It’s the holiday season and blah blah blah. I am feeling totally ambivalent about it all this year. I can’t figure out why. I love giving presents, singing Christmas and Hanukkah songs (I’m not your average shiksa), Christmas lights, you get the idea. My mom has always gone all-out for Christmas. Our house growing up looked like Santa had barfed everywhere – you know, in a completely tasteful way, of course.
And really, to get more specific, the thing I am most ambivalent about is decorating for Christmas. Today I told my friends Meghan and Tara that Mike and I decided not to decorate at all, and they both completely flipped out. Maybe we’re out of practice. We haven’t decked the halls for a few years now. A couple years ago we skipped decorating because Mike and I were getting married and going on our honeymoon. Last year Maddie was in the hospital. This year we’re going to be in Northern California for Santa’s big show, and the idea of putting up decorations now just to take them down in two weeks makes me tired.
And really, just to decorate, I have to clean my house. And that REALLY makes me tired.
December is a really busy month for us. My nephew’s birthday, Rigby’s birthday, Mike’s birthday, our anniversary, Christmas, New Year’s, OH MY. I try to make Mike’s birthday really special and by the time Christmas comes around, we are both so exhausted from the shopping and the wrapping and the packing and the shipping that we both just want to scream.
But then, as Tara pointed out/lectured to me, this is Maddie’s first Christmas out of the hospital. We don’t have a stocking for her yet, we have to start our family traditions and work on memories and, of course, take lots of pictures. She’s right, we have to do all those things. We want to do all those things. So I’m rethinking our decision not to hang the mistletoe. Maddie’s breathing issues will require a fake tree (and don’t even get me started on how I feel about fake trees), so I am going to have to look into where you get one and how much they cost and oh jeez I’m already tired.
So really what I’m saying is, who wants to come to my house, clean it, and then put up my decorations?
Ms. Moon says:
I hate Christmas. There. I said it.
BUT, if I were getting an artificial tree, I would go all out and get one of those silvery-white ones with the rotating light that shines on it, making it all sorts of crazy colors not found in nature. I mean- GO FOR IT!
Put that up and get Maddie a stocking and DONE!
She’ll think she’s in wonderland.
Ms. Moons last blog post..Hooked On A Feeling
Andrea says:
OOOOH ME ME ME!!!! I am obsessive about Christmas decorations! Put them all up Friday (except the tree cause we get a real one and well it would be a stick by Christmas!). Okay so unless someone is going to fly me out to your sunny neck of the woods I can’t help, sorry! BUT I can say this: yes, you need to start traditions but do they have to involve decorations? NOPE! How about driving around to check out others decorations? Easy and you don’t have to clean your house (heck if you stay in the car you can stay in your PJs!)
Just enjoy Christmas with Maddie home and healthy!!!
Andreas last blog post..Week in review
Bailey says:
No Christmas decorations for us either! My daughter is only 2 months so she won’t remember that we had a 2 ft. tall silver tinsel tree instead of a real one. Truthfully, I don’t want to go out an buy a tree stand, skirt, lights, ornaments and oh yeah, a tree. We’ll worry about that next year.
Baileys last blog post..Thankful
Danes says:
Haha – I got our decorations out of the garage and they’re still sitting on the floor in their crates. Not so motivated…. I’m not even motivated to celebrate my own 30th because it’s on Christmas. Now THAT is just pathetic.
ali says:
my stepmom does the santa-barfed thing too. that’s why we just pack up and go there for the week of Christmas. awesome. i don’t have to do ANYTHING!
alis last blog post..broken limbs and apple-themed decor
maya says:
FYI: there are some great fake trees!!
http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?DeptID=57088&CatID=63728&GrpTyp=PRD&ItemID=14813ff&attrtype=&attrvalue=&CMID=EXTERNAL%7c63610&Fltr=&Srt=&QL=F&IND=10&CmCatId=external|63610|63728
mayas last blog post..Onions
jen says:
i’m glad i’m jewish!
jens last blog post..Halloween and cute pics
always home and uncool says:
My Love is not big on homemaking skills (she cheated on her 4-H sewing test) but holiday decorating is her thang. Meanwhile, I’m the cleaner. So let’s talk airfare and accomodations, sweetie …
always home and uncools last blog post..Spoons are for Snowfalls
Becky says:
I’m equally uninterested in the holidays this year. Maybe we can beat each other senseless until we both are.
Issa says:
I adore Christmas, but I can see where that is too much to do in one month. We have some of the same issues here, as my daughter’s birthday is next weekend, my MIL’s is five days before Christmas and then the big, where are we going and who is doing what crazy-ness for Christmas.
I wanted to tell you though, there are little table top trees, which might be good and easy this time around. You can even put real ornaments on them, as long as they are light ones. We did a fake small tree for a few years. You can get them at Wall-Greens and Target and I don’t think they are too expensive. We buy each of our kids an ornament each year. When we had the bitty tree, we did mini ornaments from Lenox and they are adorable.
