A few weeks ago, I discovered that the Hallmark Channel shows Christmas movies 24/7 and I'm not ashamed to admit (ok, I'm a little ashamed) that I've been partaking. And then a couple of weeks ago I accidentally happened upon the Sirius Holiday Traditions channel in the car while looking for something to listen to other than the NHL Network that my boys favor. Listening to holiday music in the car reminded me that I could listen to a Pandora Christmas music station while working at home. Then I saw eggnog in the grocery store a few days before Thanksgiving and couldn't resist the pull of a rum and eggnog (I don't think that means I have a problem). And then, to top it all off, we got a foot of snow in a pre-Thanksgiving snow storm.
With schmaltzy movies and Christmas music and eggnog and snow barraging my system (really, I don't drink that much eggnog), you'd think I would be full of Christmas spirit.
But no, I'm afraid I'm a peak-too-sooner.
I think Thanksgiving was my Christmas. I peaked at Thanksgiving and now the formerly charming movie formula of single parent falls for child's teacher, or young professional woman forgoes the "perfect" guy for the "perfect for her" colleague, or even coma patient saves Christmas for the people around her and emerges from her coma perfectly made up and in love (preferably with another coma patient) just doesn't seem to be working for me anymore. And if I hear "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" or "Santa Baby" one more time I am going to lose it.
This is a terrible state to be in on December 2nd and with my family depending on me to deliver and a Christmas issue submission deadline looming, it's time to fight back.
But the question is, how to become a re-peak-er? (or would that be a peak-again-er, I'm a little unclear about the specifics of peaking)
The plan (and forgive me for its lack of complexity, but I'm working off-the-cuff here): Do something Christmassy every day between now and Christmas. And that doesn't include watching other people enjoy a fantasy Christmas on tv or listening to yet another rendition of "White Christmas." I mean doing something authentic, no matter how small, to celebrate the season.
Hopefully I'll be able to re-manufacture some Christmas spirit. Maybe I'll come to some new understanding of the true meaning of Christmas or maybe I'll just end up finishing my Christmas to-do list. Either way, here goes...
Pulled out my advent calendar and added one ornament. This advent calendar is hanging in my kitchen, hence the very un-Christmassy rooster hook. It's also hanging above the dog's dishes which means the ornaments sometimes end up in the water bowl on the way to the tree.
The kids will take turns adding ornaments to the tree every night from now on and inevitably we will forget whose night it is and an argument will ensue. Can't get more authentic than that!
Hmmm... there appears to be very little change in my Christmas spirit so far. Could be the rooster. Onward...