CHRISTMAS!!

It's November 14th and I'm listening to Christmas music. Traditionally I wait until the day after Thanksgiving, that was always the rule growing up, and it was fun to count down the days till Christmas music. (yes, my family is nuts about Christmas.) I'm changing the rules this year. If there's one thing I've learned over the past few years, it's that it's important to live in the moment. I now fully believe that I should do what I want, when I want. Lives end, traditions change, loved ones move away..things can change so fast. So, if I want to start celebrating Christmas on November 13th, then goddamn it, that's what I'm going to do.

We had a big snow yesterday. Six inches of heavy, wet, white stuff. I love it. It looks beautiful outside. The trees are covered in white, everything is still fresh and fluffy...yes, it was annoying to have to move the cars yesterday for the snow plows, and my new boots got soaked and probably ruined, and it's cold, and I need new mittens, and I spent half an hour scraping snow off the car...but last night around 9pm as I was walking down my street to get the vehicle that I had to move for the plow...it was all worth it. It was quiet, and you could literally hear the snow falling off the trees. My feet crunched into the snow as I walked. The reflection of the streetlights glowed on the freshly fallen snow. The air was cold, fresh, and crisp. Everything just seemed at peace. I love the first snow.

So, I'm going overboard this year. It's Christmas To The Max for me. I'm going to listen to Christmas music every day. I'm going to put Christmas lights on my deck even though no one but me will see them. I'm going to buy an Advent calendar and eat the shitty chocolate every morning. I'm going to buy too many gifts and spend too much money on them, and worry about the ramifications later. I'm going to buy Christmas coloring books and see how my 1 year old does with coloring. I'm going to take him to every cheesy "Holiday Open House" I can find, and go on a sleigh ride and watch Christmas trees be lit up and drink hot chocolate in the cold. I'm going to help my grandpa decorate his tree and then I'm going to decorate mine and I'm going to spend money on pretty ornaments that I don't really need. I'm going to carry on the tradition of my grandparents and drive my son around looking at Christmas lights before a stop at Dairy Queen to top off the night. I'm going to buy Christmas socks and Christmas pajama pants. I'm going to buy my son a nativity set even though he's too young to understand. I'm going to bake cookies and I'm going to take pictures every day of various Christmas scenes in town. I'm going to play Santa on Christmas morning and introduce my son to the magic. I'm going to visit my grandparents and hang out with my parents and buy tons of tacky decorations at the dollar store.

You never know what the next year is going to bring. I'm lucky to have such a great family and such close friends, so this holiday season I'm doing it up.

Bring on the Amy Grant Christmas carols!