Most years, I'm respectful of the people who flip out when holiday decorations come out too early (like September). But honestly, 2020 is hard, y'all. I am on the holiday train this year. Neighborhood lights have been going up all week, and I support this trend whole-heartedly. It raises spirits in a very simple, sugar-free, non-alcoholic way. Normally I wait until the weekend after Thanksgiving, and leave lights on until Epiphany/12th Night. (In Denver they refer to it as "the end of the Stock Show.) Forget that. We are probably going to do it tomorrow while the weather is pleasant, and I'm planning on leaving those suckers going until at least MLK Day. Maybe Valentines. Or Presidents Day....
Last week I picked out a new pre-lit Christmas tree from Lowe's (the one I was given last year was incandescent and I wanted LED) and I ordered it to be shipped to the house. It was left on the porch yesterday (and UPS dude didn't even ring the doorbell to announce its arrival). I had to move things around to make space for it, and I haven't yet figured out where the antique bench will go yet. I assembled the tree this evening, and gave it a test run. I chose my light pattern (slowly fading between warm white and multi-colored light) and set about fluffing and aiming the branch tips. It's very close to done, but needs a little finessing in daylight. As in years past, I'll leave it up a few days before hanging dog chewies--I mean ornaments on it.
I had such plans for how holidays would go, now that we are grandparents. I laid claim to Christmas Eve as my time. I want everyone to come here for dinner and Christmas movies, and I figured I would let the kids open at least one gift I had for them that night. Then they can do stockings and Santa stuff early morning without waiting for me to get moving. But will that start this year? I have doubts. Maybe we will be able to reassemble our "pod" by then. I would like to be available to babysit again too. If not, then instead of my dream of a rare standing rib roast followed by the traditional Muppet Christmas Carol, I'll dig out some steaks we froze when they were on sale, and fire up the old Google hangouts. One way or another, we will make it work.
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