The December 1st Countdown

Cross-posted and archived from DC Metro Moms. Original post date November 26, 2007. 

Growing up white candles dotted each window in our home on Thanksgiving day. When guests would leave we would turn them on and it was officially the Christmas season in our house. That weekend we would all head out to the tree farm and pick out the perfect tree. We would spend hours decorating it and putting up more lights outside. Our house quickly converted into a winter wonderland that wouldn't come down until after January 1. I loved every minute of it and it created beautiful memories for me as a child and an adult.


Now an old married woman I realize I have married the Grinch. How I failed to realize this I do not know. Each year the rules get more stringent than the last. First, it was simply that we didn't put up a tree or decorations until December 1st. This remains the number one rule to this day. This rule is unbreakable. Read that. Un-break-able. It is the Christmas season that brings out the dictator in my spouse. When my mother innocently asked him what he might want for Christmas a few weeks back he shouted, "It's not even Thanksgiving! I will NOT discuss this! Speak to me after December 1st." Er. Um. Yes, sir?

Nothing sets him on fire more than Christmas. He willingly admits that he is a complete and total Scrooge. When asked why, he spouts off a list that includes, materialism, hyper-consumerism, and greed. Fine. I can see that but not in our house. Each year I try to make the season bright. I fill it with love, baked goods, family, spiritual and fun holiday activities. I really work at making that tiny black heart beat red. Each year I feel that I fail. He only sees what he wants to see and that isn't what makes the feeling last all year, but the negative media frenzied mess that is played out live on CNN or FOX News each day. He only sees the sale flyer's coming through the door blanketed in red. He grouses about the lights and that no amount of Christmas cheer shall enter our house until after December 1st. We are not even to utter a Christmas wish, bake a thing, or even think Christmas thoughts.

What ends up happening is a total overdrive on my part. I overcompensate and my Christmas fervor goes nuts all the way until December 1st. And all in secret. Then I become Grinch like as well. I get so sick of the attitude from him that I just give in. Sure we decorate a tree but we don't sit and stare at the beauty of it. We just gloss over the whole season letting his decree be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Now that we have a child I want her to feel immersed in the season and the traditions and not be tainted with the negative all consuming parts of it. I choose not to dwell on that commercialized part. This year I decided to cut back considerably. I have barely uttered a peep about the iron-clad law of December 1st and my wish to break it. I simply stated that this coming weekend I would like to get a tree. Maybe if I just quietly set up the season without him, despite how sad that makes me, it will have an effect. He won't notice the wreath on the door or the advent calendar on the fridge. Maybe, just maybe, our tiny toddler will be our own Cindy Loo Who and make our Grinch smile.

Comments







J. Fergie said...


lmao!! ok, your husband and mine must be friends. i generally just ignore him and go about spreading holiday cheer all by myself. now that the kids are old enough to get excited, it's even better. maybe one day our hubbies will get in the spirit. heck -- even the Grinch loved Christmas by the end of the movie ;)


Reply November 26, 2007 at 02:37 PM Vicky said...


It may also be due to the fact that the man has an entirely unatural albeit hilarious fear of Nutcrackers. "Jaws should not drop like that!" He says and cowers.


Reply November 26, 2007 at 03:07 PM Living By Learning said...


I used to love Christmas cheer, but I'm starting to think like the Grinch. There is something unnatural about sleigh bells ringing in October. That said, doesn't your husband know that the law of the land dictates that holiday lights go up Thanksgiving weekend?


Reply November 26, 2007 at 06:55 PM Jean said...


Even though it's more "correct" to say that Thanksgiving is your favorite holiday, Christmas is my favorite. But even I won't put up a tree until mid-December. We do start advent calendars at the beginning of December and I start getting gifts together early too. But the day after Christmas, I'm DONE. My tree comes down the morning of December 26th.


Thankfully, my husband, a little grinchy himself, lets himself get caught up once the kids and I get excited.