Okay it is the middle of September and can you believe that in one (1) week from now Christmas will be in 90 days. Alright I just heard your proverbial groan; but, I am going to ask you that question – are you ready? What are you going to do for yourself to make the holiday season stress free?
Let me give you my countdown and maybe you can incorporate some of this into your routine and be able to enjoy the holidays a bit more.
As I mentioned last week the entire house is decorated for autumn. On September 30th once my family leaves from apple picking and dinner I will bring out all the Halloween decorations. There are witches and goblins, etc. for the various nooks and crannies in the house and on the front door. This way as my neighbors wake up and pass my house on Saturday, October 1st they will realize it is Halloween month.
For Halloween I always buy something for the boys, cards for the family and Cheryl’s cookies. I have already bought the boys their trick or treat bags (Home Goods) and received the shirts I ordered for them from CWD Kids. Ryan’s shirt is skeletons playing hockey and Callum’s is just a Jack O’Lantern, I intend to put their shirts in their trick or treat bags and give it to them on September 30th when we go apple picking. My thoughts are that they can wear their shirts throughout the month of October. I bought all my Halloween cards over Labor Day weekend and I will send them out two (2) weeks before the holiday. I have also ordered Cheryl’s cookies which will arrive for our apple picking day. I don’t know if you have ever ordered from them; but, each of their cookies is individually wrapped and you can freeze them up to six (6) months and just take one (1) out to eat 30 minutes beforehand.
And right after the last Trick-or-Treater has rung my doorbell, away goes everything signifying Halloween and out comes all the Thanksgiving decorations. Yes, it is turkeys, pilgrims, Indians and cornucopias; so again, come November 1st everything will highlight this very American holiday. I get off easy in that I do not cook Thanksgiving dinner – that is done by my cousin, Gerry and my niece, Siobhan. For this holiday I also send out cards; and, yes I am part OCD I looked to buy them over Labor Day weekend but they weren’t out yet. In the next couple of weeks I will buy those cards. For the boys I will get them a book. I am responsible for buying the pies and wine. Also, I will do something like make pumpkin bread or muffins and take them to my cousin's for people to take home and have for breakfast the next day. My other contribution is to help clean up after the dinner.
Over Thanksgiving weekend I will put away all semblance of Autumn and now decorate for Christmas and Winter. I have a lot of snowmen which I will leave out for the entire winter season; and, once more every room will be reflective of the season.
By now all of the Christmas shopping is done and it is trying to figure out what social obligations I need to attend. You are asking me – what about Christmas shopping??!!? Well, it is all done. I am now just wrapping gifts and putting them away in piles for the family. How can that be?? You ask.
Well, we have already gone out to each family member and asked them what they want for Christmas. There are some things that I buy each year for different family members; the boys always get a set of pajamas as does my niece, Siobhan. Each person in the family will get a calendar or a date book; for example, my cousin Gerry likes the Manhattan date book from Barnes & Noble, Ryan will get a train or a hockey calendar, etc. Every year I buy my cousin Gerry his Yankee ticket subscription so it becomes easy. Since we already have the list for the boys we will begin shopping for them and I intend to have everything done by the end of October. I also have a list of everything I bought each individual since 2005 so there are no gift duplications especially in the case of Gerard who likes “The Simpsons” season DVDs. I also buy things throughout the year – if I see something and it reminds me of a family member or friend than I will buy it right then and put it away.
I have already received an invitation from Rockefeller Center to make my arrangements for “Breakfast with Santa”. Last year we took Ryan there and he absolutely loved it – you have a wonderful family style breakfast brought to your table, Santa comes to your table and talks to you, you get a bag of goodies to take home and the piece de resistance for Ryan was being able to skate on the Rockefeller Center skating ring. We will take him again this year – we are pushing the envelope that he will enjoy it and still believes in Santa as he will be 10 in January. The nice thing is that once you do something like this it begins a tradition; and, more importantly you have first dibs to these reservations before they go out to the public.
The first weekend in December I address and mail all my Christmas cards and then I begin to set up dates with friends to see each other and to exchange gifts. Again, Christmas dinner is held at my cousin Gerry’s; however, Christmas Eve dinner we traditionally go out as a family and it is my contribution for us to be together that evening. We also order some Puerto Rican specialties through a friend of mine that will become part of our Christmas dinner.
Lastly, I take down all my Christmas decorations (lights anything with Santa) on January 2nd and leave only Snowmen and Winter decorations up.
Since we are steeped in tradition it becomes easy to manage the holidays and all it entails. Some people may see this as monotonous and routine; but, all of it happens once a year and I get such joy when I see a new pumpkin or find the right gift for someone or when Ryan was skating at Rockefeller Center under the Christmas tree with this big smile on his face. That is what makes all the time and effort worthwhile.
I hope I have shared some tidbits on how to get through the next three months; or helped you reminisce about a particular item or holiday tradition. Look at this time with joy; and, not with a sense of dread for all that gets done.
Remember: The most important thing is family and friends - the rest is just gravy.
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