Christmas Came Early this Year!

            Yesterday was a hard day for writing after coming down from my “creative high.” Having pushed several projects forward, the inevitable plummeting into a slump had to do with the unpleasant stuff: paying the bills, finishing manuscript edits, and sending for use permission—all tedious and uncreative. By afternoon, I was depressed. Add to this, mismanagement of time due to a string of errands that squeezed out exercise once again; a common practice these last few weeks. Yet in spite of my malaise, this morning my spirits lifted because Christmas came early this year!

            I awoke at 4:00 a.m. on this cozy Thanksgiving Day to a home fully decorated. This year’s decision to get an early start during my week break from teaching proved rewarding. Now I sit nestled in my favorite writing spot, the couch corner, with silence as my only companion. My husband and stepson left for their long dreamt about fantasy; watching the Dallas Cowboys play in their new stadium. I, on the other hand, enjoy a peaceful morning until our family’s Thanksgiving celebration.

            As I gaze mesmerized by the twinkling Christmas lights streaming through garlands, I feel like a child again. Perhaps this is why my husband and I “go all out” for this holiday. We so enjoy creating a cozy atmosphere reminiscent of childhood. Life is too adult as it is and so we retreat into our world of “make believe” during this time of the year. Our Christmas villages keep expanding because he cannot resist buying “just one more piece.”

            Recently he jokingly suggested, “This is so much work why don’t we keep the decorations up all year?” For a moment, we both actually considered the idea. Yet if truth be told, the exhilarating high that comes from seeing our enchanting wonderland come alive after a long décor drought is worth the yearly effort.

            So I share a snippet of our delight. Perhaps a bit of this Christmas spirit may find its way to you. Amidst the scrambling to find those perfect gifts, we hope that your hearts will warm by revisiting memories when unwrapping ornaments from days gone by. And for those of us with family far away (whether on the other side of earth or in heaven), may we receive a special gift of hope that we will one day see them again!