in a White Elephant gift exchange. -
Decorating Hiatus
I love Christmas decorations. If I could do nothing else it would be to decorate for Christmas. I love trying to come up with different ideas for decorating from year to year.It’s at this time of the year that I would love an all-white house so that I could experiment with different colors and different themes. Now, I do believe less is more, and can’t stand big artificial plastic guys. I like pretty, sparkly, shiny, decorations placed strategically around to accent those empty spaces.
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Christmas Until Easter
I always struggle with when to take down my Christmas decorations. I’m not the type of person that puts everything up the day after Thanksgiving.I usually try to wait until at least December has started. I’m also strongly against taking them down on December 26th as so many people do as I’ve just got them all up and the house is looking very festive and cozy.
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Stranger Danger
Our holidays have always been steeped in tradition. First, Christmas stockings are always hung “by the chimney with care”. One year, when Matt was 5 years old, he called me up to his room. It was close to midnight on Christmas Eve and Matt was still awake. -
Trees from Santa
One of my favorite holiday traditions was when I was probably about ten, which would make my younger sister, Judy, about five years old. -
OCD Christmas
Christmas was always so fun for me as a child, so when I began my family, I wanted to make sure they had as much fun with it as I did. For the first 2 ½ years, when Bradley was an only child and we lived in New Berlin, we would come and stay in Beaver Dam for the holidays. Christmas Eve was always spent with the in-laws and Christmas Day was with my family. -
Once is Enough
Everyone seems to have a favorite Christmas movie that they love to watch over and over during the holiday season. I don’t. First of all, I hate to watch movies more than twice. If I were to sit through a movie that I have seen before I get really bored and just can’t continue watching it. There are a few exceptions like “Because I said so”, The Wedding Date” and a couple more. But they have also reached their expiration date to me at this time. -
White Christmas
My all-time favorite Christmas movie would have to be White Christmas. By the time the season is done, I will have watched it at least a dozen times. The music and dancing make me smile every time. -
Miracle on 34th Street
Christmas is a time for wishes and dreams, fantasy and reality. Miracle on 34th Street brings to life the world of Doris who works for Macy’s and her young daughter who has been taught that reality is black and white and the only experience that holds the truth. That means no Santa Claus, no hopes and wishes, and no room for embracing possibilities. -
Sleepover with Grandma
As a child, our Christmas holiday was always made more special because Grandma Is would come and spend the night with us. It always felt like such a special treat to have Grandma sleepover. Each year, Lisa and I would take turns hosting Grandma in our room on our trundle bed. -
Magical First Christmas
Christmas comes just once a year. Thank goodness. Don’t get me wrong. I love the reason for the season. I just get frustrated with the stress level that comes from the unrealistic expectations I place on myself. -
Holiday Hysteria
I have a very special holiday memory. This was a dinner concert that our church sponsored. It was held at the Green Lake Conference Center. The halls were decorated beautifully for the holidays with little twinkling lights, Christmas trees, and poinsettias. There was a guitarist who performed for the evening. He had special effects that accompanied him and our children’s church choir joined in singing the chorus for a favorite Christmas song, “Go Tell It On The Mountain”. This made it so much fun and the music was phenomenal. My youngest daughter, myself, and my youngest granddaughter, Aubrey, attended. My other granddaughter, Jessica, was one of the performers. Aubrey literally danced the night away. She was probably four at the time, loves music, and especially loves to dance. She had a ball. We have the cd of this performance and it is called her “Boom Boom” tape which is often played in full force at Christmas time or whenever the mood strikes us. This was such a fun way to start off the holidays for us. -
The Magic of Christmas
When I think of Christmas, I remember all of the joy of being a child and feeling the magic of Christmas. There was the night I heard footsteps on the roof and I just knew that Santa and his reindeer were there. As I dozed off to sleep that night, I was sure I saw Rudolph’s bright red nose leading the sleigh onward and upward. -
Making Christmas Cookies
Making Christmas cookies has always been an important part of our holiday traditions. When Grandma Is was around – she would make all the cookies herself and gather the kids to decorate them (Lisa and I). -
Let the Hysteria Begin
When I was a kid, I would love to decorate for the holidays. My Mom always let me do my creative things. I would put evergreens wherever I could find a place. I would put my little sister to bed, (this was not an easy task, as she was always suspicious) then I would sneak downstairs and help decorate the tree which Santa had brought.
