Grinchy

Since I don't feel like exposing myself to horrified anger and criticism on Facebook, I'm going to open up here in BlogWorld. Shocking to many people, I'm relieved (even delighted) that I won't be decorating for Christmas this year. I scroll past people's posts who have been listening to Christmas music since September and watch holiday films in July. Some have had their decorations up for nearly a month. I don't mock or judge, but stay quiet about my own Scrooge like personality. A friend, who shall remain anonymous for her own protection, shares my anti-celebratory attitude. She's not decorating either, and is also happy about that! If you've read my blog for long, you already know that December is a tough month for me. You've seen past photos of the snow globes that I enjoy putting out, and the cookies that I love to bake, especially if both my girls are home like they were in 2019. You've heard the stories of the 10 foot Christmas tree that nearly caused a divorce when our little girls had to stand on a ladder to decorate it. You've commiserated when I whined about trying to manage a three foot tree, cried about the difficulties of putting it in the stand(shims are a pain!) and ranted about my propensity to get tangled up in the Christmas lights. There was a reason why my late husband handled the tree! You've been sympathetic when I've agonized about gift giving; I'm terrible at choosing presents since I hate to shop and have few creative or useful ideas. In just about every way possible, 2020 is going to be a novel year. 

Yesterday my guy made bread, we watched the Seahawks win a very exciting game, and I discovered that in spite of his jolly demeanor, John is a Christmas Curmudgeon and would prefer to eschew gift giving. What a relief! 

John's homemade corn, potato and sausage chowder was also delicious! Although he's not sentimental, he does light candles for dinner and likes to use cloth napkins. We had the rest of my Nanaimo bars for dessert, which was a perfect amount of food. :)

 

My house is still a mess, but coming together nicely. I was grateful for the invitation to John's where nothing is torn apart. Plus, he has about a 100 foot TV for football watching. I'm exaggerating, but not by much!

Having an obsessively neat, professional and perfectionist painter is a real plus. Coming home to this was such a treat. Perhaps I should hire him to vacuum for me regularly? ;)

Re-hanging the paintings and decorations, as well as putting all the glassware back in the hutch, has earned me 16,000 Fitbit steps. That's the only positive I can think of. This was before I got started when I was still trying to convince myself that it wouldn't take that long or be as tedious as it turned out to be...

Mari has been extremely angry about the disruption to her schedule and the invasion of her space. However, her clueless owner stupidly left out some cheesy bagels, so she had a party. I'm sure she considers it payback, or Kitty Karma. 

It's still fall, y'all! 

 

 

Comments

[Donna W]

Cats are so interesting! I've always thought so, anyhow, but seeing the transformation of my Mama Kitty since I began feeding her canned food in her old age has made my heart glad; and watching the young outlaw cat, Blue, gives me so many laughs! I've always been a dog person, which is probably why I find the cats fascinating: they are so different from dogs, the way they can be aloof one moment and clowning around the next.

[Kathy]

Since I moved into this house 6 years ago I haven't decorated it for Christmas once, and definitely won't this year. Forced gaiety! Too much food! I was never a fan. Years ago I got dumped by someone important right before Christmas and sometimes that bad memory still pops up. I try hard to enjoy everyone else's holiday-making anyway, but am always relieved when it's over. P.S. I like the new paint color.

[Doug M]

Oh Margaret, I had to laugh at your past holiday woes (but I felt bad for you too). If you're truly done with it, then good for you. As for the people you know who begin celebrating Christmas months in advance--ARRRRGH!! I know these people too and what makes it even worse is their boasting of it. They actually think it makes them look cute or something. Blecch!

Anyway, my mouth began watering at your guy's homebaked bread and your painter(s) are from another planet. I've never seen such neatness. Sure hope you enjoy your "still fall y'all" weekend! :)

[sillygirl]

We aren't doing Thanksgiving or Christmas this year. Instead we will be doing Italian Day this month and French Day next month. We needed something completely different and we don't do presents any more anyway and I don't like decorating. We will set up a table at the windows and have candles for our dinners because the main table will be covered with jigsaw puzzle pieces - a picture of lavender fields in Italy/France - and we will watch some Italian movies and then French movies in December. This will be a year to enjoyably remember!

[Meg]

My husband wants to decorate and everyone around us is decorating. I am giving in a little because I’m actually afraid we will get sick and won’t be able to decorate and there have been too many years where we didn’t decorate and he has been disappointed.
We are compromising though it can’t be all Christmas all the time. House looks great!

[Joanne Noragon]

It's a shame we don't live near each other. When my girls were growing up, they decorated for holidays. The little Jewish fellow across the street helped every year, and the first year both girls were not home, he came over, pulled all the ornaments and decorations and put them up. Then took them down at the appropriate time. He did that every year until he went away, and then there was nothing for awhile, until I moved. Back on my own again these last couple of years have been a relief.
The new color is perfect.

[AC]

We don’t do a proper tree and haven’t for 15 years. We have a little 3’ (if that) prelit tree that we put up with no extra decorations, and that’s that. You’ve seen the shelf already, and there isn’t too much more.

We have had Christmas at Sha’s, but I don’t know about this year. Her place is smaller than ours and there is extra furniture as well as an extra person this year. That’s if we get together at all.

We no longer even do a turkey. I do miss it though. The food but even more the tradition.

[Tonya]

I haven't completely decided about decorating for Christmas this year. I doubt that we'll be "having" Christmas, and so there really is no point, right? I have a few little things that I really like that I may set out, but probably no tree. Sigh. I was so looking forward to having the kids here and watching 3-year-old Quinn open his presents! *sob*

[Marie K]

This just doesn't seem like a good year to get things out, but I totally understand people who want to make their houses look festive (many, very early this year). For me, it's a bother and a "what's the point" kind of thing. For others it's a "this will make me feel better" kind of thing. We all have do what works for us. I enjoy looking at peoples' holiday photos, though. I just don't want to do the work.
John has a lovely table! I like that he enjoys cooking, baking, and making things look nice for you. :)

[Ed]

For me, Christmas trees have always been for the kids. When they are out of the nest, I doubt we will go through the hassle of putting up a tree... at least until grandkids enter into the picture.

[Zazzy]

We're all different and I say decorate as much or little as you want with no judgement on either side. For me, decorating - which is done because I have no help this year and I figured it would take a long time - is a slap in the face of the evil covid. I can and do enjoy the change for the seasons. For me, it's like flowers in the spring. A little light inside as the days keep getting shorter and darker and the rain here is not letting up. My tree is festooned with snowmen and snowflakes this year. It has an itty bitty Olaf that I mid-read the size of in the Amazon description and has become a fun little game of "find the Olaf" for my few visitors.

[Liora]

The bread is beautiful. What a treat! Your guy can really cook and set a beautiful table. I'm increasingly appreciating it when people go to the effort of making gifts from scratch. Such an act of love. And edible gifts are nice and waste-free! The consumerism this time of year does bother me, but I get it. Retail therapy is probably helping distract many people this year.