47 days

Yup, that's right it's 47 days until Christmas. Is it too early to put up decorations? I'm going to go with yes but only because I know my husband won't go under the stairs to take out the 12 boxes of decorations that we've-I've- accumulated over the years. I can't go under the stairs..that would be a great premise for a horror movie, "The 'one armed' woman from under the stairs". I digress...so, yes 47 days. As of tomorrow, two weeks until Thanksgiving. I LOVE Thanksgiving. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the holidays. I hate the greed, I hate the mall, I hate the pettiness, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE the holidays. I love their true spirit. I love that Thanksgiving is what it is. It is about family. It is about sharing. It is about giving and being thankful. I love that we have an entire holiday that is supposed to be dedicated to being thankful. I have so much to be thankful for this year but that's another post.

I love that Christmas is the day that we celebrate Jesus' birth. That is uber important to me. I can remember being a child and waking up on Christmas morning, and yes of course I was thrilled by the mound o gift underneath the tree but I was also excited that the baby Jesus had made his way into the stable with his family because he was finally born. (We "hide" the baby Jesus figurine for all of advent and then on Christmas morning he appears as if he was really born the night before.) I love the intended meaning behind Christmas. I still believe in Santa Claus. Do I think there is a big fat man who comes into my house in the wee hours of December 25th and leaves presents for me and my family? Uh, no...I have the circles under my eyes from last year's Christmas to prove that. But I believe in the spirit of giving that Santa embodies. I believe in the story of Santa Claus. I believe in the importance of teaching my kids about Jesus and Santa. And yes, I believe in taking my kids to the mall and "forcing" them to sit on Santa's lap and talk to him and have their picture taken. (That's not what Christmas is supposed to be about, but it is a little bit.) Christmas is partially about tradition and that's a tradition that I hold near and dear to my heart. I still have photos of my sister and I with our cousins on the many different laps of the Macy's on 34th Street Santa. My "goal" this year is to maybe get my kids into that Santa just once...just for the experience...the feeling of it all.

So, yes, Christmas is 47 days away. But according to the mall we went to last night Christmas is already here. Actually it's been here for awhile. My dad's birthday was the week before Halloween so I went to the mall to attempt to find a gift for the man who wants nothing- Seriously, nothing, well except for the occasional shirt! I walked into Macy's and I was immediately sucked into the Christmas vortex. It was everywhere! I love Christmas- I've made that abundantly clear but COME ON! It was October for goodness sake! Christmas trees everywhere, ornaments, cards, it was like Santa and his elves threw up in the ground floor of Macy's and no one bothered to clean it up. But I was hooked. I didn't buy anything...I barely even touched...but it did lift my spirits a bit. I so enjoy this time of year...this preparation and waiting for anything and everything. The prospect that everything is new and fresh it's just wonderful. I try to keep that spirit with me this whole season. I want my kids to love Christmas for the same reasons I do. I want them to love for the reasons that all kids love Christmas, too, but I want them to understand what it is about.

That being said last night when we went to the mall and there was Santa in all his glory- yes that's right, Santa in the mall 48 days before Christmas- I wanted Nicholas to talk to him. I wanted him to meet him. I wanted him to sit on his lap and just get a feeling. I wasn't looking for a photo op- goodness, he didn't have the right outfit on! ;) I just wanted him to get used to him. He knows that Santa brings toys and comes on Christmas and we're working on teaching him that Jesus comes then, too. But I want him to talk with Santa before the craziness really begins. Did Nicholas honor this desire of mine? Of course not. He was scared shitless of Santa. Wouldn't go near him. I could barely get him to wave. Could I blame him? No. Santa is this giant man with red and white all over and a huge beard- there's a little bit of fear that I think every kid has. Am I going to have Nicholas get a picture with him? You betcha! We left the mall, after begging Nicholas to wave to Santa and him finally obliging. (He was really waving to the girls who were Santa's helpers but whatever, in my mind he waved to Santa!) Wouldn't you know as soon as we got in the car my son started crying and saying, "I want Santa!" You have got to be freaking kidding me!

So, Christmas is 47 days away and I'm moving closer to full obsession mode. Last year we put the tree up moments after Thanksgiving. This year we might wait a bit, but I'm not sure. I've already perused the aisles of stuff at Target for adorning our home both inside and out. And yes, I've purchased my Christmas cards. Writing will commence shortly. I don't do photo Christmas cards. I get cards, usually pertaining to the nativity, and I stick a wallet or two in of the kids. I like to be able to write a personal message to our friends and family. It's important to me and I think it really is part of what the season is about.

Christmas is 47 days away, have you seen Santa yet?