We were sitting in the theater when Earl reminded me that two months from today is Christmas. It’s not my favorite holiday, but the person I live with loves it. He wants the full-bore holiday ritual: church on Christmas Eve, decorations, gifts, a tree with a train underneath, and egg nog.
Over the years, we’ve developed a routine to do all this in as easy a manner as possible. We’ve already ordered gifts; and I’m planning menus, since they require more baking and cooking than I normally do. Sometime in November, we’ll decorate the tree, reminiscing about the various trips we’ve taken because ornaments are the souvenirs we collect from our vacations.
We have furry Eskimoes from our Alaskan adventure and wooden shoes from a more local community. We have decorations from Tahiti and Tennessee. We also have a sock monkey ornament, various gifts from friends, and several Waterford treasures. And the ornaments my sons made when they were little still make the cut.
It’s a lot of work, especially since retail stores begin reminding us of it as early as September. But in the end, when we’re together with family, it’s worth it. Last year, was the best Christmas ever; and I’m hoping for a repeat in two months.
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