Christmas Decorating
Four years ago the great debate started. One of the greatest debates that has plagued man kind for centuries. And that debate is when do we put up the Christmas decorations? We both came from two different views on the situation. My side of the family put up their decorations after thanksgiving. While barbs side of the family, pretty much has Christmas decorations up by October, and if she (Donner) had it her way would never take them down. She even wearing holiday clothing throughout the year, which I have to say it part of her charm. So after some heated discussions and a trip to St. Louis for the weekend, we decided we would start our own tradition and put the decorations up the weekend before thanksgiving. We both gave a little, and times were happy.
Now lets fast forward to the day after this past Halloween. Barbara says so sweetly to me, “Mike when can we put up the Christmas decorations?” Which then I replied “the weekend before thanksgiving like we normally do.” Barbara wasn’t to happy with my response and since has been on a crusade to change my mind. So should I then change my mind and go back to my original belief that the decorations should wait until after thanksgiving?
Don’t get me wrong, I also love Christmas. But when its Christmas time, not the season of thanks. See I do not diminish the hard work of the Indians or the elf’s. I just say lets be fair. Let the pilgrims and Indians have their time!
I do believe in keeping tradition. I believe having traditions are a important building block to every single family. So why should we break our tradition? The one we decided works best for us? And since I decided to compromise with my wife 4 years ago to move the day of decorating to the weekend before thanksgiving, why does it need to be different this year? Why should I be called meanie or scrooge?
If we decide that we want to have children, do we teach our kids that its ok to break our family tradition, while they are under our roof? Or do we just remove all forms of tradition before they are even born to avoid that? Should barb and I stop praying and offering up gifts of sacrifice to the piece of floor that the all mighty Christian Moody signed, in hopes of a successful basketball season that we have done for the past few years? Should we teach our children that thanksgiving is a speed bump or road block to Christmas, and not what it is truly meant for? Down the road, if we decide to have children, should we feel guilty about maybe wanting to stay home and just celebrate the holiday with our kids and break the tradition spending time with our entire family?
See I believe that the holiday season is more than just Christmas. I feel it does include Halloween and Thanksgiving which barb says is just a speed bump to Christmas. A speed bump to Christmas? Really? Shouldn’t it be given its own time and not treated like the middle child. Should thanksgiving really be overlooked like Jan Brady? I don’t think so. It should be a time of thanks, and reflection. The stories of the pilgrims coming to America and taking the Indians land and savagely enslaving them shouldn’t be swept under the rug because people believe Christmas should have more time in the spotlight. Nikki Hilton, don’t you want to be in the spotlight too? Or should we only pay attention to Paris? For you Kansas fans, its kinda like Kansas football. You know what I’m talking about. Always being the red headed step child to the basketball team.
The point of this post is in response to barbs crusade to basically by-pass thanksgiving. I wanted to get my campaign across on why its important to maintain tradition. So I told my lovely wife that if I received 250 emails explaining why I should give her my blessing to put up the Christmas decorations one week early, I would give it to her. I’m not telling her she can’t, because who really can stop barb from doing anything? So if after reading this you agree with me and want to revoke your previous email, I will remove it from the official count. Or if you agree its ok to by-pass thanksgiving and brush the idea of thanksgiving and what it stands for under the rug, then please email me at runkumike@gmail.com.
Please lets not treat thanksgiving like Jan Brady!
Now lets fast forward to the day after this past Halloween. Barbara says so sweetly to me, “Mike when can we put up the Christmas decorations?” Which then I replied “the weekend before thanksgiving like we normally do.” Barbara wasn’t to happy with my response and since has been on a crusade to change my mind. So should I then change my mind and go back to my original belief that the decorations should wait until after thanksgiving?
Don’t get me wrong, I also love Christmas. But when its Christmas time, not the season of thanks. See I do not diminish the hard work of the Indians or the elf’s. I just say lets be fair. Let the pilgrims and Indians have their time!
I do believe in keeping tradition. I believe having traditions are a important building block to every single family. So why should we break our tradition? The one we decided works best for us? And since I decided to compromise with my wife 4 years ago to move the day of decorating to the weekend before thanksgiving, why does it need to be different this year? Why should I be called meanie or scrooge?
If we decide that we want to have children, do we teach our kids that its ok to break our family tradition, while they are under our roof? Or do we just remove all forms of tradition before they are even born to avoid that? Should barb and I stop praying and offering up gifts of sacrifice to the piece of floor that the all mighty Christian Moody signed, in hopes of a successful basketball season that we have done for the past few years? Should we teach our children that thanksgiving is a speed bump or road block to Christmas, and not what it is truly meant for? Down the road, if we decide to have children, should we feel guilty about maybe wanting to stay home and just celebrate the holiday with our kids and break the tradition spending time with our entire family?
See I believe that the holiday season is more than just Christmas. I feel it does include Halloween and Thanksgiving which barb says is just a speed bump to Christmas. A speed bump to Christmas? Really? Shouldn’t it be given its own time and not treated like the middle child. Should thanksgiving really be overlooked like Jan Brady? I don’t think so. It should be a time of thanks, and reflection. The stories of the pilgrims coming to America and taking the Indians land and savagely enslaving them shouldn’t be swept under the rug because people believe Christmas should have more time in the spotlight. Nikki Hilton, don’t you want to be in the spotlight too? Or should we only pay attention to Paris? For you Kansas fans, its kinda like Kansas football. You know what I’m talking about. Always being the red headed step child to the basketball team.
The point of this post is in response to barbs crusade to basically by-pass thanksgiving. I wanted to get my campaign across on why its important to maintain tradition. So I told my lovely wife that if I received 250 emails explaining why I should give her my blessing to put up the Christmas decorations one week early, I would give it to her. I’m not telling her she can’t, because who really can stop barb from doing anything? So if after reading this you agree with me and want to revoke your previous email, I will remove it from the official count. Or if you agree its ok to by-pass thanksgiving and brush the idea of thanksgiving and what it stands for under the rug, then please email me at runkumike@gmail.com.
Please lets not treat thanksgiving like Jan Brady!
posted by Theoutofshapeguy at 2:09 PM
4 Comments:
As usual, you are fabulous Mike.
And you do make some valid points about traditions. But are you really saying that you can't cherish a spirit of Christmas charity and giving while also enjoying "the stories of the pilgrims coming to America and taking the Indians land and savagely enslaving them." Not to mention all the lovely diseases we inflicted them with. Does having two people with the same (or close) birthday or wedding anniversary diminish the specialness of each?
Besides, maybe if Thanksgiving had some better decorations (how much can you do with an uncarved pumpkin and a cornucopia) then it would get a better rep ;)
Needless to say, I'm with Barb on this one. Please, keep me in the count!!!
So who's Jane Brady??? I don't actually remember a JanE Brady. I think you just declared defeat, sir;)
But don't you know the American tradition of the First Thanksgiving, when the Pilgrims and Indians prepared a feast together for Santa Claus, the guest of honor.
Get ready for the flood.
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Merry Christmas!!
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