Too Early for Christmas?

I’m so thankful that it’s finally after Thanksgiving. I look forward to the Christmas season like no other time in the world. Even my Jewish friends get caught up in it with me around!

However, there are two types of people between November and December. There are those who think it’s never too early to play Christmas music. And then there are those who think that until Thanksgiving is over, no seasonal music even hinting at the jolly elf’s existence should be played. Even seasonal hymns are off limits.

I belong to the never too early crowd.

I also belong to the “never take the tree and any other outside decorations down until your neighbors hint at petitioning the local zoning board” crowd.

My children have all agreed that this is yet another example of their mother’s ever-decreasing grasp on reality. What they don’t know is that I’ve been like this all my life. I guess you would say me, and people like me, are the reason artificial trees were invented. A real one would be a mere stick by the time I took it down.

My kids, however, strongly belong to the “no Christmas music or merchandise until after Thanksgiving” crowd. And when I say they feel strongly about that, it’s actually an understatement.

When we went shopping throughout November, the stores were busy putting out decorations, ornaments, candies, and even seasonal clothes. My kids sniffed in indignation and refused to even glance in the general direction of the too-early holiday merchandise displays.

Once, when driving home, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" came on the radio. I started happily humming. Elyse, however, sprang from the backseat like an Olympic diver to turn the channel so she could be spared from pre-Thanksgiving Christmas revelry. Surprisingly, she managed to get it turned off before Burl Ives sang the second syllable of Rudolph’s name. She glared at me as she insisted that November 10th is too early for me to be listening to Christmas music.

Still, I don’t learn.

A week later, I was at the store, and as I stood in line, I noticed a box of candy canes. My kids are candy cane freaks. I have to buy at least ten boxes per week leading up to Christmas, and for a few weeks afterward. They eat them, or rather, inhale them. They also use them to adorn packages and insist that they’re on the tree. They can’t be in the same room without grabbing one or two to eat. I usually wait until after they’ve gone to bed before I whip out my secret stash and restock the tree. I tell them that Christmas Elves keep the tree fully loaded. Don’t you just love Christmas magic?

I bought a box of the peppermint candies. I thought that they would have torn the box apart to get to them before I could pull them out of the shopping bag. I plopped the box down on the counter and stepped away, hands up, as quickly as humanly possible.

They looked at me as if I shot Santa. Shaking their heads, they left the room muttering, "She just doesn’t get it." Instead, the box was put into the pantry, where it sat unopened until Black Friday; the “official” start of the Christmas season.

My kids are nothing if not dedicated.

Friday morning rolled around, and there was nothing left of the box except for a few tiny remnants of candy cane wrapping paper. It reminded me of the Grinch, when he didn’t leave as much as a crumb for a mouse.

But now the appropriate time is upon us, and I’m running around decorating every inch of the house. There are candy canes everywhere, mistletoe is hung, the tree is decorated and there are enough lights up and down my banister to land a plane. Even the dogs are wearing Christmas hats or bows. But the best part is that I can finally turn up Christmas music to my heart’s content.

I might even or two (wink).

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