Thanksgiving has come to a close, Christmas preparations are now in full swing, and the rest of the turkey population has been spared. Although many people have jumped the gun and started decking the halls weeks ago, the rest of us are now finally ready to partake in the much-anticipated Christmas festivities. Here are 10 thoughts you might have while transitioning between holidays.
It’s time to throw away the rotting pumpkins and look for a Christmas tree.
The once smiling jack-o-lanterns are starting to look pretty sad and moldy on your front porch. It’s time for them to go. Head out to a Christmas tree farm and find the perfect tree to bring home and decorate with your family.
You change your Scentsy wax from Pumpkin Patch to something like Very Merry Cranberry.
The holiday season tends to tap into all of your senses. The smells, sights, and sounds are all vital parts of the holiday experience. Plug in a candle warmer and fill every room with the beautiful scents that remind you of Christmas time.
Decorations are time-consuming, yet essential.
It is time to unload the boxes from the attic and start putting ornaments on the tree, Christmas lights on the house, and snowman figurines everywhere else. Christmas wouldn’t be complete without the stockings hung above the fireplace or the handmade decorations you created in the third grade. Throw on some Christmas tunes and decorate your home as a family. It may take several hours, depending on how festive your family is, but the result is priceless.
You will get a family overload, and it is not optional.
Both Thanksgiving and Christmas are times for families to come together in celebration. It’s an excellent time to enjoy each other’s company, catch up, and exchange stories. Family time is wonderful and should be treasured, but sometimes you reach a point where you have seen enough of everyone and want to get back to your usual routine. Unfortunately, you don’t have this option until after Christmas. Grin and bear it; you will look back on these memories fondly.
You have four more weeks to perfect the story behind your relationship status.
As I mentioned, you will be seeing a lot of families. Typically, extended family like aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, and maybe even close friends of the family will be attend your family function. In case you haven’t noticed, family members love to ask questions about your life, work, school, but most importantly, they want to know all of the juicy details in regards to your relationship status. If you don’t have a significant other, they will grill you until they find out why. If you do have a significant other, they will ask any and all questions about him or her in hopes of getting a better understanding of your relationship. Get your story straight; rehearse it in the mirror if you have to because the questions will come.
Nix the pumpkin spice latte and order the peppermint mocha.
Pumpkin is out. Peppermint is in. If you are a little slow and haven’t changed your daily coffee order, Starbucks will be sure to help you along when they discontinue your beloved PSL until next fall.
Two words: Christmas shopping.
Some will fight the crowds and push their way through thousands of people to get the best deals on Black Friday while others wait until Christmas Eve to wrap up their last-minute shopping. This is probably one of the most dreadful parts of the holiday season, but it must be done. The sooner, the better.
Annual Santa Photos are a must.
You are never too old to take your picture with Santa. My mom has been forcing me to take my picture with the big guy for the past 21 years. It’s tradition; it gets more fun each year as you grow up, and your mom will love it and treasure it for a lifetime. Go with your siblings, your friends, a pet, or a significant other and get a good laugh out of sitting on Santa’s lap.
It is now socially acceptable to blast Christmas music and watch all of the classic Christmas movies.
I will be the first to admit that I am a Christmas music fanatic. I haven’t found a Christmas song I don’t like, and my guilty pleasure is Justin Bieber’s Christmas album from a few years back. Over the years, I’ve noticed that there is a split between those who rebel and listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving and those who refuse to acknowledge that such a genre even exists until the day after Thanksgiving. Whichever category you fall into, you are in the clear now. Feel free to hum along to "Frosty the Snowman" or blast "Jingle Bell Rock" in your car without judgment.
“I have four weeks between holidays to burn off the calories I just ate, so that I can eat them all again during Christmas.”
You have been telling yourself all year to hit the gym and eat right, but it’s easy to lose sight of that and slack off a bit. It’s no secret that Thanksgiving is all about the big feast, but something must be done to make up for the thousands of extra calories we all consumed in a very short amount of time. From the turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing to the pies and all of the other sweets, we stuff ourselves to the brim, only to have an equally large feast four short weeks later. Go for a jog around the neighborhood or invest in a gym membership. You will thank yourself later and will be able to enjoy a semi-guilt free holiday season.
Whether you are ready or not, Christmas is approaching fast, and there’s no stopping it. Most people claim to have a million things to do to prepare for Christmas and the start of the new year. Remember to breathe, relax as much as possible, and count your blessings. Best of luck this holiday season and have a very merry Christmas.
