Nov 15 2007
Already?!?
Scrooge. That’s the nickname my family affectionately uses for me this time of year.
But I’m not really a Christmas hater, it’s the “this time of year” part that really bothers me the most.
You see, it’s only November 15th. Christmas is almost six weeks away. So, it’s NOT Christmastime and hence using the term “this time of year” does not, or should not, mean the same thing as Christmastime. So, when I see Christmas decorations up in the stores or in my neighbourhood at “this time of year”, I get a little irritated. But that irritation has nothing to do with other people extending the festive season for themselves. It has nothing to do with the Christmas music in the walls of the malls. It has nothing to do with whether or not I like Christmas. (For the record, I LOVE Christmas.) I don’t even have strong feelings over the commercialism or have any passionate tendencies about putting Christ back in Xmas. The Christmas hype translates in to my family getting excited about Christmas which, in turn, translates in to work for me.
There’s 12 100-liter Rubbermaid containers in storage, holding all forms of Christmas knickknacks, lights, garland streams, candles, wreaths, stuffed animals, noise makers, placemats, tablecloths, miniature villages, train tracks, bulbs, decorations… you name it, it’s there. And it grows every year. I’m sure it’s 14 containers now, actually. This means work for me. I have to tug them down from the rafters, slug them in to the house, and lug them around to their destinations. What’s worse, is that many times over the years, I’ve begrudgingly toted our totes only to find shortly after becoming engaged in the activity of decorating that I’m alone. Yes… alone. My wife would be on the phone talking with family about how “we” were decorating for Christmas. Our son would be left the house with his friends.
In recent years, besides putting up the tree and the outside lights, my wife and son typically do most of the decorating. However, I don’t escape unscathed. I have to get up and say, That looks nice; No, please don’t use scotch tape on the painted walls; No, you don’t need a 3-inch gyproc screw to hang that wreath; No, I’m not cranky; Yes, I DO like Christmas; No, I will not use a staple gun to put the lights around our windows; You don’t need a 4-inch framing spike to hang that stocking; No… I said I’m NOT in a bad mood.
Oh… I just love this time of year.
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November 16th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
HAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!! Steve, I LOVE, LOVE, LOOOVEEE this post!!! Every bit of it is true. I bet we’ll even get a call from Aunt Donna the day the decorating starts, telling me how ‘you guys’ are decorating, as she sits and watches you decorate. It’s funny how you know the brutal truth and you’ve just come to accept it. Hopefully I’ll find a brave man like you one day…because I am always reminded how much I am like my Aunt Donna! lol Happy Decorating!!!
November 16th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
Yeah, Melissa… I’m just waiting for the onslaught…
November 17th, 2007 at 1:01 am
I can’t believe Donna doesn’t physically get into the decorating part of Christmas. I just love decorating once the tree is together with the lights, but I love when we do it as a family thing. You know the bonding kind of Christmas decorating where there is Christmas music and everybody is happy decorating. I also love the shopping part of Christmas, so I guess you could say…I just LOVE Christmas.
November 17th, 2007 at 2:24 am
Lucky you, you have rafters. I have a crawl space. I bet I’ve got more than 14 boxes too. But I have to admit, I just drag them all out. Rose does the decorating.
This time of year is great. Americans start celebrating on Thanksgiving weekend which is the last weekend in November (next Thursday and Friday are a holiday).
Happy Friday all!
November 17th, 2007 at 10:40 am
I am with you, this stuff happens to early these days. It is too much.
November 17th, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Deb, I didn’t say Donna doesn’t do the decorating… I said it turns into more work and stress for me than I’d like. I often end up doing large chunks by myself… Donna and Garrett do most of the tree decorating, knickknacks and stuff. I do the tree, outside lights, any major garland work…etc.
November 17th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Dan… crawl space should be easy… just get yourself good and toasted. Crawling comes naturally then!
November 29th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
its not just this year we call you Scrooge. Its been like that for the past few years.
November 30th, 2007 at 8:29 am
My son! Don’t forget… “Scrooge” owns that car you want to drive!