My Life, The Hallmark Movie

Almost as soon as the Thanksgiving dinner dishes have been washed, the holiday season becomes THE HOLIDAY SEASON. (The capital letters make it even more important.) Everything becomes larger than life. The sun is brighter, the air is sweeter, the fruitcake is extra fruity, and the Christmas lights are extra twinkly.

Plus, it’s one of the few times my kids earn their keep.

No one questions your love of the holidays if you have young kids. It’s like you’re not allowed to be a Christmas loving freak of nature unless you’re doing it for your children’s enjoyment. (This would bother me a lot more if they weren’t the same people who also proclaim that anyone NOT in the holiday spirit must be a Grinch. What the eff people? Make up my mind!) If I wear Christmas earrings, go overkill on the baking and decorating, and look like Buddy the Elf on crack, everyone thinks it’s making the best of it for the kids.

Uh, yeah, for the kids…..riiiighhht. Totally not for me. Because that would be totally lame, right? But ya know, gotta pull out all the stops for those dang needy kids of mine. It’s sooo annoying. But it makes them happy so... grin and bear it I guess. Grrr.

Who has thirty two holiday movies on the DVR? Um, I think it was the dog. She really seems to enjoy a nice feel good movie this time of year. Give her some hot cocoa with marshmallows and she’s really in her glory.

Who wanted the decorations out before Thanksgiving since it was so late this year that they felt they were getting gypped of a full season of Claus, trees, and snowmen? That must have been my husband. What do you mean you don’t think so? Just because he barely notices the regular décor, it doesn’t mean he can’t appreciate a nice wooden Santa plaque or a snowman trinket. I mean geez, guys.

Who has a calendar of December events like tree decorating, ornament making, cookie baking, and holiday parties? Oh, that’s the five year old’s handiwork. You know, that kid just LOVES being organized. It’s really endearing to see him getting his shit together at such a young age. Yup, that kid’s going places alright.

Who has different wrapping paper and gift tags to differentiate between ahem, specific senders? Uh, that’s the dog too. See, she likes to watch those Christmas movies while she’s wrapping presents. It’s really one of her favorite parts of the month. Don’t believe me? Just ask her.

Okay, okay, you got me. It’s me. All me. I love it every little bit of it. The happy, shiny people who are nicer this time of year, the cold weather that makes warm sweaters and  hot cocoa ten times more awesome, the lights on the houses, the snow on the ground (that is 100% allowed to melt on December 26^th) and the gingerbread cookies. (Most definitely the gingerbread cookies. Yeah, sure, I could have them anytime of the year, but they just don’t taste the same.) I love the family gatherings and games and laughter. I like making those damn annoying salt dough ornaments for the 20^th year in a row and decorating our tree to within an inch of its life. I love it all, do you hear me? And I don’t care how crazy that makes me.

Because when you think about it, what’s NOT to love during that magical time between Thanksgiving and Christkwanzukka? (I think I safely encompassed the majority of holiday revelers there, right?) Between parties and food, family and friends, presents and presence, the whole season is way too short to be mashed into a few weeks. At least it is if they expect us to continue to work those 40 hours a week and be productive members of society anyway. (It’s always that pesky job that’s getting in the way of my leisure time activities. The nerve!) So I guess in a way, my life does start to resemble a Hallmark movie during this time of year….you know, the one with the delusional woman lives in a fantasy world that she created herself? But it’s okay, they all know me here. 

What’s that? Christmas carols? Count me in! Fa la la la la la la la la.

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