Issas last blog post..The best of the best…
CC says:
My decorations include strictly gingerbread cookies and eggnog in my stomach.
CCs last blog post..Yes, but I don’t go out with assholes.
Kate says:
I would do it in a heatbeat. I don’t have a house or an apartment to decorate just a room, and there’s only so much you can do in a tiny bedroom that is already overcrowded with boxes. Its this time of year I especially miss my adorable apartment in redondo beach with its fireplace mantle which was perfect for my Dicken’s Village collection and my awesome roommate who would always bring me a real tree one day after work and let me decorate it however I wanted.
Be thankful that you have a house/condo and a family, even if you don’t end of decorating, be thankful you have that choice.
Bec says:
Ha! I know the feeling! Everytime I clean the house to put up the tree along comes someone small comes along and messes everything up again.
Becs last blog post..Discharged
Rachel says:
I felt the same way last year (my daughter’s first Christmas). I didn’t put up a single decoration nor did I bother to wrap anyone’s gifts. Just the thought of putting up a tree and cleaning and taking it all back down was enough to make me want to find a cave in to hide until it is all over. People reacted as though I was trying to pull a grinch on Elizabeth. I got people lecturing me in blog comments about the special time of year and the real meaning, blah blah blah. I figured Elizabeth won’t remember anything anyway (I don’t know a single detail about my first Christmas). We didn’t even bother to wrap her present and she seemed happier with the box than the actual toy. Don’t feel bad if you don’t do anything. I have a feeling Maddie won’t hold it against you guys.
Rachels last blog post..Gratitude Tag
AMomTwoBoys says:
For the record, I did NOT flip out. I was too busy oogling the sales in Ann Taylor & Banana Republic.
But Tara’s a smart girl. You’re required by some sort of unwritten parental law to decorate a *little* for Maddie’s first Christmas at home. Imagine how much she’ll love the lights on the tree! Even if it is tacky. I mean, fake.
And I’m currently in the process of cleaning my house so I can put up my decorations. And the further into it you get, the funner it gets. (Is funner a word? More fun sounds…stupid)
Anyway- light a nice smelling candle (gingerbread spice is burning here), have some coffee w/bailey’s or hot chocolate w/peppermint schnapps and have at it. You won’t regret it.
Mwah.
AMomTwoBoyss last blog post..It’s F*cking December?!
Anissa@Hope4Peyton says:
Girl.
I have a child’s birthday coming up on Friday that I haven’t bought any presents for.
I have only bought 2 gifts at all for Christmas.
I only have lights on my house because my kids demanded them while I was out drinking with friends and my husband caved and put them up.
I’ll come and steal you away and we can go get coffee full of Bailey’s instead. Yes?
Anissa@Hope4Peytons last blog post..What else would it smell like?
Backpacking Dad says:
We’re not decorating this year. Last year we went to my mom’s and she goes crazy with decorations and crap and I’ve inherited her enthusiasm (the car radio is on the Christmas station the day it turns over).
But this year we’re going to be down in SoCal, hanging out at Mickey’s House for Christmas. So, enh, why get a tree that we won’t see at 5am with presents stuffed underneath it?
No tree.
But I feel like I ought to bring a stocking down to Disneyland with me.
Backpacking Dads last blog post..A Speech (shelved)
Tara says:
Gosh, you make me sound so bossy! That is so not how it went down, people. I fully supported Heather in not decorating for the past two years, but this year??? I couldn’t accept it. And I really didn’t have to say much to change her mind. She admitted I was right after about two seconds. See? Not so bossy. Love you anyway, Heather!
Christy says:
Last year I bought a wreath for the fort door but never got around to putting it up. And how hard is that?! Our house is not festive yet, but this weekend we are getting the tree. Oh Heather, I just saw an ad for fake trees at big lots. See you soon
patois says:
How’s about some other lovely person cleans your house, and then I’ll come and decorate? ‘Cause I’m a sick-o about decorating.
patoiss last blog post..Wordy Wednesday #39: I Triple-Dog Dare Ya
Kristabella says:
I was so with you on the decorating, until you mentioned what Tara said about Maddie’s first Christmas! YOu have to decorate! Even if it is just a stocking and a wreath. No need to go all out if you aren’t going to be there, but you should do something!
Kristabellas last blog post..Maybe I’m OK With Being Single
Spring says:
Here’s why I think. Go with a small tree this year, because if you’re going to go artificial; buy it after Christmas when they go 50 or 75% off. Seriously, some of those trees are ridiculous. And, while you won’t have the full, big, overly pretty tree this year; you’ll still have a first tree while saving a crap load of money. I’m all about saving money (apparently). Oh and go pre lit. I’ve never had a real tree, NEVER. However, putting up my mom’s artificial tree before pre lit was a fate worse than death. Then again, I doubt that you would want to wrap each individual limb with lights. I totally just got off track there. Again, the point is after Christmas, buy a big pre lit artificial wonder. Hope Maddie’s feeling better.