Oh No!!! Time is fling… No sooner have the summer chairs been stored and the leaves cleared but the forecast of snow is announced on the weather channel. Thoughts of winterizing my wardrobe by keeping mittens and boots handy at my door has yet to sink in. Already junk mail from retailers is bombarding my postal box with Christmas imagery advertising “Black Friday Gift Specials”. Anxiety explodes in my heart, realizing that December is racing toward me and the much-heralded season of Christmas is creeping upon me once more. With little time remaining, I need to accept that the season “to deck the house with balls of holly” and launch preparations for making friends and family “merry” is about to arrive.
The thought of being forced to assume the responsibility for spreading joy, producing sweets treats for family and friends who happen by, fills me with panic. Chilly, shortened, darkened days of November have paralyzed me at the thought of having to make “merry”. Without intending, I hear myself muttering “bah humbug” aloud! After self-diagnosis, it seems holiday preparations might improve my attitude, encourage my optimism and eliminate the emotional impact of the shorter, darker days of November.
Decorating and planning promises to be uplifting in spite of the fact that it seems as if all the Christmas decorations recently made their way back into storage. Facing this task, the most pressing question is exactly when is the appropriate time to begin displaying Christmas? Many obsessed with exterior decoration claim it is before the cold weather arrives threatening to freeze the exposed fingers working to install outside decorations. Families with small children might be pressured to believe the day after Halloween is a perfect time. Like myself, many may be motivated simply by the short, darker, days of late November. The reality is it is time to begin decorating and it is time to begin make some lists and check them twice.
Once the traumatic realization passes and acceptance sinks in the decorating process begins. Small steps are good. Replacing the nonseasonal décor with winter pieces like holly that can be accessorized later with shiny, festive balls. A trip to the nursery for a live wreath maybe a potted arrangement and of course a poinsettia help to ease one into the spirit of the season. With the tree in place, lights, color and glitz enhance the spirit of the season. Finally, the hallway and other living spaces come alive with lights and colorful ornamentations to greet family and friends who stop by. With each step my spirits are buoyed inspiring hope that the celebration will enable me to share the joy with others.
In hindsight, it is interesting to consider how wise it was that Christmas was dropped into the late autumn calendar. In reality, the upcoming celebration lifts the spirits of humans of all ages during the shortest, darkest days of the year. My spirits are lifted but not without being aware of some persistent, nagging questions…when should decorations come down and what should come down first? Secondly, how soon will the horticulturists be ready to assist me in planning shrubbery for my spring garden? And so, it seems…the calendar continually nags and drives us forward whether we like it or not.
