Simply Balisha

Simply Balisha

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

It's Too Early to Light the Lights

I've been reading quite a bit about forgetting Thanksgiving, by decorating for Christmas so early. It brings to mind a memory from years ago.
My Mom and Dad loved Christmas decorating. They did it together in their later years.....early on, Dad worked nights and Mom would do the decorating then. Usually the week before Christmas, because we had a live tree. She was a perfectionist in decorating the tree. Tinsel had to be put on a strand at a time. I can remember like it was yesterday, "Young lady, if you want to help....do it the right way." Our tree was dripping with tinsel all lined up along the branches. The years went by and an artificial tree was purchased. It was then that she started collection crystal ornaments. The cute folksy ornaments were stored in boxes never to be used again. The tree was beautiful, however...

As my parents aged, the holidays were something that they both looked forward to. Mom lying on the couch reading her cookbooks...searching for new holiday recipes....and Dad her accomplice by continuously shopping for the ingredients and sampling some of the food :) As Mom's eyesight began to fail, she stopped looking at her cookbooks. This was one of the saddest times for me... personally. No more phone calls about holiday cooking. How I still miss talking to her on the phone. 

One thing didn't change was their love for decorating the tree. The last year found my parents decorating before Thanksgiving and giving me a call about whether or not they should light the tree. What would their neighbors think? I convinced them to go ahead a light it and enjoy this beautiful tree during the holidays. I went to visit one evening and found them behind closed drapes with their beautiful tree all lit up. The two of them like little kids who thought that they were getting away with something. The twinkle was back in Mom's eyes as she glanced at the tree. She couldn't make out what was on the tree....but she could see the lights.

So, the other day a friend of mine emailed that she had put her tree up, but wouldn't light it yet. I told her some of this story and she said that she might light hers at night too...only behind closed draperies. 

So, before you criticize someone for celebrating too early, remember that for some people lighting the lights is special...something that they look forward to all year. It's a way of making the Christmas season last longer. Who says you can't sit in your living room with the Christmas tree lit...while eating a turkey sandwich and a piece of pumpkin pie?
Balisha

7 comments:

  1. In some ways
    similar to my parents.
    Tree put up 1 week before Christmas
    and my father so fussy about the tinsel
    that went on one strand at a time :)

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  2. I think anticipation is such a big part of Christmas.. so I'm actively seeking out festive events at the moment. It's lovely to catch up again. I hope that you are well. Jx

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  3. People need to do whatever they can while they still can. That's a lovely story, Balisha!

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  4. I remember doing tinsel one string at a time as well! :) Lovely story, as always :)

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  5. Balisha,
    That was such a wonderful story about your Mom and Dad and their early Christmas tree! My Mom was a one piece of tinsel at a time tree decorator, too. It does make a pretty, shimmery effect that way. When stores get the Christmas season rolling too soon, that bothers me, but when I see people's homes with their Christmas lights/and or trees up early, it never has bothered me. I always had it in my head that they must have out of town relatives or maybe even military service members in the family, and were doing their Christmas celebration at Thanksgiving because that is when their loved ones would be in town. I remember always thinking this way, even as a child. Just the other night my husband came home and mentioned that some of the neighbors already had their Christmas lights up and on. Some extra sparkle on these longer evenings doesn't bother me one little bit.

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  6. Thanks to all for your comments. I hope you all have a Blessed Thanksgiving
    Balisha

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