Planning for Christmas

Are you planning for Christmas already?

Yes, I know, if you are in the USA you want to celebrate Thanksgiving this Thursday first, and THEN deal with your Christmas plans. (Or can you manage both at the same time?)

I noticed on Sunday, driving to and from church, that a lot of houses in our city are already lit up with their Christmas decorations. That is not on my agenda. Why? Simply because my parents could not afford such decorations, and so I never got used to it.

(In fact, Dad often commented on the waste of electricity for all those lights in our neighbourhood, and when Mom wanted to hang an electric star in our living window, Dad tried to discourage it, and he would quickly unplug it when Mom got out of her chair to get ready for bed.)

However, getting my Christmas letters, cards, and some gifts ready, is a priority for me. Oh, and I delight in listening to Christmas music all December on my online radio station, bbnradio.org. I listen to BBN all my waking hours, and December is a treat, for their only Christian Christmas music from 12am on December 1st to midnight on December 31st. (They have some spoken programs and dramas too, but all the music between is Christmas music!)

I have no room for a tree and don't need it. Instead, filling my little house with music is my way of decorating my atmosphere!

But looking at my calendar on Sunday I realized that I have only about 3 weeks to get my snail mail Christmas letters out, and I haven't even started drafting the main body part. I plan to start this coming Sunday night.

Then there is the matter of making gifts. Years ago I decided I could economize on gift purchases by making small token gifts. But such crafts take time too. Two of my siblings have adult children and some grandchildren, so their focus is on them. I rarely get a gift from them. My youngest sister lives alone in Ontario, and I try to send her something. But then there are all my local friends, and with my intensive work agenda - that I'm just digging into in earnest - crowds out much gift-craft time.

Ah. I do want to invite some singles over who have no home to go to on Christmas day. So I am planning to roast a turkey and prepare the trimmings. Last week I baked two pumpkins from my garden, which had finally become ripe, and yesterday I made 2 pumpkin loaves. There is still a lot of pulp/puree left, so I will try some other recipes for desserts yet too. There may be other things I can make ahead.

Most important though... may be to start inviting friends before they make other commitments and can't change their plans.

I wish you great success with your Christmas plans!

[Back to Archives Index ] ~~ [Back to Main RoseBouquet Page]