Photo from Queen's School of Medicine....Don't know what the calendar has to do with med school, though....We are beginning to gear up for December 1 and the beginning of our Advent calendar.
Although I despise the upselling in stores, the piped in carols in early November and the general consumerism involved in the Christmas holidays, I love the excitement of the kids, the coziness and craftiness of the season.
I resent the feeling that the standard seasons - Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter, have been replaced by Spring, Summer, Fall and Christmas.
This year, however, I am going to attempt to embrace and cherish the memories and yuletime feelings. I don't imagine that my kids have any appreciation for my grumblings over business-side of Christmas. I am sure they prefer to snuggle in front of the fire with hot chocolate whilst making popsicle stick snowflakes for family.
So wish me luck in my hunt for Christmas Spirit. I am a tried and true Grinch in need of a different perspective. But if my kids will benefit from it, I am willing to try....Just don't stand me in front of a Christmas light display while playing Jingle Bells over the loud speaker for a few weeks, please.....
Although I despise the upselling in stores, the piped in carols in early November and the general consumerism involved in the Christmas holidays, I love the excitement of the kids, the coziness and craftiness of the season.
I resent the feeling that the standard seasons - Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter, have been replaced by Spring, Summer, Fall and Christmas.
This year, however, I am going to attempt to embrace and cherish the memories and yuletime feelings. I don't imagine that my kids have any appreciation for my grumblings over business-side of Christmas. I am sure they prefer to snuggle in front of the fire with hot chocolate whilst making popsicle stick snowflakes for family.
So wish me luck in my hunt for Christmas Spirit. I am a tried and true Grinch in need of a different perspective. But if my kids will benefit from it, I am willing to try....Just don't stand me in front of a Christmas light display while playing Jingle Bells over the loud speaker for a few weeks, please.....
4 comments:
I'm with you, Jackie. But for me, I'm a grinch because of what happened the week before Christmas 3 years ago. I'm trying to psch myself up this year .... to decorate the house with a better attitude .... for the kids, and yet ... for me, too. I need to try to separate Christmas from Jim's death. I need to turn it back into what it's supposed to be.
So I'll pray for you and hopefully you can pray for me.
: )
The holidays last year were when Julie started her slide. We always made a big deal of Xmas, even before we had kids. She was really into it; I went along. Last year, between hospital stays and ER visits, we hardly got to have Xmas. We got our tree Xmas eve (night) and only partially trimmed. (I won't tell you how long it was up!) The 28th she was back in the hospital, and New Year's Day was the last time she was really conscious. Her empty stocking is still hanging up by our woodstove.
So, I have lots of reasons to feel Grinch-like. I feel I need to try and reclaim the holidays for the sake of my kids--I don't want them to always be about death and loss and things falling apart. But I don't know if I have the strength for it. I thought of going away somewhere, as if Christmas in a hotel room would be somehow less painful.
At least, if we can all be here for each other during this time, that's gotta help, right?
XXX
I've started adding small festivals to our seasonal celebrations. My kids enjoy them, and I hope that if we do Advent and sort of build up to the whole thing gradually, it will seem less abrasive somehow. More dispersed. I can hope, right?
I hope you and your kids all enjoy your celebrations.
Keep us posted on your progress :)
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