The huge tree we have out in the shed stayed in the shed.
I did pull out a tiny tree we have and set it on top of the computer hutch, but that was pretty much the extent of our decorating.
We discussed decorating, but the house needed cleaning up and no one really wanted to contribute to it. Including me. We talked about what a pain in the ass it is to get everything out for a week or two and then have to put it all away again. I usually wait until the weekend of my birthday to decorate because I always felt like my birthday got lost in the crazy as I was growing up.
So we didn't decorate the weekend of my birthday. Which is exactly two weeks before Christmas. That left one weekend before Christmas. And I weighed getting everything out, enjoying it for only a week and then putting it all away. And no, we don't leave everything out until the new year... as soon as Christmas is over, everything goes back into its boxes. I'm done looking at it.
And so we didn't decorate, or not much. I did put the Christmas tablecloth on, and pulled out the tiny pre-lit tree and little ornaments. I think I did the magnets, too.
When Christmas was over, I regretted not getting everything out.
I regret it even more this year, because of course at the time I didn't realize it would be Lyssa's last Christmas with us.
Let's pause a moment while I get a tissue.
Okay. Back.
This year, I am still dithering. It's just the two of us. And I am the only one of the two who really cares. Eric doesn't have lovely Christmas memories from childhood.
Such a good dad, though. He enjoyed our kids growing up and was much more generous buying them gifts than I would have been on my own. I remember leaving Matt with my friend Patty when he was 5 so Eric and I could go do some shopping. I thought we'd go and buy one big present and some stocking stuffers.
Eric, on the other hand, wanted to buy the entire store. We ended up spending far more money than I would have. And we continued to do that until they grew up. Spent as much as we could and still be able to feed them. I did the layaway thing more than once, sometimes scraping to come up with the payment that was always due at the worst possible time.
Many
One reason I have been giving away our homeschooling supplies a little bit at a time. As I find stuff, I put it out on the homeschool discussion lists and offer it on a first come first served basis.
I do attach conditions, though. I tell the recipients that I would like them to do likewise. When they're done with stuff, pass it on.
Wow, I've drifted from the topic, haven't I?
So I don't know if I will decorate this year. I'm still on the fence. What it really comes down to is 'will it make me feel better' or will it emphasize the fact that our home, for the first time in 27 years, has no children living in it? Will it make me more sad? (if that's even possible...)
What is your favorite Christmas decoration? Why not just take one or two things that you really enjoy and leave the rest? My Mom gradually put up less and less, until now, she only puts up a 12" ceramic tree that she plugs in ...that's it! In fact this weekend my nephew is coming over to pick through her decorations for his own house this year.
ReplyDeleteDon't stress over it!
I've hardly done a tree since my kids left home. Did one a couple of times when the grandkids were younger. Decorating doesn't make me feel better, especially since I dread the holidays like the plague.
ReplyDeleteI certainly can relate to this one. Without Nicole in the house, the wrapping silliness doesn't happen. The running out of paper and hiding presents when someone comes in the room to get more will all changes. The men in my house are wonderful but it isn't the same. Change is inevitable but sometimes it sure hurts.
ReplyDeleteThings seem to have changed for many of us. We used to do Christmas to the hilt: A 7' Noble fir, decorated within an inch of it's life, garlands ove the fireplace and the doorways . . . lights, candles, music. These days, and I don''t know when it changed, it was before I was, well, as I am now, but we've been putting out a ceramic tree which gets to compete with the dust.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I don't bake any more either, which sucks.
As for timing, we would get our tree the weekend after Thanksgiving, and it would always stay up until Little Christmas (1/6); but one year it made it to MLK day when the fossil was pretty crunchy going out the front door.
Oh thanks for writing this. I was beginning to think I was alone in the few decorations thing. It was different back when Christmas was at my house and the kids and grands younger. Now we end up going to one of the kids houses.
ReplyDeleteWe have a 5 foot tree, mainly because we have a VERY small house and low ceilings. I debate every year, and there is usually a push by someone to get it up, OR we are having company for xmas eve and SHOULD have it up. But this year we are having no company and no one cared about putting it up.
ReplyDeleteHere's the thing though... as much of a pain in the butt as it is (see: actually cutting out Christmas lights that didn't work and reconnecting wires so that the string would work so I didn't have to go buy new ones) when I come home and see the Christmas tree all lit up at the end of a brutal work day.... it makes me feel better. And I know though "he doesn't care", it makes Tony feel better too.
One of my friends though, right after her Mom died and Christmas took on a new meaning for her, got a miniature tree (2 feet I think) and every year she'd try and find one or two new special microscopic ornaments for it. When we travel we always look for new ones for her. It's become her new tradition without all the work.
Something to think about. :)
When ours were grown we would go to whichever of our grands that still believed house and wait in the driveway until we saw the lights come on and then go inside and enjoy the little ones.
ReplyDeleteOf course we asked first.
Maybe this can be in your future. :0)
(((hugs)))
Well, so far, I belong right here! I stopped decorating when my youngest went to college (1995!)--but then, he'd come home and do it himself, because-- I guess--he had good memories of us doing it together as a family,with the exception of his dad--who, after having gotten the tree and put it in its stand and cursed the lights fantastic, let the rest of us do it all! Our son still loves a Christmas tree. When he was first married, it was going to the tree farm, getting "the best one", cutting it down, and bringing it home. Then he did the same as his dad--the stand, the lights, and watched. Now--his wife easily talked him out of a real fir tree, after he'd sworn to always have one! We're welcome to stay with them at Christmas, (Thank you, Lord!) and the tree is up when we get here , (YAY!) I love to look at what my grandkids and DIL have done with it and all the rest of the house, and I've given them most--maybe all-- of my decorations. So has my DIL's mom--who doesn't decorate any, either. (Do I see a trend?)
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I do think if they didn't put up a thing, but we were together, I'd be just as happy. I'm just "over" the decorating for Christmas (or anything) thing---while Mona, 13 years older than me--is going all out with a Noble Fir, even though PH is not going to help! :) I love it!! I love that she's passionate about it and is going to do it. I'm fine with me not doing any of it--and she is, too. I'm for whatever works for whomever, and without confrontation.I just don't have the energy for any of it anymore--with all its beauty--it's just too much work, I'm sorry to say. I'm not looking for it to change at this point--but who knows? Things are subject to.....
Hope Thanksgiving was good...or, well, as good as it could be! Trudy
I love Christmas, and decorating, I had one year that I wasn't going to do much and hubby got all excited and decorated for ,me.We don't have kids so I guess I don't know how it feels to now not have them with you , but I did have my sisters kids very close and always here part of Christmas day that is changing too but I still love the treasures they made or gave me, and I have received from loved ones over the years, I like to put those things out and it kinda snowballs from there
ReplyDeleteLast year, we were depressed as fuck, and didn't decorate. We had no money, we were struggling for everything, charities kept calling and I would tell them NO, that we were trying to put food on our own damn table... It was a shitty holiday.
ReplyDeleteThis year is different. No less stressful, I must say, due to a couple things this weekend. But different - better - and we got out the tree last night and decorated it. We'll handle our sudden financial crunch (which came as a result of us investing in a necessity) somehow. We're determined to make the holidays cheerful this year, goddamn it! ;)
Everyone has to do what they want to do, right?