Don't jump the gun.

Well, I survived my birthday. Now I'm facing a new dilemma.. Christmas.. Don't get me wrong, I love the Christmas season, however, It shouldn't start until December 1st. There is no sane reason for store to bring out the Christmas stock before Halloween is even finished. December 1st I start decorating, but my tree doesn't go up until December 18th. If you have all your decorations up in November, what the heck are you going to do in December? The Christmas season should be cherished, and treasured, not drawn out and stretched thin. It is supposed to be a magical time of year, not a tax quarterly. I remember going to the mountains with my family to a tree farm to get our tree. It was a whole weekend affair. The whole family getting together, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins all of us climbing in the mountains, sledding, hot chocolate, cross country skiing, picking trees, cutting them down, snow falling in big fluffy flakes.. EVERYTHING smelling crisp and fresh... It's one of my strongest memories. It was never about gifts, it was always about family. Christmas dinner was a three day affair steeped in tradition. Day before Christmas Eve, there was wood to be chopped and stock piled, the pit to be dig, the suckling pig to be prepped, soups to be started, and bread to be baked. Then Christmas Eve day, fasting, no meat or butter. Which was pure torture, because while we are abstaining from meat, the pig is being roasted over a fire on a giant spit. Everyone had to take their turn turning the spit and basting the pig. The smell almost drove you crazy. Christmas Eve was a 12 course meal of bean soup, seafood, bread and veggies, with each course having a special meaning, prayer and tradition.. then Midnight Mass. Once everyone came home from Mass, we could have meat and butter again, so there was a midnight supper of roasted pig. Then to bed, Christmas Morning involved baked crepes called Polechika, with more of the roast pig, presents, and prepping the Tradition dinner.. While the turkey roasted, back to Mass, then home to finish dinner. By the time we reach Boxing Day, there are enough left overs to feed the entire family for a week. Everyone helps, and every takes home left overs. Christmas was about traditions and family. The way it should be.