traditions

Fall is finally, gloriously here at last and with it all the holiday things like stocking stuffers and gingerbread coffee. But the weather is the best part, walking through a wind tunnel to get to work, still only needing a light sweater, but last week sandals would have been completely appropriate so we are doing good. I walked into a store last weekend can you believe already playing Christmas songs like Here comes Santa Claus. And this is why I keep thinking to myself I can't believe Christmas is here already!, but it really isn't. The time disappears quickly enough without skipping over almost two full months.

Growing up I got so sick of the holidays, because my mom always got so into them. Every year we cut down a fresh Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving, and she'd insist we all decorate it together. She made homemade ornaments with us when we were little, then as we got older she decorated the tree with different themes year after year. She'd play Christmas music non-stop from Thanksgiving to New Years. We hated it.

But when I got my own home, I started doing the same things almost without even thinking about it. Buying the stockings and ornaments and garlands for the house and collecting yearly dated ornaments to document my new life. And cd's! I wouldn't be exaggerating to say that I have over twenty holiday music cd's; the box is packed away with the decorations and lights. It took me a while to realize that I was actually collecting the songs I remembered as a child. (the little drummer boy and what child is this are two of my very favorites.)

And last year I had so much going on that I didn't get a tree, or decorate, and barely even bought presents. It was horribly depressing and made me realize how much I do love traditions.