Saturday, November 28, 2020

Christmas Cheer


Did I start to decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving?  Why yes, I believe I did.  I have not put up a Christmas tree yet, but there are lights and garland and nativity scene in the living room, plus lights, garland and silk pointsettias in the study.  The craptaculous year; the darkness falling at quarter past five p.m.; our Elders and Betters, those purveyors of atheistic puritanism, trying to ration our (but not their own) holiday cheer with eyedroppers: the confluence of all these calls for laying it on early, and laying it on thick.  As you can see, Scarlett the Cat, Mistress of All She Surveys, thoroughly approves.

Nor will Advent get short shrift.  There are not one, but two Advent wreaths; and the outside lamps will shine purple (pink for the week beginning with Gaudete Sunday).  As Advent is a penitential season, I will deign to forego a chocolate or whiskey Advent calendar, though there might be a hot buttered rum on a cold Sunday evening.

Despite the disasters and anxieties that this year has brought, I for one have a lot to be thankful for.  In discouraging times, praise, thanksgiving and cheer are still the best medicines.

7 comments:

  1. I was contemplating not doing a lot of decorating this year... sad because my daughter had to cancel her flight to come here for Christmas due to shutdowns of interprovincial travel but I think you have a good point- lets not let them shut down our joy and devotion. Bring on the lights and decoration!

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    1. Shirley - don't do it!! I know from experience the one Christmas I decided to forgo a tree (even though I have a fake one), and worse, don't even remember why, I regretted the decision. Worst. Christmas. Ever! Never to be repeated. Don't let anyone steal your joy! God bless.

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  2. Well - I finally found Scarlett. Love her!!

    I'm putting my tree and Nativity up around Tuesday. I'm been immersed in some deep cleaning. Today was the kitchen. It includes wall washing, paint touch up, scouring the top of the cabinets, and some reorganizing. Getting ready for Christmas one clean surface at a time!

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  3. OMGosh - now I don't feel so bad since I'm putting my tree up early next week. At least I waited until after the fist Sunday of Advent. I never thought of a purple lightbulb for advent. What a splendid idea.

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  4. Shirley, I second Adrienne in urging you NOT to forego Christmas. The whole point of the assault on the holiday season is to destroy our hope of heaven. But the reality of heaven is still there no matter how hard it is to see, and holidays are our foretaste of it on earth.

    Adrienne, I actually have two short, skinny, pre-lit Christmas trees (thanks to not carefully reading the box they came in before buying them). I have now put them up but will hold off decorating them until Christmas Eve. Also I removed the Christ Child and the Three Kings from the nativity scene since, well, they’re not here yet. And I am splurging on professionally installed Christmas lights outside, which should go up this week.

    I usually criticize the early decorating, since then everyone is sick and tired of Christmas stuff by the time Christmas comes, and then they immediately take everything down so nothing is left during Christmastide. But this year, I think we need to get in the holiday spirit now.

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  5. Anita, I meant to tell you I was deleting my FB, but I missed telling you prior to the big delete! I plan on keeping in touch via your blog here. Love you! - Georgia

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    1. Georgia, I am sending out Christmas cards. If you wouldn’t mind emailing me your mailing address, I would like to send you one. anitavforvictory@gmail.com

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