December first, tomorrow...... How did it come around so quickly. I feel like I just put the tree and all the decorations away! My daughter might say, "That is because you leave them up until the end of January!".
I leave them up for many reasons. It is beautiful to have all the color and all the lights in January, the darkest winter month. Having "Christmas" last through January allows a person to cozy up to the fire and read and be a little lazy, because it can't happen in December!
December brings thoughts of shopping, which I don't do if I can help it! When did I lose this desire to shop? I used to be "Queen" of shopping, using coupons, reading ads, making lists and keeping on top of everyone's desires. You'd never know today that I used to be like that...... I don't like the malls, I look for gifts that are unique. Being an artist, I appreciate handcrafted items. Being an artist, I want to make everyone something wonderful. Being an artist, none of my friends like to shop art shows with me, they see something wonderful and I'll say, "Oh, we could sooooo make that!". They know that they will never make it, but might actually find me "making it" in the future, so that poor artist lost a sale because of me. Darn, I should know better, I have often heard this same comment with shoppers in my booth! I know most will not go home and try their hand at gourd art, sure they could do it, but probably will not.
Okay, back to December...... Christmas decorating and shopping..... I always think the house needs a good cleaning, before the decorations go up. These days, it is really probably the only time I really do my "spring cleaning". I clean because it is necessary to get down those cobwebs before they get dusty and look like indoor snowflakes. I know my kids and grand kids will come, even if I don't clean. They won't care, they come to see Grandma and Grandpa and see if Santa left them a package under the tree. I realized a long time ago that I am the only one who knows what didn't get done! I hope to keep it that way!
So that brings us to shopping for the grand kids. They have grown so fast this last year, not only in size but in things they like to do. How do their mothers keep up with the changes? I have decided to allow the mothers of my grandchildren to shop for me too, while they are out and about. I give them a dollar limit on each child and they bring to me the gifts they find. This solves many problems, no returns because it is the wrong size or age appropriate, I don't have to go shopping and it gives me more time to clean house. That is what I tell them anyway......
I believe that the longer you are on this earth the less you need the glitz of Christmas. I know all the lights and shopping do not make Christmas. It is truly about being with the people you love and it is about being grateful for blessings that can't be wrapped and ribboned. I now think of creative ways of giving, I support my charities in the name of a friend, giving things I no longer use to Goodwill and contribute to food pantries so others may eat.
Merry Christmas everyone!
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