Sunday, August 13, 2006

I am officially in Christmas mode. Yes, you read that right. Christmas mode. I’m not sure who is more to blame – Hobby Lobby and its 14 aisles of Christmas décor or the lady who called in on the radio the other day and got on my nerves. Given that I heard the radio lady more recently than I saw the Hobby Lobby spread, I’ll blame her.

Here’s how it happened. I was listening to the radio at work just like I always do, and on the morning call-in show, a woman phoned who had the deadly combo of a whiny radio voice and a cell phone that only worked ¾ of the time. I listened for about a minute and just couldn’t take it anymore – and I had no idea how long she might prattle on. So in a moment of haste, I turned off the radio and clicked over to my computer’s stored music.

I worked my way through the Gaither Vocal Band and the Booth Brothers – and by mid-afternoon, I completely forgot that I wasn’t listening to the radio – and that it was, in fact, just a list of music playing. And that’s when it happened. The Point of Grace Winter Wonderland CD was up for play, and before I knew it, I was singing along to In the First Light and Breath of Heaven and All is Well while I simultaneously worked my way through my files.

That evening I found myself making preliminary notes for the outline of my Christmas letter, sifting through the Colorful Images catalog for possible return address labels that might coordinate with the cards I have yet to make, and brainstorming where I might strategically locate each of the way-too-many trees I insist upon decorating each year.

But whether or not you think I’m OCD about Christmas (as my sister claims), allow me to tell you the following reasons why I think it is wise to consider Christmas at least this early every year.

1. Gift sales. Yes, yes, I know that the official Christmas sales with accompanying red and white hoopla won’t begin for another couple of months at least, but just think how much you could save on buying gifts if you were up with every season’s clearance sale!! Just this morning when I read the Sunday flyers, I saw a huge discount on one of those obnoxious utility lamps used by people who know how to do industrial work (a.k.a. not me). I bought one for my Dad a couple of years ago. Had I planned ahead that year, I could have saved some bucks! (That would have allowed me to buy more stinking gift certificates which are the only things he ever asks for…but I digress.)

2. A Christmas letter with flair. I realize that most people who write Christmas letters are people with families…kids…who actually have something to report from the previous year. I’m not really sure when I picked up the habit of writing Christmas letters – but I’ve been doing it for a few years now. But every year it’s the same thing. I sit down and stare at a blank screen before typing out “please refer to last year’s letter.” I have even been known to consult the calendar or my endless journals to come up with something newsworthy. Nothing. But not this year!! This year I have a whole list of things that I’ve worked nicely into a theme – so that at least old news can have a new format!

3. Actual participation in festivities. There are some years when I’ve been sort of a last minute girl. Ask my Mom about the year we did all my shopping on Christmas Eve. But my full plan is to have my cards made and my shopping done by Thanksgiving weekend so I can spend that weekend wrapping, addressing, and decorating. Then I have the entire month of December to go to other people’s parties, bake cookies, sing along with all my faves (in the privacy of my home, of course) and sit on the couch late at night and stare at my 16 strands of lights wound ever so strategically through the branches of my main tree.

4. Vacation days are easier to get. Isn’t it fun to divvy up the holiday-time vacation days among all the co-workers every year? There are always the unspoken rules that dictate who gets the time off depending on who got it last year combined with who most recently got to “claim a holiday.” But if you take your days in August and September to prepare for Christmas, chances are, they’ll be much easier to approve!

5. And rounding out my list is something I’ve actually never done and probably won’t ever do – but it is a good thought! You could hang your outdoor Christmas lights now and work on your tan while you do it!! And the thing of it is – if you lived in my neighborhood, no one would even think it strange!

So call me crazy, but on Christmas Eve, when you can’t find the gift you want, you are out of wrapping paper and the stores have closed, and you are sweating in the kitchen while baking the last batch of cookies, think of me. I’ll be fast asleep on the couch – cradled by whatever’s left in working order of the sixteen strands of lights.