The holidays are my absolute favorite time of year! Growing up, Christmas was a big deal in our family... my Mom always made it a special season and something to look forward to. Nothing has changed for me as an adult. I start getting excited right around Thanksgiving... I start my holiday shopping on Black Friday and try to be completely finished by mid-December. I usually throw a big Christmas party and get into the decorating, cookie baking, gift wrapping, and celebrating of the season.
My friends make fun of me and call me Martha Stewart but I also know that they like that someone our age is doing this crap. They have somewhere to go where homemade cookies are served, mistletoe is hanging, and Michael Buble is belting out "Let it Snow". Christmas cards are sent, chocolate covered pretzels are made and delivered to the people that count on them each year. These are traditions that I know and love.
But now as I sit here on January 2nd, I'm looking at my Christmas tree fully lit and decorated, my mantle covered with garland, candles, and glitter trees and I know one thing... it all has to come down! Each special ornament has to be taken off of the tree and put away until next year, the decorations and dishes and special things that I've collected over the years have to be wrapped up.
All of this can only be described in one way... a total letdown! Don't get me wrong... my Christmas was wonderful. We went to church and to our usual neighborhood party. We had a wonderful breakfast on Christmas morning and I was able to give and receive fabulous gifts. I got together with my high school girls the day after Christmas for a night of wine, gossip, and laughs. This is an annual tradition that I look forward to almost as much as Christmas with my family. Sometimes it's the only time we all see each other for an entire year.
But now it's over... I have to go back to teaching 2nd grade on Monday morning. And it will just be cold and boring January. Nothing to look forward to... no baking or decorating to be done... In many ways, it's pretty depressing and I see why for some people the holidays can be an especially lonely time of year. But for those of us that love the holiday season, we have to wait for next November when the holiday madness starts again!
For now, I'll look forward to February... that's when I plan my own birthday extravaganza!
This year my 28th birthday falls on a Friday so it is sure to be an entire weekend of festivities.
Always planning something I suppose. And that's just the way I like it!
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