What? What Do You Mean "Christmas is Over"?!?

I'm blaming it on my Attention Deficit Disorder.

I am still getting ready for Christmas, but somehow it's already come and gone! As I started pulling out decorations right after Thanksgiving, I had visions of Christmas every where you look! Last year I was so frustrated with the LACK of enthusiasm and LACK of help from my family, that I didn't even unpack some boxes of decorations. (I got comments like-- "Let's just put up a pole for Festivus and be done with it!" , or "so and so's MOM doesn't make HER help with the tree!") I so treasure the days that passed by so quickly when the kids were mesmerized with every ornament, and wanted to be the one who found the perfect spot for the manger scene.

I knew this year's Christmas was going to be simple--(translation--cheap!). Elaborate gifts were out of the question--I got laid off and still am looking for a new position. So even though Bill receives disability and I've been receiving unemployment, it's gone before it gets into our account (you know--little things like--rent, medicine, utilities, food, insurance, a child in college, two kids at home...you get the idea!) It's been a rough economic year for so many-- so our extended families decided it would be best for everyone not to draw names this year and not to buy presents. I told the kids Santa was only leaving stockings this year (our youngest is 12, so maybe it's time for that anyway) plus, we would only be buying them a few gifts. So Christmas this year--for lack of a better word--was kind of "Grinchy!"

But I would fix that--I thought. I went to Wal-Mart and got the cheapest live tree. Nothing like the fresh smell of a live Christmas tree in your house! The guy who helped me in the garden center tied it on top of my van for me. He must have not been a Boy Scout because it fell off half-way home. On a busy street. I stopped and ran down the road to retrieve it as it rolled past cars waiting on me to move my van....oh gosh. One tiny lady in a big Hummer was nice enough to get out and try to help me. We were both too short to get it back on top of the van! And it was about 19 degrees outside! So I finally just gave it a big shove and it ended up horizontally across my vertical van--but I told her thanks so much--let's just get back in our cars. Then I probably made the line of cars even madder by driving about 10 mph in order to not shake the carefully balanced tree off the van again!

Just getting the tree up turned into a two day ordeal. It was crooked, and I trimmed on it, and re-positioned it several times in the stand. I would leave the room and when I came back it would be on the floor along with a broken ornament or two. I finally got out the Christmas ribbon and started tying the tree to whatever I could find. If it was leaning one way too much--I just tied another ribbon on the other side and stretched it across to the entertainment cabinet and tied it tight. Then I turned off the lights in the family room and turned on a small lamp. There. That's how it would have to stay through the season so no one would notice the strings tied around the tree....

Funny, even though I filled the bowl with water, and wrapped the trunk in a wet cloth and added water each day, just a few days later the tree was crisp and the branches were bowing. Dead. Oh well-- I still thought it was pretty.

So I unpacked Santas and more Santas and wondered where they would find a home this year. I set them on top of the entertainment center one by one--oops! There's a "Nutcracker Santa!" Does it go with the Santa's or the Nutcrackers? Where are my nutcrackers?.............

So-- I set down the Santa I had in my hand and started to the pile of boxes to look for Nutcrackers. I unpacked lots of Nutcracker soldiers. Ooops--one has lost a hat. One's hand has fallen off! I set out to explore the house for some sort of glue--do we have crazy glue? wood glue? where is my glue gun? Two hours later I finish repairing the Nutcrackers, and decide I'd like to look at them when I am at the kitchen sink. Another two hours and I had finally found extra lights and garland to go with the Nutcrackers at the kitchen sink, and my window seal spoke of Christmas Magic. :)

As I passed the windows out back on my way to find the big gold balls to hang over the dining room table...I noticed our across-the-lake neighbors all had outside lights twinkling.("Oh! We have to have some outside lights for them to look at as well!") I set out to find outside lights which took digging through every box, then making trips to Walgreens and Wal-Mart, only to come home to discover I needed more extension cords.

A few days later, we had blue and red lights (a nod to my crazy Rebel fan family) along the back deck and various white lights tossed up into the tree. I had something much more elaborate in mind, but somehow I couldn't quite meet my own expectations. Oh, well--back to the Santas...

Somewhere between the outside lights and the Santas my Christmas decor merchandising went awry. My attention quickly went to the "man cave" where Will and his friends play video games and pool. they needed a tree. lights and stockings. Then I decided I needed to take Christmas pictures of our goats in order to send a heartfelt Christmas card from the cuties to the lawyers office next to us that the goats frequently visit. (the phone rings..."Mrs. Day? Just wanted to let you know your goats are on our front porch!" ) Then I decided the wreaths on the gates needed lights.....then I thought I should really make some Christmas goodies for some folks.

I stayed up late Christmas eve, trying to make a decent batch of "Boiled Custard", a family Christmas tradition that goes back generations... and now only my mom is the only one left who knows how to make it. It's my turn to learn.

Then....it was Christmas Day. Ooops! (Is there still time to work on the Santas-- to hang the big gold ornaments in the foyer? to make the wreaths for the front door? to decorate the chandelier and the dining room? DARN) I am thinking--I will still finish emptying the boxes--who has to know besides us that it wasn't all done before Christmas?

Good thing Jesus doesn't judge us on how great our house looks for his birthday!

Besides--it's only January 1st-- can't we celebrate Jesus a little longer?

Now--back to those Santas. Where will my collection go this year? :)