'Tis The Season (Part 1)

It's here: the holiday season. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's; a season full of family, friends, and food. It's the season that every television show, newspaper, website, and yes, blog, has an obligatory holiday episode or entry. And who am I to disappoint? I am thoroughly in the Christmas spirit (probably part of the reason for my lack of entries here) and this is a bit of a landmark holiday season for me.

Wait: did I says "a bit"? This is a gigantic landmark for me! This is my first holiday living away from my parents' home. It's my first Christmas with my husband, the first time I've been in charge of decorations, and the longest gift list I've ever had! I was going to try to write one entry with my thoughts on this Christmas, but partway through I realized there was a little too much to cover in one entry. Therefore, I've planned a (possibly) short series on the different events of the Christmas season.

I have always loved Christmas. Whether it was family feasts at my grandfather's house, bringing out the decorations with my mom, or passing out gloves and hats at the rescue mission on Christmas morning, it's always been a magical time. This year, things have changed dramatically. Suddenly I'm in charge of engineering Christmas for Derrin and myself (the frivolous part of Christmas that comes from us humans, anyway). The decorations, the tree, the smells and sounds that make up the aura of the holiday season, will not happen on their own.

This realization led to an enthusiastic trip to Wal-Mart and a full cart. Then the budget element sank in, and that cart was pared down to what I saw as a few necessary elements of Christmas cheer. My New York parents furnished us with a cute little 4-foot tree, which I adorned with a few ornaments, including an "Our First Christmas" ornament that Derrin thoughtfully brought home.  Derrin did the honors of topping the tree with the quintessential newlywed topper: a gold, sequined, cardboard star from the dollar store. A couple stockings on the wall, some snowflake mirror clings, and a wreath for the front door completed my humble decorating. And then my oh-so-festive husband accused me of overkill! I think, for a new bride decorating her first apartment, I showed commendable restraint. I hate to think of what he'll say when I decorate our first home together!

Now, I certainly don't have the ill-conceived notion that Christmas will not come on December 25th if I don't decorate. My parents were wonderful role models in illustrating exactly what Christmas was all about: Christ the baby, the love He showed for us and our responsibility to pass that love on to other people. I get frustrated with the stores that put up the Christmas shop before the Halloween stuff has gone on clearance, and I don't really want to hear the Christmas music start until after Thanksgiving. But I firmly believe that Christ would have no problem with His people celebrating His birthday with a month or two of festivity, warmth, and just a little bit of a magical feeling.

I've been good at not stressing myself out over what I can or can't do to get ready for Christmas (like my limited decor budget) and whether or not it's going to be perfect. After all, like I said... Jesus was born whether I have one wreath or two, or fake snow on my windows or not. Instead, I'm thoroughly enjoying spending a few weeks multiplying my excitement. Some people might say that I'm getting a little too wrapped up in the "material" side of Christmas. Yet with every Kenny Rogers Christmas song I hear and every new decoration I put up, I remind myself again of the day--15 days from today--that Christ made His less than explosive yet spectacular entrance to the stage of the world.